Texas Solar and Battery Storage Break Records, Keep Grid Stable Through Historic Summer

Texas hit a major renewable energy milestone during summer 2025. Solar generation broke 17 records, and battery storage set four discharge records in September alone. For the first time in recent memory, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) never asked customers to conserve power. This stands in sharp contrast to previous summers, when grid strain and emergency alerts were common.

Solar Generation Breaks 17 Records in 2025

Solar power in Texas reached an all-time high of 29.8 gigawatts (GW) on September 9, 2025. This marked the 17th solar generation record of the year. The state's solar capacity surged from 22.1 GW on January 24 (the first record of 2025) to nearly 30 GW by September, according to data from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).

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September 9 Peak: 29.8 GW Powers Over 40% of Daytime Demand

On the record-setting day, solar provided more than 40% of Texas's electricity between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. This performance demonstrates the technology's capacity to meet peak daytime demand. Texas leads the nation in solar and battery deployment, as confirmed by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

Solar Overtakes Coal as Summer Energy Source

From June 1 through August 31, 2025, solar met 15.2% of all ERCOT demand. Coal-fired generation supplied only 12.5% during the same period.

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This represents a historic shift in Texas's energy mix, with renewable solar eclipsing the state's traditional fossil fuel baseload for an entire summer season.

The data reveals solar's growing dominance during peak demand hours, when air conditioning loads have historically strained the grid and prompted conservation requests. This summer, no such alerts were needed.

Battery Storage Delivers Four September Discharge Records

Battery storage systems complemented solar's performance by setting four discharge records in September 2025. These systems charge during morning hours when solar generation exceeds demand, then discharge power in the evening as the sun sets and consumption remains high.

This operational pattern (absorbing midday solar surplus and releasing it during evening peaks) has proven critical to maintaining grid stability without relying solely on natural gas peaker plants.

ERCOT Credits Renewables for First Summer Without Conservation Alerts

ERCOT officially credited solar and battery storage for the grid's unprecedented stability during summer 2025. The grid operator managed demand without asking Texans to reduce electricity use, a first for the post-Winter Storm Uri era (February 2021), even with extreme temperatures that have historically triggered emergency conservation alerts.

"Solar and batteries are among the cheapest and quickest ways to add generation capacity," IEEFA's report noted. The organization highlighted the economic and deployment advantages of these technologies compared to traditional fossil fuel infrastructure.

Natural Gas Plant Program Stumbles With $7.2 Billion Investment

While renewable energy thrived, Texas's effort to expand natural gas generation capacity faced significant obstacles. The state created a $7.2 billion loan program more than two years ago to encourage construction of new gas power plants. Over 100 facilities were proposed by developers.

Only Two Projects Approved, Seven Withdrawn Because of Costs

By September 2025, only two facilities received approval for a combined $321 million in loans (less than 5% of available funding). Seven projects withdrew from consideration, citing high costs and supply chain challenges as primary barriers.

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The sluggish deployment contrasts sharply with the rapid buildout of solar and battery infrastructure, which faced fewer financing and construction hurdles. Industry analysts point to rising gas turbine prices and extended supply chain wait times as key factors in project cancellations.

Future Demand Surge Projected at Approximately 21% by 2026

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) anticipates ERCOT demand will surge approximately 21% from 2024 to 2026, driven primarily by data center construction and heavy industry expansion. This growth trajectory places pressure on Texas to deploy generation capacity quickly.

Solar and battery storage's proven ability to come online faster and more economically than natural gas plants positions these technologies as critical solutions to meet accelerating demand. Yet the Trump administration's rollback of clean energy tax credits and cancellation of solar-boosting programs may impact the pace of future deployment.

What This Means for Texas's Energy Future

Texas's summer 2025 performance shows that solar and battery storage can reliably stabilize the grid during periods of extreme demand (historically the state's most vulnerable operational window). The technology's rapid deployment timeline and cost advantages have outpaced traditional fossil fuel infrastructure, even with billions in state incentives supporting gas plant construction.

Texas faces projected demand growth of more than a fifth by 2026, and the state's renewable energy infrastructure has proven both its reliability and its capacity to expand. The question now shifts from whether solar and batteries can handle peak demand to how quickly these resources can expand to meet future growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much solar power did Texas generate in September 2025?

Texas reached a peak of 29.8 GW on September 9, 2025, powering over 40% of daytime demand between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Did ERCOT issue any conservation alerts during summer 2025?

No. For the first time since Winter Storm Uri in February 2021, ERCOT did not ask customers to conserve power.

How did solar compare to coal in Texas this summer?

From June through August 2025, solar met 15.2% of ERCOT demand while coal supplied only 12.5%—marking the first summer solar eclipsed coal.

Why is battery storage important for Texas's grid?

Battery systems charge during midday solar surplus and discharge during evening peaks, maintaining grid stability without relying solely on natural gas peaker plants.

What happened to Texas's natural gas expansion program?

Despite a $7.2 billion loan program, only 2 of 100+ proposed gas plants were approved ($321M total), with 7 projects withdrawn due to high costs and supply chain issues.

How much is Texas electricity demand expected to grow?

The EIA projects ERCOT demand will surge approximately 21% from 2024 to 2026, driven by data centers and heavy industry expansion.

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Sources:

1. Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). "A summer of solar and battery storage records in Texas." September 17, 2025. https://ieefa.org/resources/summer-solar-and-battery-storage-records-texas

Texas Energy Fund & Natural Gas Program:‍

2. The Texas Tribune. "Texas' $7.2 billion loan program for gas power plants has approved two projects in two years." Paul Cobler, August 26, 2025. https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/26/texas-energy-fund-natural-gas-power-plants/

3. The Texas Tribune. "Texas approves $562 million loan for gas-fired power plant." September 26, 2025. https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/26/texas-energy-fund-loan-nrg-baytown/

ERCOT Demand Projections:

‍4. RTO Insider. "EIA Increases Projections of Power Generation Growth." John Cropley, September 10, 2025. https://www.rtoinsider.com/114567-eia-increases-projections-power-generation-growth/

5. U.S. Energy Information Administration. "We expect rapid electricity demand growth in Texas and the Mid-Atlantic." July 31, 2025. https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65844

Solar Industry Leadership:

‍6. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). "Solar Market Insight Report Q3 2025." September 8, 2025. https://seia.org/research-resources/solar-market-insight-report-q3-2025/

7. PV Magazine. "Watershed moment for Texas solar." May 9, 2025. https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/05/09/watershed-moment-for-texas-solar/

Federal Policy Changes:

‍8. The White House. "Ending Market Distorting Subsidies for Unreliable, Foreign-Controlled Energy Sources." Executive Order, July 7, 2025. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/ending-market-distorting-subsidies-for-unreliable-foreign-controlled-energy-sources/

9. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). "The Clean Energy Provisions in the 'One Big Beautiful Bill.'" July 21, 2025. https://seia.org/research-resources/clean-energy-provisions-big-beautiful-bill/
10. The Texas Tribune. "Clean energy development expected to slow without tax credits." July 24, 2025. https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/24/texas-clean-energy-tax-credit-cuts/

Grid Stability & Summer Performance:11. Houston Chronicle. "This summer was 'uneventful' for the Texas grid. Why ERCOT still warns against complacency." September 23, 2025. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/ercot-texas-grid-summer-21053729.php

12. Canary Media. "Solar and batteries had a record-setting, grid-stabilizing summer in Texas." September 19, 2025. https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/solar/texas-solar-battery-records

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