Closing the Loop: The Rise of Solar Panel Recycling
by Elle Nicholson, TXSES A common concern about solar energy is that the technology is less environmentally friendly than it seems once panels reach the end of their life cycle. With an average lifespan of about 30 years, solar panels are projected to generate up to 80 million tons of waste by 2050—a challenge for landfills […]
Balcony Solar Panels: The Future of Urban Energy?
By Elle Nicholson, TXSES Researcher Historically, solar panels have not always been feasible in urban environments due to spacing issues. However, new solar technology has recently emerged that can provide renewable energy even in limited spaces. Balcony solar panels are compact (300–800 watt) systems consisting of a few PV panels, an inverter, and battery storage. […]
The ‘big, beautiful bill’ undercut rural energy projects. Texas must step up. (Op-Ed)
Rural communities didn’t get into renewables for politics. They did it because it worked. They need stability, not sudden rollbacks. By Raina Tillman Hornaday, TXSES Board MemberAustin American-Statesman Guest ColumnistAug 8, 2025Read it in the Austin American-Statesman. The recently passed “big, beautiful bill” was marketed as a cost-cutting win. While that may be true for some […]
Sine Die Approaches: A Mixed Bag for Solar
By Pete Parsons, TXSES Executive Director. Sine die is fast approaching, marking the close of the 89th Texas Legislative Session on June 2nd, and as far as I am concerned, it can’t come soon enough. I recently heard a statistic that I found gob smacking: Texas’s predicted peak power demand of nearly 218 gigawatts by […]
SB 819: A Threat to Renewables and Texans
By Elle Nicholson. A multitude of energy-related bills have been filed in the 89th Texas Legislative Session, but one particular bill has gained notoriety rarely seen amongst energy bills. Senator Lois Kolkhorst’s Senate Bill 819 has triggered significant backlash from a variety of opponents due to the widespread negative consequences it would have for the […]
Harvesting the Sun Twice: Agrivoltaics in Texas
By Raina Hornaday. Agrivoltaics—the practice of using land for both solar energy generation and agricultural production—is gaining momentum in Texas as a win-win strategy for sustainable development. As the Lone Star State grapples with rapid population growth, rising energy demand, and the ongoing loss of farmland, agrivoltaics presents a compelling vision: why choose between solar […]
Industry Spotlight: Big Sun Solar
In each Solar Report newsletter, we feature one of our highly regarded Platinum Business Members with an exclusive interview. This month, TXSES Communications Director Tamara Kowalski reached out to Big Sun Solar‘s Co-founder and President Jason Pittman to learn about the company’s mission, accomplishments, and impacts on customers. Origins and Leadership Big Sun Solar was founded in San Antonio with […]
Small But Mighty: Small-Scale Battery Storage Saves the Day
By Elle Nicholson Battery energy storage systems, commonly referred to as BESS, have quickly become an invaluable tool in the energy industry, for both utilities and small-scale applications alike. The systems work by drawing energy from the grid (or a localized power source), storing the charge, and later releasing it to provide electricity or other […]
TXSES Study Finds Solar Owners Shortchanged by 78% of their Worth
by Ethan Miller According to a new study commissioned by the Texas Solar Energy Society and produced by Dunsky Energy and Climate Advisors, the value of solar (VOS) is experiencing externalities. Externalities, according to the International Monetary Fund, are a market failure that occurs when a good’s “indirect effects have an impact on the consumption […]
Solar + Storage vs. Generators in the United States
By Mohammad Alkhatib In the United States, the need for reliable backup power solutions is increasing due to frequent power outages and natural disasters. Solar storage systems and traditional generators are two prominent options for ensuring continuous power supply during outages. This report provides a comprehensive comparison of these two solutions, analyzing their pros and […]