By: Matt Welch
In Texas, we pride ourselves on being builders of the American economy. We build more, build bigger and build faster than almost every other state. Affordable energy is foundational to that advantage.
That track record of innovation and know-how is why Texas should take the lead in reviving an American-made solar industry — one that further disentangles us from China.
Texas is widely known as an oil and gas powerhouse. But we are far more than that. Today, Texas is the second-largest producer of solar power in the nation, and growth is accelerating rapidly. Solar now accounts for nearly 10% of our state’s electricity generation.
The success Texas has seen in building solar power facilities is a source of pride. But it is not nearly enough to compete with China across the full supply chain.
The real vulnerability lies upstream. The global solar supply chain remains dominated by China — from polysilicon to wafers to the technical expertise required to assemble final modules. For an industry that will shape America’s economic and energy future, that dependence represents a serious strategic risk.
Leaders across the political spectrum agree the United States must rebuild its manufacturing base and reduce reliance on geopolitical rivals. We are already making progress in other parts of the energy value chain, including critical minerals and nuclear power. Investing in domestic solar manufacturing is another clear opportunity.
In recent years, companies have stepped up their commitment to building an America-first solar supply chain, and much of that momentum is happening in Texas.
Since 2022, U.S. solar manufacturing investments have totaled $36.6 billion. As of 2024, Texas was home to at least 10 planned solar panel manufacturers, along with nine facilities producing other solar components.
Texas continues to lead. Last year, SEG Solar completed its first utility-scale delivery from its new Houston manufacturing plant.
In Wilmer, T1 Energy has Americanized a solar factory it acquired from a Chinese firm. Beyond restoring American ownership, the company is prioritizing American-made materials — shifting away from imported aluminum frames in favor of U.S.-made steel and partnering with Corning to supply domestically produced solar wafers from Michigan. Last month, T1 Energy also began construction on a new solar cell fabrication plant just outside Austin, investing more than $400 million in the project.
This is what a genuine American solar renaissance looks like: factories coming online, jobs reshored to U.S. soil, and real production capacity returning home.
Rebuilding domestic solar manufacturing takes time. Assets must be acquired, facilities modernized and supply chains reassembled. But Texas is already proving this can be done, and we should accelerate the effort.
Yet even as this renaissance unfolds, some policymakers and advocates argue we should pull the rug out from under the solar industry, relying on debunked talking points that undermine real progress.
The more productive question — and one Texans should unite around — is how to accelerate reshoring and ensure America controls the materials and expertise behind one of the world’s fastest-growing industries.
Voters already understand this. More than 70% of Americans, including 60% of Republicans, view renewable energy favorably. They want cleaner power and the economic benefits that come with it. In Texas alone, the current fleet of utility-scale wind, solar and energy storage projects is estimated to generate $12.3 billion in new local tax revenue.
Imagine how much stronger that economic story could be — more jobs, more tax revenue and lower energy prices — if Texas made a meaningful commitment to reshoring the solar industry.
Texas has the workforce, the infrastructure and the record of execution to lead. If we commit to building the full solar supply chain, we can keep America competitive, strengthen our energy security and ensure the future of solar is made at home.
Matt Welch is state director for Conservative Texans for Energy Innovation, a group promoting energy innovation and clean energy policies.
Source: https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/commentary/article/texas-solar-manufacturing-21284581.
