Former Edinburg school board member, South Texas wind energy consultant dies

Former Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District School Board Trustee and well-known South Texas renewable energy consultant Robert Peña Jr. died Tuesday.

 

A 1986 Edinburg High School graduate, Peña was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and developed some of the first wind farms in the Rio Grande Valley.

 

 

“Today we lost a hometown hero,” School Board President Xavier Salinas said Tuesday. “Robert Peña was an example of a true leader. His caring heart, love for Edinburg CISD, which he served…exemplifies who he was. He will be missed by many.”

 

First elected to the Edinburg school board in 2007, Peña went on to serve as its president and as the Rio Grande Valley’s first representative on the board of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.

 

 

“Robert was such a great community advocate in the city of Edinburg,” Edinburg Mayor Omar Ochoa said. “I’ve known him for such a long time. He’s given a lot to the city of Edinburg, so today’s a tragic loss.”

 

Peña’s service on the board ended in 2020 when he lost a reelection bid to Luis “Louie” Alamia.

 

Professionally, Peña was one of South Texas’ best-known solar and wind energy consultants.

 

He was the President and co-owner of Texas Energy Consultants, which he founded in 2001.

 

Peña developed some of the first wind farms in the Rio Grande Valley, and through his firm helped develop some of the largest in the area.

 

This year he was helping to develop Terra-Gen’s massive $223 million Monte Cristo Phase II development, a 50-turbine plus wind farm located primarily south of McCook.