The past two weeks have been nothing short of electric for Texas’ renewable energy scene. From record-setting utility projects to local community resilience initiatives, the state continues to redefine what energy independence looks like — one solar panel, one battery, and one big idea at a time.

Big Deals, Bigger Sunshine: Meta and ENGIE Team Up

We’ve mentioned Meta/Facebook’s reneweable energy deals before here at The Feed in the recent past. French energy giant ENGIE and Meta just inked another massive power purchase agreement for a 600-megawatt solar project in Stonewall County. Reuters reports that the project -nicknamed Swenson Ranch Solar- will feed clean energy directly into Texas’ grid while powering Meta’s data centers.
Corporate demand for renewable power isn’t slowing down, and Texas is still where the big players come to plug in.

Solar + Storage Becomes the New Normal

Two more mega-projects prove the point.

• The Doral Group announced a 553 MWdc solar + 340 MWh battery project in Central Texas, one of the largest of its kind in the U.S. (Renewables Now)

  Meanwhile…

• Energy Vault acquired a 150 MW battery storage facility in North Texas, expanding its footprint in the ERCOT market. (Renewables Now)

This growing wave of hybrid solar-plus-storage sites shows how developers are preparing for the intermittency challenge -making solar (and wind) a dispatchable energy resource, not just a daytime one.

Agrivoltaics: Sheep, Soil, and Solar Working Together

At the new 600 MW “Hornet” Solar Project, Vesper Energy is taking a grounded approach (sorry for the pun here!): pairing panels with pollinator habitats and sheep grazing. PV Magazine calls it a model for balancing land stewardship with solar expansion.
NATiVE Solar hasn’t made a decision to enter the agrivoltaics market but it’s definitely one we’re watching closely. It’s another sign that Texas developers are moving beyond the old “panels vs. pastures” debate and toward genuine coexistence between clean energy, healthier land, and enriched rural livelihoods.

Grid Growth: ERCOT’s Renewable Record Run

Even as demand soars, renewables are catching up fast. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) reports that solar generation reached ~45 terawatt-hours in the first nine months of 2025. This is an absolutely enormous amount of energy and it’s a 50 percent jump year-over-year. (EnergyNews.Pro)

Combined with wind, renewables now meet roughly 36 percent of total Texas power demand. That’s a quiet revolution in the making -and a challenge for policymakers to keep pace with the grid of the future.  We write often about the dynamics effecting our crazy Texas grid 

Solar Justice: Harris County vs. the EPA

On the policy front, things got tense. Harris County filed suit against the EPA after the agency pulled back $250 million in “Solar for All” funding meant to expand low-income solar programs. (Axios Houston)
The case highlights how access and equity are shaping up to be the next frontier of Texas solar. Even in the nation’s energy capital, not everyone gets equal sunlight — or funding.

Community Resilience, One Roof at a Time

While big projects dominate headlines, ordinary Texans are getting creative too. In Houston, neighbors in storm-prone areas are building solar-powered “hub homes” -residences that double as local power and communications hubs during outages. (The Well News)

I just think this is such a great idea! NATiVE has heard from customers over the years that in during extended grid outatges, their home’s have become havens for their family, friends, and neighbors!  It’s grassroots resilience at its best and it’s proof that solar isn’t just about kilowatts, but about connection and continuity when the grid goes dark.

Innovation from the Ground Up

One of the most fascinating stories comes from Dallas-based Janta Power, which raised $5.5 million for its 3D solar tower design -a vertical structure that triples power density per acre. (Inside Climate News)
The concept could reshape urban solar deployment, where land is scarce but sun exposure is plentiful. It’s a glimpse of how Texas ingenuity continues to push boundaries in renewable tech.

The Bigger Picture

There’s a lot going on around Texas in our space. Taken together, these stories paint a picture of a state increasingly defined by innovation, integration, and inclusion in the renewables space despite political and geo-economics headwinds.  Texas isn’t just keeping up with the renewable revolution; it’s quietly leading it, one project (and one community) at a time.

Want to see how solar fits your home or business energy story?

NATiVE Solar has been designing and building high-performance solar + battery systems across Texas since 2007. Contact us to start your energy independence journey today.