Texas leads the nation in renewable energy generation, thanks largely to a 1999 law signed by then-Governor George Bush mandating that utility companies get a percentage of their power from renewable sources. Now, Congress is considering a national renewable electricity standard similar to ours, with a vote in the House of Representatives expected in the next few days.

The House bill (HR 969), sponsored by Reps. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Todd Platts (R-Pa.), would require that utilities increase their use of renewable energy to 20 percent by 2020.

If the federal legislation becomes law, it would generate 17,630 new jobs in Texas according to analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

For Texas, UCS’s analysis found that a 20 percent national renewable electricity standard would:

* generate an annual average of more than 17,630 renewable energy jobs between today and 2020 in manufacturing, construction and other industries.

* be a financial boon of $550 million cumulatively from today until 2020 for farmers, ranchers and rural landowners who produce biomass energy and/or lease their land to wind developers.

* save state residents $1.75 billion on energy bills cumulatively from today until 2020 by reducing demand for fossil fuels and lowering natural gas and electricity prices. By 2030 those cumulative savings would balloon $6.8 billion.

Nationally, UCS’s analysis found that a 20 percent national renewable electricity standard would:

* generate an annual average of more than 185,000 total renewable energy jobs nationally between today and 2020 in manufacturing, construction and other industries.

* be a financial boon of $25.6 billion cumulatively between today and 2020 for farmers, ranchers and rural landowners who produce biomass energy and/or lease their land to wind developers.

* save consumers $10.5 billion on energy bills cumulatively from today until 2020 by reducing demand for fossil fuels and lowering natural gas and electricity prices. By 2030 those cumulative savings would balloon to $31.8 billion.

* slash global warming pollution by 223 million metric tons a year, the equivalent of taking 36.4 million cars off the road.

Take Action

Ask your U.S. Representative to co-sponsor the Federal Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Act (HR 969) introduced by Representatives Tom Udall and Todd Platts. This bill will increase our use of homegrown renewable resources like wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass by requiring 20 percent of electricity production to come from these sources by 2020.

Find contact information including district office information for members of the Texas congressional delegation