Electricity
Electricity production is a dirty business. Power plants are the largest industrial source of air pollution, emitting two-thirds of all soot-forming sulfur dioxide, 40 percent of the carbon dioxide, 34 percent of the mercury, and at least a quarter of the nitrogen oxide in the United States.

Texas currently produces 49 percent of its energy from natural gas, 38 percent from coal and lignite, 11 percent from nuclear sources, and less than 1 percent from renewables, primarily wind. Texas also leads the nation in mercury and carbon dioxide emissions.

Recent Progress
Deregulation
Texas is currently at an energy crossroads. For many years, excess energy production from Texas fueled a sizable portion of the national economy. During the past two decades, however, steadily increasing consumption has finally caught up with Texas's waning energy production. Trends projected from this historical information suggest that Texas will become more and more dependent on energy imported from out-of-state sources. Since January 2002, Texans have been able to choose their electricity providers. Some environmentalists see energy deregulation as an opportunity for renewable energy to reach the market, while others worry that competition will encourage the least expensive methods of power generation regardless of environmental impact and stymie conservation efforts.

Energy deregulation could boost the use of renewables in several ways. First, the deregulation bill passed by the Texas legislature in 1999, Senate Bill 7, requires retail electric providers to buy an additional combined 2,000 megawatts of Texas renewable electric generation capacity by January 2009. Currently, there are only 2,500 megawatts of non-hydro renewable electricity being produced in the entire United States, according to Environmental Defense. Deregulation also gives the public the power to choose green electricity.

Conversely, fierce competition may push providers to seek the cheapest source of electricity available often the older, high-polluting coal-fired plants. To alleviate some but not all of this problem, Senate Bill 7 required "grandfathered" power plants, those that predate the 1971 Texas Clean Air Act, to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 50 percent and sulfur dioxide emissions by 25 percent. Some environmentalists are also concerned that competition will stand in the way of conservation. A utility makes money by selling more electricity and has little motivation voluntarily to advocate conservation measures.

Wind power
Wind turbines are sprouting up all over west Texas. State laws that promote renewable energy, improved technology, and increased natural gas prices have all contributed to the boom in Texas wind business. At the end of 2003, the state had almost 400 megawatts of wind power capacity with an additional 600 megawatts planned, according to the American Wind Energy Association.

Fuel cells
Across the country, individuals and business-es are experimenting with fuel cells, which combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, heat, and water. Although many fuel cells use hydrogen from petrochemicals, the electricity comes from an electrochemical reaction rather than combustion so direct emissions are minimal.

The Houston Advanced Research Center is working to test and evaluate fuel-cell technologies in the region. HARC provided technical expertise to the TCEQ to develop a 3-kilowatt fuel cell that powers air monitoring equipment in Austin. They are currently developing larger local test projects at the Port of Houston and Bush Intercontinental Airport. In 2004, Dow Chemical's Freeport plant became the first in the nation to be powered by fuel cells.

What You Can Do
Buy green electricity
Currently, the only provider that offers electricity from renewable sources is Green Mountain Energy. Their product in Texas is 100 percent wind power, delivered to homes and businesses for a small premium. To sign up for their services, visit www.greenmountain.com. To find out when more green energy companies come online, visit www.powertochoose.org.

Conserve
Powering down the air conditioner, replacing conventional light bulbs with compact fluorescents, and running the dishwasher and washing machine only when full will all help reduce the pollution associated with energy production.