Wherever you go in rural Texas today, you are likely to run across a new wind farm or solar farm being constructed.

And why wouldn’t they be?

Taxpayers and consumers are currently paying more than $2 billion annually to renewable energy companies operating in Texas. And with the threat that eligibility for the biggest renewable subsidy, the federal Production Tax Credit (PTC), might expire at the end of the year, there is a mad rush by renewable companies—many of which are multibillion-dollar, multinational conglomerates—to take even more of our money from us through the largess of our local, state, and federal governments.

The cost of these renewable energy projects, though, is not just measured in dollars.

The reliability of the Texas electricity grid is being strained by both wind and solar farms that cannot guarantee electricity when Texans most need it, and then (as the case with wind) drive down prices at night by dumping electricity onto the market when we don’t need it. The result is a lack of new investment in natural gas or coal-fired plants that can provide reliable and affordable energy when we need it—usually between 4-7 p.m. on hot summer afternoons.

Additionally, these farms are scarring rural Texas and creating a cleanup problem beyond what any of us can currently imagine once they can no longer generate electricity.

Below is a list of companies seeking local tax abatements from counties, school districts, hospital districts, etc. across the state. A total of 34 projects in 27 counties want taxpayers to subsidize their businesses so they can make more profits. And with each of these projects likely to produce fewer than 10 permanent jobs each, there isn’t anything in it for county residents.

Here is the list:

Cooke County

Two new renewable energy generators, BT Cooke Solar, LLC and Wildcat Creek Wind are seeking subsidies from:

  • Cooke County– considering a $56,500 annual tax break for BT Cooke Solar, LLC and an unspecified amount for Wildcat Creek Wind
  • Era ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $39.3 million to $20 million the first year for BT Cooke Solar, LLC
  • Muenster ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $44.2 million to $30 million the first year for Wildcat Creek Wind

Ector County

Two new solar farms, Rockhound Solar A and Rockhound Solar B, are seeking subsidies from:

Ector County – considering an annual tax break of $313,100 for Rockhound Solar A and $286,700 for Rockhound Solar B

  • Ector County ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the projects from $142.7 million to $100 million the first year for Rockhound Solar A and from $131 million to $100 million the first year for Rockhound Solar B
  • Ector County Hospital District – considering a $157,500 annual tax break for Rockhound Solar A and $81,300 for Rockhound Solar B
  • Odessa College – considering a $89,000 annual tax break for Rockhound Solar A and $144,900 for Rockhound Solar B

Knox County

A new wind farm, Griffin Trail Wind, LLC, is seeking subsidies from:

  • Knox County– considering a $6,629,208 annual tax break
  • Benjamin ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $97.3 million to $20 million the first year
  • Seymour ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $114.3 million to $30 million the first year
  • Knox County Hospital District – considering a $3,575,058 annual tax break

Wharton County

Two new solar farms, Hecate Energy Ramsey, LLC and Louise Solar, LLC, are seeking subsidies from:

  • Wharton County– considering a $627,340 annual tax break for Hecate Energy Ramsey and a $351,165.75 annual tax break for Louise Solar
  • Louise ISD– considering reducing the taxable value from $326.8 million to $20 million the first year for the Hecate Energy Ramsey project and from $142.5 million to $20 million the first year for the Louise Solar project

Bailey County

A new solar farm, Willing Solar Energy, LLC, is seeking subsidies from:

  • Bailey County– considering an $843,693 annual tax break
  • Muleshoe ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $242.6 million to $20 million the first year
  • Muleshoe Area Hospital District – considering a $421,846 annual tax break

Cameron County

A new wind farm, Monte Alto Windpower, LLC, has applied to obtain subsidies from:

Coke County

Two new renewable energy generators, BNB Tennyson Solar, LLC, and Grape Creek Wind, LLC, are seeking subsidies from:

  • Coke County– considering a $278,971 annual tax break for BNB Tennyson Solar and $2,007,044 for Grape Creek Wind
  • Bronte ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $ 6 million to $20 million the first year for BNB Tennyson Solar
  • Robert Lee ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $213 million to $25 million the first year for Grape Creek Wind
  • Water Valley ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of Grape Creek Wind from $408 million to $20 million the first year

Fannin County

A new solar farm, B.T. Coniglio Solar, LLC, is seeking subsidies from:

  • Fannin County– considering a $259,700 annual tax break
  • Bonham ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $ 9 million to $20 million the first year

Hardeman County

A new wind farm, Blue Summit III Wind, LLC, has sought subsidies from:

  • Hardeman County – considering a $203,000 annual tax break
  • Chillicothe ISD– has agreed to reduce the taxable value of the project from $121.5 million to $25 million the first year
  • Quanah ISD– has agreed to reduce the taxable value of the project from $58 million to $20 million the first year

Hidalgo County

Two new wind farms, La Joya Windpower, LLC, and Monte Alto Windpower, LLC, are seeking subsidies from:

  • Hidalgo County– considering an $858,816 annual tax break for La Joya Windpower and $561,652 for Monte Alto Windpower
  • La Joya ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $199.5 million to $20 million for La Joya Windpower the first year
  • La Villa ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $102.9 million to $20 million for Monte Alto Windpower the first year
  • South Texas College– considering a $77,700 annual tax break for La Joya Windpower and $172,369 for Monte Alto Windpower

Hill County

A new solar farm, Sun Valley Solar, LLC, is seeking subsidies from:

  • Hill County– considering a $395,647.20 annual tax break
  • Abbott ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $230 million to $20 million the first year

Jackson County

A new solar farm, Ganado Solar, LLC, is seeking subsidies from:

  • Jackson County– considering a $224,933 annual tax break
  • Ganado ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $113 million to $30 million the first year
  • Jackson County Hospital District – considering a $56,250 annual tax break

Kaufman County

Lily Solar, LLC is seeking subsidies for two new solar farms (application no. 1350 and application no.1427) from:

  • Kaufman County– considering a $279,133.09 annual tax break in application no. 1350 and $205,160.85 in application no. 1427
  • Trinity Valley Community College– considering a $80,770.55 annual tax break in application no. 1350 and $72,548.85 in application no. 1427
  • Scurry-Rosser ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $115 million to $40 million the first year in application no. 1350 and from $146.3 million to $40 million the first year for application no. 1427.

Kenedy County

A new wind farm, Texas Gulf Wind 2, LLC, is seeking subsidies from:

  • Kenedy County– considering a $337,500 annual tax break
  • Kenedy County-Wide CSD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $170.2 million to $30 million the first year.

Kinney County

A new solar farm, Zier Solar, LLC, is seeking subsidies from:

  • Kinney County– considering a $787,889 annual tax break
  • Brackett ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $121.9 million to $10 million the first year
  • Kinney County Groundwater Conservation District – considering a $7,320 annual tax break
  • Kinney County Road and Bridge – considering a $32,627 annual tax break

Lamar County

Two new solar farms, Samson Solar Energy II, LLC, and Samson Solar Energy III, LLC, are seeking subsidies from:

  • Lamar County– considering a $304,554 annual tax break for Samson Solar Energy II and an additional $304,554 for Samson Solar Energy III
  • Prairiland ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of each project from $214 million to $20 million the first year

Limestone County

A new wind farm, Prairie Hill Wind Project, LLC, sought subsidies from:

  • Limestone County– considering a $1,841,400 annual tax incentive
  • Mart ISD– agreed to reduce the taxable value of the project from $301.8 million to $15 million the first year
  • South Limestone County Hospital District – considering a $743,800 annual incentive

Nolan County

A new wind farm, Maryneal Windpower, LLC, sought subsidies from:

  • Nolan County– considering a $581,408 annual tax break
  • Highland ISD– has agreed to reduce the taxable value of the project from $164.5 million to $30 million the first year
  • Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital District – considering a $498,398 annual tax break

Parmer County

A new wind farm, Lazbuddie Wind Energy, LLC, is seeking subsidies from:

  • Parmer County– considering a $193,000 annual tax break
  • Lazbuddie ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $214 million to $20 million the first year

Pecos County

Two new solar farms, EnergieKontor US Texas SP 1, LLC, and Taygete Energy Project II, LLC, are seeking subsidies from:

  • Pecos County– considering a $539,765 annual tax break for EnergieKontor US Texas SP 1 and $914,058 for Taygete Energy Project II
  • Fort Stockton ISD– agreed to reduce the taxable value of the EnergieKontor US Texas SP 1 project from $80 million to $30 million the first year and is considering reducing the taxable value of the Taygete Energy Project II from $273.8 million to $30 million the first year

Runnels County

A new wind farm, 23IRC8me, LLC, is seeking subsidies from:

  • Runnels County– considering a $265,274.40 annual tax break
  • Bronte ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $96.3 million to $20 million the first year
  • Runnels County Hospital District – considering a $164,287.20 annual tax break

Sterling County

A new solar farm, BlueBell Solar II, LLC, sought subsidies from:

 Terry County

A new solar farm, Algodon Solar Energy, LLC, is seeking subsidies from:

  • Terry County– considering a $324,000 annual tax break
  • Wellman-Union ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $168 million to $20 million the first year

 Upton County

Two new solar farms, Morada del Sol, LLC, and 34TA 8me, LLC, are seeking subsidies from:

  • Upton County– considering a $4,114,496 annual tax break for Morada del Sol and $280,000 for 34TA 8me
  • McCamey ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the Morada del Sol project from $189.2 million to $25 million the first year
  • Rankin ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the 34TA 8me project from $186.2 million to $25 million the first year
  • Upton Emergency Services District #2 – considering a $8,194,562 annual tax break for Morada del Sol
  • Rankin Hospital District – considering a $188,000 annual tax break for 34TA 8me
  • Upton Water District – considering a $2,400 annual tax break for 34TA 8me

Wichita County

A new solar farm, Bacon Switch Solar, LLC, is seeking subsidies from:

  • Wichita County– considering a $96,647 annual tax break
  • Burkburnett ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $171.5 million to $30 million the first year

Willacy County

A new wind farm, El Sauz Ranch Wind, LLC, is seeking subsidies from:

  • Willacy County– considering a $1,361,088 annual tax break
  • San Perlita ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $252.9 million to $15 million the first year

Zapata County

A new wind farm, Las Lomas Wind Energy, LLC, is seeking subsidies from:

  • Zapata County– in its Chapter 313 application, Las Lomas Wind Energy states it has applied and expect to receive a 100 percent tax abatement of all county ad valorem taxes
  • Zapata County ISD– considering reducing the taxable value of the project from $196 million to $25 million