My home state of Texas seems to be an ecological paradox. According to official statistics, Texas produces more CO2 than any other state –and even countries like Canada. And, according to a recent report by the environmental non-profit organization Environment Texas, the Lone Star state saw its CO2 output decline by 2% between 2004 and 2007, the second-biggest drop in absolute emissions in the U.S. after New York over the period.

The report says that most of the drop is due to declining natural gas consumption in the industrial sector — but a significant part of it is also due to lower emissions from the electrical sector. Texas saw its power generation emissions drop by 4% between 2004 and 2007 as providers switched from coal to natural gas-fired plants and wind farms.

In a state known for its oil and gas wells, in less than a decade, Texas has become by far the foremost wind producer in the U.S.
For Environment Texas spokesman Alejandro Savransky, the numbers are proof that wind farms can help stem global warming — and their use should be increased. A cap in emissions, despite the widespread opposition it generates in the state, “is a necessity,” he said.
The report notes that the rapid explosion in wind capacity helped Texas get 2.5% of its power from renewables by 2007, up from 0.5% in 2004. Non-hydro renewables produced 6% of the state’s electricity in the first quarter of 2009, the report said.

The expansion of wind-power generation, however, hit a wall earlier this year as the financial crisis dried up credit for large projects, and transmission lines to carry the electricity from windy West Texas to more populated parts of the state became clogged.

But some activity is beginning to pick up. In October, German utility E.ON AG completed the largest wind farm in the world in Roscoe, Texas. Also in October, a joint venture between Chinese and U.S. companies announced plans to build a huge wind farm in West Texas. The venture’s main firms include the private equity group U.S. Renewable Energy Group, Texas-based Cielo Wind Power LP, China’s Shenyang power Group and A-Power Energy Generation Systems.

Here’s to a greener Texas…and a cleaner Planet.
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Robert Piller is President of EcoMarketingSolutions.com, which helps companies that are “going green” to better promote and market their brand. His web site includes a comprehensive eco-friendly advertising specialty search, featuring over 25,000 eco promotional items in all price ranges, for any business or organization interested in going green. The site’s handy search tool helps you easily find recyclable, biodegradable, organic or recycled imprinted promotional items in any price range and time frame. View the Go Green website at EcoMarketingSolutions.com and comment on his blog postings at GreenSpotBlog.com.