From the oilfields of the 1901 Spindletop strike to today’s growing wind farms of the west Texas plains, energy has played a key role in the development and prosperity of Texas and Texans alike.

Through incentive and innovation, Texas has successfully diversified its energy portfolio, exploring all energy options from solar and wind to natural gas, nuclear and clean coal. Led by the ingenuity, vision and boldness of Texas entrepreneurs and state support of promising technology, Texas is pointing the way toward energy independence for our nation.

Action Items

»  Governor Perry has made diversifying the energy mix of Texas’ electricity market one of his major priorities, helping to lower electricity prices. In 2012, Texas relied on a variety of fuel sources to meet the growing demand for electricity, including 34 percent of energy produced coming from coal, 45 percent from natural gas, 12 percent from nuclear, 9 percent from wind, and 0.5 percent from other sources such as hydro, biomass, landfill gas, and solar.
»  In 2007, Governor Perry signed comprehensive energy efficiency legislation, House Bill 3693, into law. This legislation created incentives to reduce energy costs through investing in energy efficiency technologies. As a result, Texans reduced electric consumption in 2009 alone in this state by 506,000 megawatt hours. In 2011, he signed SB SB 1125 increasing the energy efficiency goals, including cost caps for those programs to ensure the costs remain reasonable for customers, and allowing consumers to participate in the generation market through demand-management.
»  In 2011, Governor Perry signed House Bill 3328, the first of its kind in the nation, requiring oil and gas companies to disclose chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process. The bill furthers a commitment to ensuring safe energy production in Texas by providing citizens with needed information to better understand this industry practice. HB 3328 illustrates that Texas can lead the nation in oil and gas production while increasing transparency in the process.
»  Governor Perry has stood up against federal energy policies like the offshore drilling moratoria and cap and trade that would make oil, gas, and electricity dramatically more expensive.

News & Announcements

• Thursday, July 07, 2011 • Austin, Texas • Press Release
  Statement by Gov. Rick Perry on New EPA Emissions Regulations
  Today's EPA announcement is another example of heavy-handed and misguided action from Washington, D.C., that threatens Texas jobs and families and puts at risk the reliable and affordable electricity our state needs to succeed. From the attack on Texas' successful clean air program, to threatening endangered species listings in West Texas oil fields, to banning offshore energy exploration, the Obama Administration seems intent on increasing energy costs for American consumers and making us even more dependent on foreign energy.
• Friday, April 08, 2011 • Arlington, Texas • Press Release
  Gov. Perry: Innovators Need Freedom to Solve Our Energy Challenges
  
  Gov. Rick Perry today applauded Texas' successful approach to diversifying its energy portfolio and cleaning its air, a stark contrast to Washington's burdensome mandates and one-size-fits-all policies that stifle economic growth and innovation. The governor spoke at a press conference unveiling NRG Energy Inc.'s Freedom StationsSM, a network of eVgo electric vehicle recharging stations in the Dallas/Ft. Worth and Houston areas that will enable more widespread use of electric cars across the state.
  » Read the Speech: Gov. Perry: Innovators Need Freedom to Solve Our Energy Challenges
  + Watch Interview of Gov. Perry Tours a VIA Electric Pickup Truck
  + Watch Interview of Chairman Barry Smitherman, Public Utility Commission of Texas
  + Watch Interview of Chairman Bryan W. Shaw, Ph.D., Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
• Friday, March 18, 2011 • Austin, Texas • Editorial
  Texas Still At Forefront of Energy Picture
  Since the earliest days of the Spindletop strike in 1901, America has turned to Texas time and again for its energy needs. With many of the world’s energy capitals in turmoil, the nation can continue to depend on the Lone Star State in the ongoing quest for energy independence.
• Tuesday, February 08, 2011 • Austin, Texas • Press Release
  Gov. Perry: We Must Reform, Streamline State Government
  
  Gov. Rick Perry delivered his State of the State address today, proposing to consolidate or suspend non-critical state agencies in order to make state government more streamlined and efficient. The governor also outlined his priorities for the 82nd Legislative Session, including balancing the budget without raising taxes, preserving essential services, and strengthening Texas' position as a national economic leader through sound policies.
  » Read the Speech: Gov. Perry: We Must Reform, Streamline State Government
• Wednesday, February 02, 2011 • Austin, Texas • Press Release
  Statement by Gov. Rick Perry on Rolling Power Outages across the State
  Gov. Rick Perry made the following statement about rolling power outages resulting from the winter weather system sweeping across the state.
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