middle of the pack

Report: Texas has promising capacity for clean electricity, but still falls behind nationally

In Texas only 38 percent of the state’s electricity capacity comes from clean electricity. Photo via Getty Images

In a new report that looked at states with the cleanest electricity across the country, Texas seems to have some room for improvement.

According to the report from SmartAsset, Texas has the most clean energy capacity at 56,405 megawatts, but continues to trail states with similar geographic characteristics in overall clean energy prevalence.

Texas has the largest wind capacity to help generate clean energy with over three times more than Iowa, which is the second-biggest wind power producer. Clean electricity made up 57 percent of Iowa’s total energy capacity (22,546.4 megawatts).

However, in Texas only 38 percent of the state’s electricity capacity comes from clean electricity. Texas also has the second-largest solar capacity, which means Texas has the most means, space, and potential to accommodate cleaner electricity.

Texas as a whole, ranked No. 22 on the list for states with the most clean energy. Washington was No.1 and California, comparable in geographic size to Texas, came in at No. 11. California had 44.3 percent of its energy capacity being from clean energy.

SmartAsset compiled its study by comparing the amount of geothermal, solar, wind and nuclear operations as a percentage of a state’s full electricity production capacity. States were ranked based on the percentage of clean energy sources used to generate the total net summer electricity production capacity. According to the report, the 2022 data comes from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Last year, home service management platform Thumbtack ranked cities based upon solar panel installations. Texas fared better here, and the Lone Star State split up four Californian cities in the top five of that report.

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A View From HETI

Google and American Airlines have struck a deal to purchase 35 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel. Photo via Getty Images

Fort Worth-based American Airlines has sealed a record-breaking deal with tech giant Google to bolster the use of cleaner jet fuel.

The deal involves Google’s purchase of sustainable aviation fuel certificates tied to fuel that American will use at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, one of the airline’s hubs. These certificates enable companies like Google to pay for the environmental benefits of sustainable jet fuel without actually using the fuel.

American and Google say this is the largest publicly announced certificate deal between an airline and a corporate customer.

Google says environmental gains from the certificates will help it cut emissions from employees’ business travel.

The agreement covers 35 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel over three years, resulting in a nearly 300,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. American has agreed to buy the fuel from San Antonio-based Valero.

“Our industry-leading agreement with Google is a critical step forward in reducing emissions from our operations,” Jill Blickstein, American’s chief sustainability officer, said in a news release. “By working with leaders like Google who share our commitment to innovation, we’re helping to grow demand for [cleaner jet fuel] and support the development of a stronger, more resilient market.”

Sustainable aviation fuel can reduce emissions by up to 80 percent compared with traditional jet fuel. It is made from feedstocks, like waste oil and fats, or it can be produced synthetically using captured carbon dioxide and renewable electricity.

The aviation industry accounts for about 2.5 percent of carbon dioxide emissions around the world, according to the International Energy Agency.

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