Repower Texas Last updated: July 17, 2009

Did you know?

• Texas ranks 1st in the nation for installed wind capacity and 2nd in the nation for wind resource potential. The state is home to the 4 largest wind farms in the nation and the largest wind farm in the world. Over a quarter of the nation's installed wind energy capacity is in Texas.
• Texas' potential geothermal resources can power over 5 million homes. The state's potential unconventional geothermal resources could power another 38 million homes.
• Texas' solar thermal potential is greater than the entire state's current electric capacity.

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Clean energy jobs in Texas

Even though Texas leads the nation in wind power generation, over 85% of Texas' electricity generation is still derived from fossil fuel sources – dirty coal and natural gas. While Texas is well on its way to increasing its wind energy installations by another 50%, it has yet to fully capitalize on its other clean energy resources. For instance, there is enough geothermal potential in the state to produce 2,200-megawatts of electrical capacity, which could power 1.1 million Texan homes!

And the switch to cleaner energy is already proving its economic benefits. Clean Energy for Texas and AWEA estimate that 2,500 wind project construction jobs were created in the state during 2008. Furthermore, one report projects that continued investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects could create nearly 370,000 “green” jobs in Texas in the next three decades. And, this report only captures a portion of the service, construction, and technology jobs that will be created in the state by truly Repowering America.

Sources: American Council on Renewable Energy, AWEA

Featured story

Angela P. of Selma is a consultant for Wind Man Energy, a company that helps rural communities install small to medium-sized wind turbines. Angela had been a residential realtor for 12 years when the housing crisis hit, bringing business to a stand still. Angela struggled to make ends meet, and the uncertainty of whether or not she would be able to pay her bills kept her up at night. All that changed, however, when the owners of a local electric company offered her the opportunity to help them move into the clean energy market. Angela was able to help build Wind Man Energy from the ground up and today has a variety of responsibilities in the company, from research to marketing to loan assistance. The economic, social, and environmental benefits rural communities can get from installing wind turbines inspires Angela to do what she does; it "gives me hope for tomorrow."

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