Texas is driving a boom in utility-scale solar power, hosting more than half of the country’s new solar capacity in recent months, according to a new industry report.
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) reported Monday that the U.S. industry built 9,400 megawatts of new capacity in the second quarter of this year. Of that, Texas installed 5,500 MW, nearly twice as much as Florida, the next highest ranking state.
The report is the latest to show solar power gains in red and purple states, as President Joe Biden’s landmark climate law distributes billions of dollars in clean energy investment. That growth has prompted concerns about worker protections in states with historically low unionization rates.
“There are definitely areas where protections need to be improved for solar workers … but especially in areas like Texas,” said Jillian Morley, a research support specialist at the Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University.
