Renewable Energy Bill Passes Senate, Supporters Urge Quick Action by House

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Chris Smith, 512.691.3451-w or 512.659.9264-c or csmith@edf.org

(Austin – May 12, 2009) – Today the Texas Senate passed a bill that supporters say further positions the state to maintain its leadership in renewable energy – first from wind, now from solar and other renewables.

With wide-ranging support from industry and environmentalists, S.B. 541 calls for 1,500 megawatts of non-wind, renewable energy building upon the immensely successful Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) passed nearly a decade ago, and represents an important milestone as Texas transitions to a new, clean energy economy.

The undersigned organizations join in their support of a 1,500 megawatt ‘tier 2’ goal for renewable energy and now call upon the Texas House to quickly pass the bill so that Texas can immediately begin bringing in more green jobs:
Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association (TREIA)
Texas Business for Clean Air
Bright Source Energy, Inc.
Texas Cities for Clean Air Coalition
Environment Texas
Environmental Defense Fund
Public Citizen
Sierra Club

“Statewide businesses belonging to Texas Business for Clean Air (TBCA) are committed to bringing more renewable energy jobs and manufacturing to Texas, and we feel a market-driven, 1,500 megawatt RPS for emerging renewable energy is the most cost-effective approach, as the previous RPS has proven.” Texas Businesses for Clean Air

“Texas Cities for Clean Air Coalition support Senator Watson’s RPS bill as an important step toward cleaning the air in Texas. S.B. 541 has the right combination of maximum customer protection, and maximum environmental impact by emphasizing renewable energy performance. This policy will offset over 7 Million tons of CO₂ by 2020 and have a significant impact on NOx and particulate matter emissions for the state of Texas.” Linda Koop, Dallas Councilmember and Chair of Texas Cities for Clean Air Coalition

“BrightSource Energy and Tessera Solar, two significant concentrating solar energy companies, applaud Sen. Kirk Watson and the Texas Senate for passing legislation that would create a 1,500 MW non-wind RPS goal to be achieved by 2020 and believe it will accelerate the development of large-scale solar projects in Texas. We believe utility-scale solar power can harness the power of the sun for all Texans and bring the value of renewable energy diversity to the Lone Star State.” Official Joint Statement, BrightSource and Tessera Solar North America

“Texas Renewable Energy Industry Association (TREIA) and its broad membership base strongly support an RPS for all renewable technologies that were not able to compete in the original program. As the state has shown in its leadership with wind generation, the RPS model works well and effectively in Texas and is the most market-driven of incentive programs.” Bob Webb, President, Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association

“As industry and environmental advocates, we are confident that the Watson bill represents the right mix for Texas business, economy and environment, and we’re excited to support this pro-business, pro-environment solution.” Jim Marston, Regional Director for Environmental Defense Fund

“Emerging Renewable resources such as solar can lead to lower costs for consumers in four ways: by reducing peak power costs, reducing the amount of natural gas being used for electricity, reducing costs for industrial and agricultural consumers; and by reducing pollution costs.” Tom “Smitty” Smith, Director of Public Citizen’s Texas Office

“Texas has fallen behind in the development of emerging renewable energy technologies such as solar, geothermal and biomass power. We’re tied with Wisconsin and Washington for ninth place in solar and don’t even register in the top rankings for biomass and geothermal. That’s not just a blow to Texas pride, that’s the potential loss of billions of investment and tens of thousands of jobs.” Luke Metzger, Director of Environment Texas.

“While Texas has installed more renewable energy than any other state because of large-scale wind development in West Texas, Texas trails other states like New Mexico, California, New York and Colorado in the development of biomass, geothermal and solar energy. A second-tier renewable portfolio standard like the Texas Senate has just passed with SB 541 would help jumpstart these industries in Texas and prepare Texas for the expected federal Renewable Electricity Standard and carbon cap and trade legislation currently being debated in Congress.” Cyrus Reed, Conservation Director of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club.