Residents of Gillespie County, home to more than 50 Texan wineries, vineyards and tasting rooms, are fighting the proposed installation of lithium battery storage units across their prime terroir.
More than 500 residents of Gillespie are fighting against plans that would see a thousand-acre solar farm and battery-energy storage system (BESS) built in the heart of Texan wine country.
It's still early days, but given the rapid rise of BESS units across Texas in the last 12 months, the development has a good chance of going ahead. Ampyr Energy has secured an 'interconnection agreement' for its Marshall Springs project but is yet to file a formal application for the plans with the county.
In the meantime, Gillespie resident John Love has founded a local resistance movement via the Fight FBG Solar facebook group, which has racked up more than 500 members. Their goal is to put a halt to construction through lobbying governing authorities, and through discourse with Ampyr itself.
"Why would you put this size of a project here in the middle of this state's burgeoning wine-industry area? And why put it in the best tourist destination in the state? I mean, it doesn't make any sense," ...