How the oil capital of the US welcomed a solar power boom

Uvalde, a small city in southwest Texas, has been farmed by the Cargil family since 1953. Steve Cargil, 67, assumed one of his three children would take over the farm, but a violent hailstorm in 2018 destroyed their crops, leaving the future of the farm uncertain. Cargil leased 600 acres to OCI Energy for a solar farm, which pays him $200,000 annually.

This lease has helped him keep his farm running through a drought and reduced worries about rising costs. Texas has become the largest generator of electricity from solar farms in the US, surpassing California. The boom is driven by the cheap and quick connection of solar farms to the grid and the state's growing demand for electricity.

Solar has become the cheapest way to generate power in Texas, with long-term fixed prices for electricity production. Farmers have become central to the growth of solar, receiving multigenerational income through leases that typically run for 25 to 30 years. Despite concerns raised by local residents, solar development is expected to continue, with many believing the country needs all forms of electricity generation to keep costs down.