UPDATE: On July 14, the Texas House of Representatives voted to double the amount of renewable energy generated in Texas. SB 20, which is expected to soon be signed by the Governor, mandates that Texas generate 5880 megawatts by the year 2015 (roughly 5%). This gives Texas the second largest renewable energy program (in total megawatts) in the nation and will generate enough to power 2.3 million homes. By 2015, the clean wind and other renewable power projects brought online will displace pollution equivalent to taking 1.1 million cars off Texas roads. The bill also sets up a specific mandate of 500 megawatts to help develop non-wind technologies like solar, biomass and geothermal power. While it falls short of our goal of 10% by 2015, the bill is a critical step forward to reduce our dependence on dirty coal, oil and nuclear power and provides for the critical transmission planning needed to grow the wind industry. Sponsors also stated they wanted to revisit the goal in subsequent sessions.

In 1999, Texas adopted one of the nation’s first Renewable Portfolio Standards, requiring utilities to purchase approximately 2.7 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2009. The law has been a tremendous success, kick-starting the wind industry, creating thousands of jobs and adding millions of dollars in tax revenues for rural counties. Today, wind power is cheaper to produce than power from natural gas-fired power plants.

In recent months, TexPIRG held a conference on energy policy in Houston, secured media coverage across the state, built support among rural officials, and met with and testified before key legislators in support of a robust expansion of renewable energy.

“The Legislature should keep Texas a national leader on renewable energy while creating more jobs for Texans, producing cleaner air in our cities, and lowering energy bills for everyone,” said Bill Blome, TexPIRG field organizer.