Texas Now Leads the Nation in Wind Power Production

Environment Texas has published a new report that shows that Texas is "Reaping the Rewards" from the adoption of a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES). Texas joined 24 other states and the District of Columbia in adopting the RES, which requires states to increase the percentage of electricity produced from renewable resources. The report, Reaping the Rewards: How State Renewable Electricity Standards Are Cutting Pollution, Saving Money, Creating Jobs and Fueling a Clean Energy Boom, shows that the United States is now producing twice as much electricity from wind and solar power as it did four years ago.

The Director of Environment Texas, Luke Metzger, in a press release commends the upward trend. "Texans are already reaping the rewards for Texas' leadership in clean energy. Thanks to the renewable electricity standard, clean energy is booming in Texas." In the last two years, Texas has installed more than 3000 megawatts (MW) in wind turbines. Texas also has the world's two largest wind farms with a combined electric capacity of 1240 MW.

The benefits of the RES policies are more far-reaching than just Texas. The US Department of Energy estimates that RES policies have contributed to over half of all wind energy added to the US grid between the years 2001 and 2006, with that percentage increasing to 60% in 2006. In 2007, close to 70% of planned renewable generation will be built in RES states.

The report adds that the environment is benefiting from the increased renewable electricity policies. Renewable energy generators are reducing the amount of water needed to process fossil fuels, and reducing the amount of pollutants being released from coal-fired electric generators. The report also shows that the renewable energy sources that have been built after the RES adoptions have reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 8.4 million metric tons, or the equivalent of the emissions from 1.5 million cars.