Solar and Storage Saved Californians and Texans Billions in Energy Costs this Summer

In summer 2026, America’s two largest states met record high electricity demand at vastly reduced wholesale electricity prices because of new solar and storage.

New analysis from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) found that solar and storage saved Texans approximately $3.55 billion and Californians approximately $2.5 billion from June through August 2026, compared with the same period in 2021.

From 2021 to 2026, solar generation increased 421% in Texas and 90% in California, while battery storage capacity grew more than 26-fold in Texas and nearly sevenfold in California.

The analysis compared weighted average hourly wholesale electricity prices from June to August in 2021 with the same period in 2026 across the CAISO and ERCOT markets, using inflation-adjusted 2026 dollars, and found that:

• CAISO used 2.5% more power than the same time in 2021 with an average wholesale electricity price 40% lower after accounting for inflation.
• ERCOT used 30.1% more power than the same time in 2021 with an average wholesale price 42% lower after accounting for inflation.

“As the midterm elections approach, delivering affordable, reliable power is a priority that transcends party lines and Texas and California are proof that the growth of solar and storage is driving down prices.”

Tim Pawlenty, SEIA CEO

Read the full price analysis