Energy Outlook
A change in Texans consumption of energy is inevitable. The outlook, at first glance, seems bleak. But there may be light at the end of the fossil fuel tunnel.
Oil and gas production has peaked in Texas, and global warming is now impacting weather patterns and the lives of people who are victims of natural disasters including extreme heat, hurricanes, floods and droughts. Houston and other large cities are suffering from a record number of high ozone days, and other air pollution related to the burning of fossil fuels.
The time for a shift from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy is here Texas and Houston have been slow to develop renewable energy alternatives. Only 2 percent of the state’s electricity comes from renewable sources, even though Texas leads the country in renewable energy potential. There’s wind in the panhandle, lots of sun in the southwest and biomass in the east.
This shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy can mean a brighter future for Texas. Investment in the renewable energy industry is expected to quadruple by 2015. Houston, as the energy capital of the world, can lead the nation in this shift from fossil fuel to renewable energy sources for the short term and long term health and progress of the city.