Goal Setting Exercise Leads to Measurable Accomplishment
The United States has set a goal of acquiring twenty percent of energy needs from wind power by the year 2030. More intensive aims have the United States obtaining twenty percent of the Eastern grid (or nearly half the country) energy by the year 2024. Whether or not the country as a whole will meet these goals is yet unknown, however, the State of Texas has already exceeded their energy targets.
The State of Texas aimed to have 2,000 megawatts of renewable energy by 2009. By 2015 the state intended to have 5,000 megawatts of energy from renewable sources. Finally, by the year 2025, Texas aimed to have 10,000 megawatts of energy from renewable sources. The state has managed to exceed each and every goal early.
The original goal of 2,000 megawatts for the year 2009 was actually met by the year 2006. The 2025 goal was reached in 2010, fifteen years earlier than aimed for. Today, Texas has more than 10,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity. The majority of this energy capacity has been met through wind power which will enable the country as a whole to meet their target by 2030 if growth continues.
Overall, wind power contributed 9,915 megawatts of energy as of 2009. Other renewable sources also contributed, including hydropower which added 33 megawatts of energy. Biomass sources also contributed, including 80 megawatts from landfill gas projects and 40 megawatts from assorted other projects. Solar power contributed the least with only 1 megawatt of energy coming from solar facilities.
The renewable sector in Texas continues to expand and will be a pivotal player in the nation’s renewable energy progress.
This from a state (Texas) owned and operated by oil. But then that makes sense. Oil is not used for electric needs as is coal, the scourge of the air in Indiana, especially in the SW part of the state. The huge coal lobby and the sad, corrupt relationship between Indiana State officials and regulatory agencies, and the unethical, bloated electric power corporations that “serve” Indiana make it impossible for citizens and clean energy to gain a foothold. We wanted to install solar panels this past summer on our office but without Vectren supplying net metering the math did not make sense. We would have broken even about the time of our retirement.
Comments are closed.