Green energy companies are adding $8 million to political action committees' spending in an effort to sway Texas lawmakers for favorable legislation, according to a a recent Transparency USA study.
The Transparency USA study shows that the full cost totaling $8,465,780 helps green energy companies earn extensive tax abatements and subsidies that artificially prop up green energy despite, what critics say, are their inherent unreliability and unpredictability.
"A number of renewable energy corporations are investing millions of dollars lobbying in Austin. Since 2015 alone, more than $8 million has been spent by green energy PACs to influence Texas state politics," the Transparency USA study said.
There are a number of state PACs participating in renewable energy lobbying in Texas and include The American Electric Power - Texas, Committee for Responsible Government, Vistra Energy Leaders PAC of Vistra Corp, Power PAC of Vistra Energy, Exelon Corp. PAC, El Paso Electric Co. Employee PAC, Recurrent Energy Group Inc. PAC, Dallas Green Alliance and HR Green Texas PAC, according to the Transparency USA study.
"In addition there are also multiple federal PACs donating to Texas candidates on behalf of renewable energy companies including NextEra Energy Inc. PAC Federal, Xcel Energy PAC, EDF Renewable Energy PAC, Apex Clean Energy Inc. PAC, The Wind Coalition PAC, EDP Renewables North America LLC PAC, Pattern Energy Group PAC and American Wind Energy Association WindPAC Federal," the study said. "A number of these PAC’s green energy clients are not actually based in Texas."
Four of those green energy PACs have contributed $221,500 to Gov. Greg Abbott's campaigns since 2015.
"In total state-level PACs affiliated with green energy lobbyist clients have spent $7,675,113 in donations to the campaign accounts of Texas lawmakers since 2015," the study said.
The Energy Alliance reported that in the past two decades, wind and solar generators in Texas have received $19.4 billion in taxpayer-funded subsidies. In the next decade, it is estimated that renewable energy generators will receive $15.9 billion in taxpayer-funded energy subsidies.
An analysis by Chuck DeVore, vice president of the conservative-leaning Texas Public Policy Foundation, shows subsidies in the form of federal tax credits and state property tax abatements have significantly distorted the electricity market in Texas to the point where "wind generators, some owned by foreign governments, can pay the grid to take their power and still make money," a Life:Powered factsheet said. This also has caused higher energy costs for consumers, and introduces an incentive to create businesses that would not otherwise exist without a subsidy.
WC Texas News previously reported that despite the promise of bolstering employment, solar and wind companies receiving taxpayer subsidies rarely meet the minimum jobs required under Texas code and, in turn, seek a jobs creation waiver to keep the subsidies. According to Texas comptroller data, no company receiving tax abatements in west central Texas has created the required 10 jobs under state law and but have received job creation waivers. Instead, companies are bringing in employees from other states to build and maintain their facilities.
According to Life:Powered, much of the February winter storm power failure in Texas that claimed 111 lives was blamed on energy not being regulated and Texas not being apart of the national grid. Analysts say wind and solar power make up less than one-third of Texas' energy needs.
As green energy continue to money into lobbying and influencing Texan lawmakers, the reliability of energy and promise of jobs have not been met by those companies, making the combination dangerous for all residents, critics charge.
