How Solar & Wind Are Transforming Texas

Clean Power Hour

#EP306

Texas has quietly become America's renewable energy powerhouse, with solar and wind now generating over 70 gigawatts of capacity. Raina Hornaday, founder and CEO of Caprock Renewables, reveals how this transformation happened and why rural communities are driving the next wave of clean energy growth.

In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, we explore the explosive growth of Texas renewables, where solar and wind now exceed 70 gigawatts of capacity. Raina takes us through her family's history with the first utility-scale wind project in New Mexico and reveals how Texas has become America's renewable energy powerhouse.

Key topics covered include

• The fascinating ERCOT dashboard showing real-time energy generation
• The Texas Renewable Energy Industries Alliance (TREIA) is celebrating its 40th anniversary
• The emerging agrivoltaics revolution that is helping farmers add revenue streams while maintaining agricultural productivity.
• The recent legislative battles, where over 100 renewable advocates testified against anti-renewable bills
• The growing role of battery storage in grid stability
• How oil and gas companies are increasingly turning to renewables for their operations.

Raina also discusses her work with American Farmland Trust on educating farmers about agrivoltaics, the importance of responsible development in rural communities, and why microgrids are becoming essential for energy independence.

Whether you're interested in renewable energy development, agricultural innovation, or Texas energy policy, this episode offers valuable insights from someone who's been at the forefront of the industry for over a decade.

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The Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: [email protected]

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The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America’s number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com