Texas is leading the country in the energy transition. The Lone Star State produces the most electricity generated by wind in the United States and ranks second in solar power. However, legislation being considered by Texas lawmakers this legislative session, if passed, could have a significant impact on future projects.
On Thursday, April 27 at 2:00 PM CT we received updates on the bills being considered this legislative session, and how their passage could change the renewable energy landscape in Texas.
Speakers included Judd Messer, Texas Vice President for the Advanced Power Alliance and Samuel Davis, Field Director for Texas Land and Liberty. The discussion was moderated by John Northington Jr., Senior Director of Federal Affairs for Consumer Energy Alliance.
Speaker Bios
Judd Messer, Texas Vice President, Advanced Power Alliance
Judd is the Texas Vice President for The Advanced Power Alliance (APA), an industry trade association that promotes the development of wind, solar, and energy storage as resources that provide affordable, clean, and reliable power for American consumers. Before joining APA, Judd worked for multiple Texas state legislators, including three sessions as Chief of Staff for Representative Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin). During his tenure in the Texas Capitol, Judd had the opportunity to work extensively on the state budget, as well as issues like public school finance, economic development, and broadband expansion for rural areas. Most recently, he was the Director of Legislative Affairs at Texas Electric Cooperatives. Prior to his work around the State Capitol, Judd served as Special Assistant to Augie Garrido, former Head Coach for University of Texas Baseball.
Judd is a native of Belton, Texas and a proud graduate of The University of Texas at Austin (BA-2013). In his personal life, Judd enjoys serving others and strives to make a difference in his community through volunteer work for charitable organizations. In 2018, Judd was named runner-up for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Man & Woman of the Year Campaign, and he recently completed a stint as Chair of the LLS Austin Leadership Team. He and his wife Caroline live in Austin where they are members of Austin Ridge Bible Church. Judd and Caroline love to travel, spend time with their families, cheer for the Texas Longhorns, and spoil their chocolate lab Mickey.
Samuel Davis, Field Director, Texas Land & Liberty
Samuel is a 7th generation Texan coming from a west Texas ranching family. Davis graduated from UT Austin in 2013 and has been the Texas Land & Liberty’s Field Director since 2020. In 2017, Davis and his family partnered with a wind energy developer to provide acreage to the Cactus Flats Wind Farm, a boon to Concho and surrounding counties.
The Texas Land & Liberty Coalition is an alliance of local landowners, farmers, ranchers, community leaders, and clean energy advocates working together to bring about responsible renewable energy development in Texas. They support commonsense government policies that advance renewable energy, increase rural economic development opportunities, and protect private property rights. The Texas Land & Liberty Coalition is a project of Conservative Texans for Energy Innovation and is affiliated with the national Land & Liberty Coalition effort.
John Northington Jr., Senior Director of Federal Affairs, Consumer Energy Alliance
John Northington, Jr. is the Senior Director of Federal Affairs at Consumer Energy Alliance. John has more than a decade of public and private sector energy policy and regulatory experience. He specializes in upstream, midstream, and renewable issues and is passionate about advancing the responsible development of energy as the world moves to a lower-carbon future.
John has been involved in Democratic politics for more than 15 years and is a veteran of local, state, and federal political campaigns, including President Barack Obama’s successful 2012 re-election bid. Following President Obama’s re-election, John was appointed Advisor to the Director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement at the United States Department of the Interior (DOI).
A seventh-generation Texan, John is an avid sportsman and land conservationist who spends his free time at his family’s ranch in Brazoria County.
