We have the tools to achieve energy independence, lower the costs of goods and transportation, and clean our air and water in the face of climate change.
EFFICIENCY: Improving efficiency lowers the cost of new products and energy bills for homes and businesses, potentially saving hundreds of dollars a year for homeowners and millions of dollars a year for businesses. Efficiency has also had the best gains in fighting climate change; it’s a win/win for everyone.
CLEAN ENERGY: Clean renewable energy is not only necessary to combat climate change, it’s a fast-growing industry that provides lots of job opportunities and economic growth. We should be using wind, solar, hydroelectric, tidal, next generation nuclear, geothermal, natural gas, and biofuels. The ratios will vary depending on what is available in each region.
Solar: North Texas has plenty of sun. We have made good progress, but there are unnecessary regulations holding us back. In particular, the tariffs on imported solar panels that the Trump administration has imposed do not save jobs and, instead, increase costs. These tariffs must be removed so that Texas can keep it’s lights on with clean energy.
Wind: Texas is the number one provider in the country, producing more than the next top three states combined. DFW Airport switched to 100% wind energy, becoming the first carbon-neutral airport and saving $10 million annually.
Nuclear: Existing reactors provide 20% of all energy and 2/3s of all carbon-free energy in the U.S. At a minimum, we should be maintaining current reactors until our dependence on sources like coal are a thing of the past.
Biofuels: Corn and algae are making great headway. Algae is nearly carbon neutral since it expels the CO2 that it already removed from the atmosphere in order to grow. Fuels are necessary for planes because electric engines aren’t an option right now. Improved biofuels could fuel planes more cleanly than traditional fossil fuels.
Natural Gas: Though still a non-renewable fossil fuel, but it’s 50% cleaner than coal, making it a good transition fuel while we work towards 100% clean, renewable energy.
Tidal: It’s not widely used yet, but it has potential for the future. We have a big coast in Texas and should capitalize as soon as it’s technologically and economically feasible.
GRID STORAGE: Battery technology is constantly improving, allowing smaller devices, electric vehicles, and whole house backup. Our nations electric grid could also benefit from large-scale energy storage so that as the wind slows and the sun goes down for the night, the stored energy can continue to power our homes and offices.