Don’t Tell Donald Trump, but Texas Is Deep Into Wind and Solar Power – Mother Jones

Report on Texas’s Energy Transition and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

An analysis of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid indicates a significant shift towards renewable energy sources to meet escalating electricity demand. This transition directly supports the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Advancements in SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Growth in Renewable Energy Generation

The increasing reliance on clean energy sources is a primary driver in meeting Texas’s record energy demand. This progress is a clear indicator of advancements toward the targets of SDG 7.

• In the first nine months of 2025, wind and solar generation collectively met more than one-third of ERCOT’s total electricity demand.
• Solar power generation reached 45 terawatt-hours, representing a 50% increase from the same period in 2024 and a nearly fourfold increase since 2021.
• Wind generation totaled 87 terawatt-hours, an increase of 4% compared to 2024 and 36% since 2021.

Impact on Fossil Fuel Dependency

The expansion of solar capacity has directly contributed to reducing the state’s reliance on fossil fuels, a key component of SDG 7 and SDG 13.

• The availability of solar generation has diminished the need for natural gas-fired power plants, especially during midday peak hours.
• While natural gas remains the largest single source of electricity, its share of generation has flattened. It met 43% of demand in 2025, down from 47% in the preceding two years.

Contributions to SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

ERCOT’s Role as an Innovative Energy Infrastructure Hub

Texas’s energy market structure and regulatory environment have fostered an ecosystem conducive to rapid innovation and infrastructure development in line with SDG 9.

1. Rapid Interconnection: ERCOT possesses the fastest interconnection process in the United States, enabling developers to bring renewable energy projects online within a few years.
2. Favorable Market Conditions: The deregulated market incentivizes investment in the most economic energy sources, which are increasingly solar, wind, and battery storage.
3. Investment Security: The prevalence of private power purchase agreements (PPAs) offers cost security for both generators and corporate buyers, encouraging sustained investment in resilient and sustainable infrastructure.

Meeting Industrial Demand with Sustainable Infrastructure

The grid’s expansion is successfully supporting robust economic and industrial growth, demonstrating the capacity of renewable infrastructure to power modern economies.

• ERCOT experienced the fastest growth in electricity demand among all U.S. grids between 2024 and 2025.
• The grid is currently tracking over 200 gigawatts of large load interconnection requests from industrial facilities and data centers, underscoring the critical role of clean energy in supporting industry and innovation.

Future Projections and Challenges for Sustainable Energy Goals

Short-Term and Long-Term Outlook

While the current trajectory is positive, long-term planning is essential to maintain momentum towards achieving sustainable energy targets.

• Next Five Years: Energy supply, driven by solar and storage growth, is expected to keep pace with rapid demand increases.
• Ten-Year Forecast: Projections indicate a potential supply-demand imbalance within a decade if demand continues at its current rate, primarily due to an anticipated decline in new thermal energy additions after 2030.

Policy and Market Headwinds

Political and legislative factors present potential obstacles to the continued expansion of renewable energy, which could impact the long-term achievement of SDG 7 and SDG 13.

• The success of renewables has occurred despite legislative efforts within Texas to restrict their development.
• Political opposition to wind energy at the national level could also pose a challenge to future growth, potentially ceding leadership in wind installations to other regions by 2027.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses Texas’s energy grid, its increasing reliance on renewable energy sources, and the economic and infrastructural implications. Based on this, the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are addressed:

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: This is the most central SDG, as the article’s main theme is the shift towards clean energy sources like solar and wind to meet rising electricity demand in a cost-effective manner.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The article details the development and upgrading of energy infrastructure (the ERCOT grid, solar facilities, wind generators, batteries) and highlights the innovative and rapid interconnection process in Texas that facilitates this growth.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: By focusing on the growth of renewable energy (solar and wind) and the corresponding reduction in the need for natural gas-fired generation, the article directly addresses actions taken to combat climate change by transitioning to a lower-carbon energy system.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article touches upon the economic viability and rapid growth of the renewable energy sector. It describes how the deregulated market in Texas fosters an environment where “people are going to build solar and wind, and now battery storage, essentially as quickly as they possibly can,” implying significant economic activity and investment.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Several specific SDG targets can be linked to the information presented in the article:

1. Under SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy):
   • Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The article directly supports this target by stating that “wind and solar generation met more than one third of ERCOT’s electricity demand” and that solar generation has increased “nearly four times more than the same period in 2021.”
   • Target 7.a: By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology… and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology. The article highlights Texas’s ERCOT grid as a leader in rapid development, stating it is “the grid with the fastest interconnection process,” which attracts developers and promotes investment in clean energy infrastructure like solar, wind, and battery storage.
2. Under SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure):
   • Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies… The article describes the large-scale addition of “solar facilities, wind power generators and batteries” to the Texas grid. This represents a significant upgrade of energy infrastructure with clean technologies to sustainably meet demand from “data centers and industrial facilities.”
3. Under SDG 13 (Climate Action):
   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. While the article notes political opposition, the market-driven reality is that ERCOT’s planning and operation are increasingly integrating renewable energy. The fact that the “availability of solar generation in ERCOT also has reduced the need for gas-fired generation” is a tangible outcome of climate-positive measures being integrated into the state’s energy system.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• For Target 7.2 (Increase share of renewable energy):
  • Indicator: Share of renewables in the electricity mix. The article explicitly states that “wind and solar generation met more than one third of ERCOT’s electricity demand.” It also notes that natural gas met “43 percent of 2025 demand,” providing a clear metric of the energy mix.
  • Indicator: Absolute electricity generation from renewables. The article provides specific figures: “Solar power has generated 45 terrawatt hours of electricity so far this year,” and “Wind generation this year through September totaled 87 terrawatt hours.” These figures can be tracked over time to measure growth.
  • Indicator: Growth rate of renewable energy generation. The article mentions that solar generation is “50 percent more than the same period in 2024 and nearly four times more than the same period in 2021,” providing a direct measure of the rate of progress.
• For Target 9.4 (Upgrade infrastructure with clean technology):
  • Indicator: Planned capacity additions of clean energy. The article implies a strong pipeline for future infrastructure upgrades by mentioning that “ERCOT is tracking more than 200 gigawatts of large load interconnection requests.” This serves as a forward-looking indicator of investment in clean technology infrastructure.
• For Target 13.2 (Integrate climate change measures):
  • Indicator: Reduction in fossil fuel generation. The article implies progress by stating that increased solar generation has “reduced the need for gas-fired generation during midday hours.” It also notes that natural gas’s share of generation has “flattened in recent years” and decreased from 47% in 2023/2024 to 43% in 2025, which is a direct indicator of the displacement of fossil fuels.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: motherjones.com