Little more than one year ago, Texas wore an ignominious crown. A stampede to build polluting power plants brought national notoriety, and our state emerged as the king of coal. But in short order, Texas is remaking itself as a clean energy leader. The Public Utility Commission's decision to build nearly $5 billion worth of transmission lines to carry wind power from West Texas is a significant sign of progress. No longer content to pollute with impunity, the state is laying the groundwork to ensure that renewable resources play a key role in our energy future. Texas already outpaces all other states with almost 7,000 megawatts of wind. Last week's PUC action will add 18,456 megawatts to the mix.
It's a noble goal: Al Gore has challenged us to be in a position where we're using nothing but clean fuels by 2018. That's only ten years from now, y'all. I'm not smart enough to know whether or not that goal is attainable, but a start down that road has been made in a place I'd never expected: Texas. In a state synonymous with oil, the Texas Public Utility Commission has decided to work to take advantage of the fact that Texas blows...and in a good way, in this case. Drive through parts of west Texas, and you'll see a lot of wind turbines spread across the landscape...and why not? Wind energy is a safe, clean, and virtually inexhaustible resource. There may not be much of anything else in west Texas, but there is wind...24/7/365.
You could argue with the aesthetics of wind farms, but I've always thought there's something majestic about wind turbines. No, it's not the sort of thing that you'd want in your back yard, but then most wind farms, particularly in Texas, are in rural areas. I think Texas' PUC should be applauded for recognizing that the state is home to a resource that just might go a long way toward lessening our dependence on foreign oil. With wind energy (and the hot air) emanating from Austin, Texas might just do there part in helping to meet Al Gore's challenge...and that thoroughly oughta piss off all those good, God-fearing Texas rednecks Republicans.
Contrary to what I might have been thinking, Texas doesn't suck. It blows.
