Here's a quick look at some renewable energy systems that are developing as well as a few links to more information...

Photovoltaic (PV) Cells - convert sunlight into electricity using semi-conductor materials. Your solar calculator and satellites are powered by PV cells. So is this roadside emergency call box. Find out more at: http//www.solarenergy.net/
Solar Thermal Systems use heat from the sun to generate electricity or the heat may also be used directly to heat water or space. Solar energy is suitable for use just about anywhere in Texas. The best sites are located in West Texas where one acre of and can produce the equivalent of 800 barrels of oil a year. All the electricity Texans need in one year could be provided by dedicating one mid-sized Texas county (Upton County) to solar electric generating stations. If an area the size of the South Texas Nuclear Project (12,000) was used for a solar electric generating station, it would provide the same amount of power --- 2,000 megawatts. Enron Corporation, the world's largest natural gas company, proposes to sell solar-produced electricity to the U.S. Government for 5.5cents/kilowatt hour -- 2 cents less than average cost. See: http://www.Austin360.com/greenzone/treia/ and http://www.teleport.com/~chrisdb/project/#solarplants
Wind Turbines - use space age technology to capture the force of the wind to generate electricity. Texas has more windy area than any other state. The Panhandle and Gulf Coast regions are especially well suited for wind power. If wind turbines were placed on 4,000 square miles of Texas land, they would generate 280 million megawatthours per year (enough to supply all the state's electricity needs). The turbines would occupy 5 percent of the land and the balance would be used for ranching or farming. The newest wind turbines produce electricity at 5 cents/kilowatt hour, less than the cost of electricity from a coal-fired plant. At today's prices (or less) Texas winds can produce more electricity than the state currently consumes. See how these technologies are developing at: http://www.crest.org/index.html
Biomass Systems - use energy crops like fast growing trees, industrial wood waste, organic landfill waste or landfill gas to generate electricity. The greatest potential for biomass energy production is in East Texas. Biomass energy could provide energy equivalent to 200 million megawatthours annually, somewhat less than the current total electric consumption in Texas. Methane gas extracted from Texas landfills could replace a large coal-powered generating plant.

Geothermal energy is renewable heat energy from deep in the earth. Heat is brought to the near-surface by thermal conduction and by intrusion into the earth's crust of molten magma originating from great depth. Ground water is heated to form hydrothermal resources -- naturally occurring hot water and steam. Use of hydrothermal energy is economic today at a number of high-grade sites. Hydrothermal resources are tapped by existing well-drilling and energy-conversion technology to generate electricity or to produce hot water for direct use. For more information see:
http://www.geothermal.org/index.html

The State of Texas is No. 1 in renewable energy potential in the U.S.

but is No. 50

(dead last!) its in use of renewable energy.

Renewable energy sources currently being developed include wind turbines, solar collectors and biomass energy systems. Here are some of the ways our future may be affected:

In Texas, development of renewable energy could mean jobs, a domestic source of energy, and a new export industry.
Texas currently consumes more energy than it produces.
Texas has become a net energy importer.
Texas land yields $35 an acre for cattle ranchers and $85 an acre for wheat farmers. Oil fields produce $1,600 an acre, while wind farms yield $2,100 an acre. Natural gas brings income of $3,100 an acre, while a solar plant produces $20,000 an acre.
Meeting 25 percent of Texas energy needs with renewable energy would create a $14 billion annual industry. This would create more than enough jobs to offset more than 200,000 energy sector jobs lost in Texas during the last ten years.

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Pollutant emissions produced by photovoltaic, solar thermal, wind and biomass energy are insignificant when compared to fossil and nuclear power production.

POLLUTANT EMISSION FACTORS FOR ELECTRICAL GENERATION
THE TOTAL FUEL CYCLE (g/kWh)

(Source: Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association, P.O. Box 16469, Austin, Texas 78761-6469. )

Energy Source	CO₂	NO_x	SO_x
Coal	322.8	1.800	3.400
Oil	258.5	0.880	1.700
Natural gas	178.0	0.900	0.001
Nuclear	7.8	0.030	0.030
Photovoltaic	5.3	0.007	0.020
Solar Thermal	3.3	Trace	Trace
Wind	6.7	Trace	Trace
Biomass (with fuel regrowth program)	0.0¹	0.600	0.140

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