At a June 2nd meeting in Houston, a group of new-age energy experts presented an upbeat view of what is ahead for the country and for Texas if the clean energy legislation recently passed by the full House makes it through the Senate. And, the future looks good as a vision of sustainability transforms into a plan of action.
The Waxman-Markey clean energy climate bill should generate “tens of thousands” of renewable energy jobs in Texas alone according to Jon Berger, CEO of Standard Renewable Energy. Berger said his company has added more than 150 jobs already this year. The Waxman-Markey bill finally lends some government backing and definition to renewable energy initiatives.
Chief energy management officer at Horizon Wind Energy, Antonio Countinho, reported that his company had grown from 50 employees to 300 since 2005. As a clean and proven renewable energy source, wind energy is one of the beneficiaries of Waxman-Markey.
The enthusiasm of the panelists was tempered by John Calaway, chief development officer at Babcock and Brown, who added that “when gas prices go down, we get lazy again in our support for a clean energy policy.”
The ability to transmit solar power has limited the growth of solar energy. With an improved infrastructure, solar power is positioned to expand and have a quick impact on reduction of carbon emissions. The cost of solar panels has been reduced by 35% due to recent technological advances and increased manufacturing capabilities. The panel suggested that grid parity would exist in Texas by 2012 and the solar energy gates would open.
Jeff Chapman, president of Emerging Green Buildings and a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) architect with Kirsey Architects in Houston, stated that there are currently only 12 LEED® certified buildings in Houston. Chapman said he is now working on 12 LEED® projects at the present time, but the message was clear. Houston ha snot been aggressive enough about sustainable energy or projects. With Waxman-Markey about to pass, that could change quickly.
“The implications for a city like Houston are pretty profound. We are good at big projects.”
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