[mdorazio]

The data is kind of misleading. Texas actually produces almost twice as much solar + wind power as California. The %mix is lower because Californians don’t have to run AC and heat year-round, so power demand per capita is way lower as a function of geography rather than policy.

[toomuchtodo]

I accounted for that in the comment you replied to. Texas has a voracious appetite for power due to data centers, manufacturing, and air conditioning, and impairing new renewables will hurt Texas more than California. Energy policy is in direct opposition to Texas' need for inexpensive, low carbon power due to their higher per capita consumption. Texas should be doing everything in its power to support the deployment of renewables, but out of ideology at the federal and state levels, they are not.

California is ahead of the curve by having built renewables and batteries before this policy change, while other states will be stuck with suboptimal energy policy for at least the next half decade, increasing their cost of power. California is also the world's fourth largest economy with the energy system they have built.

https://app.electricitymaps.com/zone/US-CAL-CISO/12mo/monthl...

https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/us-electricity-2025...

https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/califo...

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/04/23/california-is-now-the-4th-...

[3eb7988a1663]

Texas has significantly more heavy industry than California which probably makes up more of the power delta than AC usage.