Texas clean energy megaprojects get underway

Texas has historically been the country’s fossil fuel capital, but the state is increasingly investing in renewable energy production. In fact, by next year Texas will get more electricity from solar and wind power than methane gas, also known as natural gas, the U.S. Energy Information Administration projected in a recent report. Texas also led the country in renewable energy projects in 2021, according to a report from the American Clean Power Association trade group. Its 7,325 megawatts of new wind, solar and energy storage projects brought online last year far surpasses the 2,697 megawatts in the next most active state, California. Texas is also the leader when ranked by how much wind, solar and storage states have under construction or in advanced development. To that end, some major clean energy projects have recently advanced in Texas. Here’s a roundup of some of the latest:

A $6 billion, 540-acre green hydrogen fuel plant is coming to the Bay City area of southeast Texas, planned by the Houston unit of e-fuels developer HIF Global. Bechtel will perform engineering and design work, according to a Dec. 6 press release from the company. It’s the first of 12 plants HIF Global is planning to build that will use captured CO2 and green hydrogen — which is hydrogen generated by renewable energy — to produce cleaner transportation fuels. Construction of the facility is expected to begin in 2023 and production will begin by 2026, per a release from the governor’s office. The project will create at least 4,500 direct jobs during the construction phase, according to Bechtel. When complete, the facility will produce 200 million gallons of the cleaner fuel annually. Air Products and The AES Corp. are building a $4 billion green hydrogen facility in Wilbarger County in north Texas — the largest in the country when complete, according to a press release from the governor’s office. It will be capable of producing 200 metric tons per day of green hydrogen. It’s part of the state’s efforts to create a clean energy hub. “The project will broaden Texas’ energy portfolio and will position our state as the country’s leader in green hydrogen while helping to reduce emissions,” according to the press release. The build itself is anticipated to create more than 1,300 construction jobs and will generate $500 million in revenue for the state, according to the release. It is targeted to begin commercial operations in 2027, and will primarily serve transportation and industrial markets.