West Texas: Reflecting More Sunlight Onto Texas' Bright Energy Future

A little over a month ago, The Wall Street Journal wrote a story titled, “Big, Big Solar Coming to West Texas.” For many of us here in Texas, especially those of us whom keep up with the energy sector, this wasn’t a newsflash as much as it was a sign that West Texas, like the rest of the state, is getting the attention it deserves for being a leader in alternative energy.

The science behind West Texas’ increasing profile in the energy business seems rather simple according to Raul Cardena, manager of CPS Energy’s renewable energy programs, who was quoted by the WSJ as saying, “(The idea) is to use into the big power lines that have been built to wheel electricity from West Texas wind farms to Texas cities. During the day when the wind tends to die down, the sun is at its strongest. And then when the sun sets, the wind starts picking up.”

Texas has the long been an innovative leader in energy development and the push toward alternative fuels speaks to the state’s commitment not only to traditional sources, but also to sources that will drive the economy in the future. A 2008 energy report by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts pointed out several initiatives across the state that are demonstrating the emphasis on alternative:

Austin Energy, a municipal utility, discovered potential for 300 new jobs and $1 billion in regional economic investment based on the construction of a 100 MW solar manufacturing plant in the Austin by 2020. Also in Austin, startup HelioVolt developed a low-cost manufacturing process for applying a thin-film coating to building materials and earned a $1 million grant from the state’s Texas Enterprise Fund for the construction of a development and manufacturing facility. According to the Governor’s office, the project is expected to create about 160 jobs and $62 million in capital investment. An emerging technology company started in Keller, Texas, Entech Solar, provides high-efficiency solar cells for NASA spacecraft and has invented a new lighting system to illuminate office buildings, schools and stores.

Thanks to these and other major innovations and investments being made all over Texas, with a growing focus on Lubbock and other West Texas cities, Texas ranks first in both wind and biofuels production to match its standing in oil production. And the state’s third-place showing in solar energy is on the rise. One study estimated Texas will get more than 10 percent of all new jobs and investments in solar technologies by 2015, including an estimated 5,000-plus manufacturing jobs to the tune of $4.5 billion.

To spur on this innovation and ensure these investments are leveraged across the state, Innovate Texas Foundation is making sure the right people are in place to match the research ingenuity with political and corporate backing. Our key committees for the energy sector are the Energy Initiatives Committee, chaired by Pike Powers, a notable figure in Texas energy business, and the Sustainable Technologies Committee, which will be chaired by Dr. Albert A. Esser, who brings deep expertise in various clean and sustainable technologies including holding senior roles at Dell, Emerson, and General Electric.

As we embark on trips to Lubbock and El Paso in the coming days and weeks to meet with academic institution leaders and senior researchers at Texas Tech and University of Texas at El Paso, along with corporate, city and economic development leaders in both cities, we are proud to do our part in bolstering Texas’ prowess in the energy sector.

As the Comptroller’s report stated, “Texas has the sunshine, manufacturing base and research institutions needed to become a leader in the development of solar energy.” Collaboration and innovation, above all else, will ensure we remain a leader in energy both nationally and globally.