Texas leads the Nation in Wind Energy Production
Putting over 30 gigawatts in wind power each year. With 161 wind projects (farms) and 41 wind-related manufacturing facilities, it is estimated that wind energy brings 25,000 jobs and $53 billion in capital investment to the Lone Star State. A private company, Invenergy, is building a 1.31-GW solar farm in Texas that is going to be the biggest in the United States, capable of producing enough energy to power 300,000 households when completed, which is scheduled for 2023.
Texas Ranks Second in the Nation in Solar Energy Production
Solar Energy the state of California rakes 1st but Texas is coming in 2nd. As of last year 2020, Texas has 80 manufacturing sites, 195 installers/developers and 200 other solar energy sites. State investment come in over $8 million providing over 10,200 jobs.
Also according to ERCOT, Texas was going to have 12.5 GW of solar capacity installed by 2029. That was five years ago. Now, the regulator expects the state's solar generation capacity to exceed 12.5 GW as soon as 2021, according to the Wall Street Journal. By 2023, there will be 38 GW of wind capacity and 21 GW of solar capacity in the state, according to ERCOT.
Texas Energy – How the Lone Star State Got to Number 1
- Texas is the top U.S. producer of both crude oil and natural gas. In 2019, the state accounted for 41% of the nation's crude oil production and 25% of its marketed natural gas production.
- As of January 2019, the 30 petroleum refineries in Texas were able to process about 5.8 million barrels of crude oil per day and accounted for 31% of the nation's refining capacity.
- Texas leads the nation in wind-powered generation and produced about 28% of all the U.S. wind-powered electricity in 2019. Texas wind turbines have produced more electricity than both of the state's nuclear power plants since 2014. Texas only has two nuclear plants but they do produce enough electricity to power 2.9 million households.
- Texas produces more electricity than any other state, generating almost twice as much as Florida, the second-highest electricity-producing state. Texas ranks number one with 12.3% and Florida at 7%
- Texas is the largest energy-producing and energy-consuming state in the nation. The industrial sector, including its refineries and petrochemical plants, accounts for half of the energy consumed in the state.