As energy demand grows and costs continue to climb, many red states are adopting solar and energy storage as a practical way to lower utility costs and boost domestic manufacturing.
This rapid expansion of solar and energy storage is not driven by mandates. Instead, right-leaning states recognize these resources are among the fastest and lowest-cost ways to meet rising electricity demand, strengthen the grid, and support economic growth.
That reality aligns with the long-stated Republican goal of an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright’s recent comments at last month’s CERAWeek energy conference in Texas stated that the administration is working to “unleash next generation geothermal, advancing energy storage and new solar technologies.” A longtime Trump pollster echoed this approach in a recent interview, noting that “President Trump believes in an all-of-the-above Energy Strategy. It’s going to be nuclear. It’s going to be renewables.”
Indeed, with global electricity demand set to double by 2050, a knee-jerk rejection of any energy source is counterproductive to American interests, especially as competition with China will continue to loom over the global state of affairs. America is well-positioned to own the solar supply chain with policies that reflect this reality. Just last year, solar accounted for 54 percent of all new electricity-generating capacity added to the U.S. electric grid.
Texas is an example of implementing this strategy, showing that American energy dominance can be more than a slogan. Texas has one of the fastest-growing markets in the country for both solar and energy storage.
In 2025, Texas added 11 gigawatts of solar, which is more than double that of any other state. With nearly 52 gigawatts of total capacity, Texas is second in the nation for total installed solar capacity and now has enough to power 6.2 million homes. Recently, solar served more than 50 percent of total energy demand across Texas for four hours, breaking the previous record by a full gigawatt. Recent data shows that solar met a record-breaking 65 percent of demand.
While energy prices take a toll on all Americans, it is no surprise that lower-income and underserved communities face the brunt of the burden. The cascading effect of high energy prices on the economic health of American families should always be a central concern for policymakers. Over the past few weeks, this reality has been made even clearer by the current conflict in Iran and the strain resulting from the closed Strait of Hormuz.
In addition to delivering much-needed price relief, the Texas example shows that solar can have economic benefits through job creation. The industry employs 13,000 people in Texas and has generated nearly $70 billion in investment.
Texans are not alone in their embrace of solar. A majority of 2024 Trump voters and red states across the country are recognizing its potential as one of the nation’s lowest-cost, fastest-to-deploy resources.
One recent poll from Trump pollster and advisor Tony Fabrizio showed 70 percent of Trump coalition voters support building more solar using American-made materials. A separate poll from Kellyanne Conway showed that 75 percent of Trump voters in Arizona, Florida, Indiana, and Ohio agreed that solar energy should be used in the United States to strengthen and increase our energy supply.
These numbers may surprise some, but a serious implementation of a broad, all-of-the-above solution to energy policy should expressly allow the market to function properly and deliver solutions with the lowest costs and shortest timelines.
In fact, red states are leading the way on solar. More than two-thirds of all solar capacity installed in 2025 was built in states that voted for Trump in the 2024 election. This includes seven of the top 10 states for new solar installations: Texas, Indiana, Florida, Arizona, Ohio, Utah, and Arkansas. In 2025, Indiana installed three times more solar power than all New England states combined.
If policymakers are serious about unleashing American energy, they must expand supply quickly and affordably. The Department of the Interior’s recent willingness to move stalled projects forward is a constructive step in this direction. In a recent op-ed, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich recognized how critical the decision was, stating that “The Energy Information Administration projects that most new generation coming online soon will be solar installations — a reflection of deployment speed and construction costs rather than political mandates.”
Policymakers in Washington should follow the lead of states to ensure that investments in our nation’s energy supply and critical infrastructure give renewables like solar a fair shot — without government mandates — at competing in the marketplace.
Concrete, real-world benefits will result from a pragmatic approach to energy production that includes embracing solar and building more energy infrastructure as necessary to meet growing demand. Tapping into American innovation within this framework is a key component to unleashing a new era of American energy abundance, driving economic prosperity, and lowering energy costs for families.
Mario H. Lopez is the president of the Hispanic Leadership Fund, a public policy advocacy organization that promotes liberty, opportunity, and prosperity for all.
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