Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is calling for energy executives to testify before a state Senate committee next year following the release of new information alleging Chinese involvement in solar companies operating within the state.
Patrick issued a statement over the weekend referencing a Fox News report that examined how Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) subsidies have flowed to solar manufacturers with ties to China. The lieutenant governor said he intends to convene a 2026 hearing of the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce to question company executives “about their connections to communist China.”
The Fox News reporting highlighted several projects in Texas that have received federal support under the IRA, including a major expansion by Canadian Solar, a company headquartered in Canada but with substantial historical ties to China. The firm has committed to constructing a $250 million, five-gigawatt solar manufacturing facility in Texas. According to the report, Canadian Solar has recently shifted ownership of its Asian assets to avoid heightened U.S. scrutiny over Chinese-related imports.
Another major project cited is from Trina Solar North America, which secured $235 million in financing to build a 1.35-million-square-foot plant outside Dallas. The outlet also referenced comments by Steven Zhu, president of Trina Solar North America, who told China Daily that the facility represents a major investment in American clean-energy manufacturing and will further establish Texas as a leader in renewable power.
Trina Solar’s Texas operations were later acquired by T1 Energy, formerly Freyr Battery. One of Trina’s founders, Gao Jifan, also serves as a delegate to China’s National People’s Congress, adding another layer of concern among U.S. officials wary of Chinese influence in domestic energy infrastructure. T1 Energy has announced an $850 million contract to build a solar facility in Austin.
National security concerns regarding Chinese-made energy technology have been intensifying. Reuters recently reported that U.S. officials warned about potential risks associated with Chinese-manufactured solar inverters, batteries, heat pumps, and electric vehicle chargers after “unexplained communication equipment” was discovered in some devices.
In calling for the Senate hearing, Patrick emphasized that state lawmakers have previously acted to shield Texas infrastructure from foreign influence. During the 87th Legislative Session, state Sen. Donna Campbell co-authored the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act, which prohibits certain foreign-owned companies from acquiring critical Texas infrastructure assets.
%20(1)%20(1)%20(1).jpg)
%20(1)%20(1)%20(1).png)
