ElectricityTexas Blog

The ElectricityTexas Blog Has Moved!

2008-04-22T16:15:30Z

Hello loyal readers. Our discussion of Texas electricity has changed locations, with a fresh start and a new home. In fact, our new address at EnergyBabble.com is your place to read and talk about Texas energy, green energy and natural gas, with subjects ranging from alternative fuels to the rising crude oil prices.

Please feel free to comment or email us to let us know what you think about the new format. We like to think of EnergyBabble as an organic experience and a chance for all of us to engage in the conversations that make the energy world go round.

The Oil Boom of 1930

2008-03-27T15:21:10Z

In 1930, a 70-year-old Alabama native drilled an exploratory well in East Texas. Though his crew was relatively rag-tag and inexperienced—his driller was the only experienced oil man, and the rest were out-of-work farm hands—Columbus Marion (Dad) Joiner was a man with high aspirations for finding "black gold" in Rusk County.

Fast forward to Oct. 3, 1930, as 8,000 people—many skeptics—witnessed Joiner's team drill down over 3,500 feet on a 975-acre Texas farm. Unfortunately, it was much later that day before Joiner and his crew struck oil, much too late for the majority of the crowd that had already left. More unfortunate for Mr. Joiner were the oversold shares that thoroughly cemented the dreamer from Alabama in several lawsuits, before a wealthy Texas oil man bought his interests and saved Joiner from assured economic destruction.

Columbus Marion (Dad) Joiner left East Texas as a social and economic hero, but not a wealthy oil tycoon as he had probably hoped would be the case. The subsequent oil boom—considered one of the greatest economic achievements in U.S. history—was a large source of funding for WWII, and led to a significant post-war economic boom, making Mr. Joiner a man for the history books.

For more information on the East Texas Oil Boom, please check out the Depot Museum and East Texas Oil Museum Online.

Got Green?

2008-03-12T22:45:46Z

Despite the fact that we live in the midst of what is quite possibly the fastest growing renewable energy market in the United States, Texans are still a bit perplexed and apprehensive of purchasing green energy. Case in point: 12,000 companies purchased renewable energy in 2006, 39 times more than in 2002. So who's really trumping who in the battle to be green? Why are consumers so afraid of green energy?

Check out the article in the Dallas Morning News for some myth-busting and eye-opening stats. Needless to say, the cost of renewable energy is still a myth to many consumers.

Quotes from the Oil Capital

2008-02-27T16:22:31Z

I have the same feelings about wind, as I had about the best oil field I ever found."—Boone Pickens, Billionaire and Texas Oilman on his plan to build a $10 billion dollar wind farm that could sustain an entire small city.

“Texas has been looking at oil and gas rigs for 100 years, and frankly, wind turbines look a little nicer.”—Jerry Patterson, Texas land commissioner, also firmly stating that Texas will continue to be number one in wind power in the foreseeable future.

Quotes courtesy of the New York Times

Texas Could Be Home for First Carbon Capturing Coal Plant

2008-02-21T21:55:30Z

The nation's first new commercial coal-fueled plant capable of capturing carbon dioxide emissions is in the early proposal phase to develop a nearly 2,000 acre section of land in Sweetwater, Texas. Tenaska, an Omaha energy company, has filed an air permit with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) according to company officials, which is the first step in the process of gaining approval to begin construction on the $3 billion project.

Up to 90 percent of the CO2 would be captured, sold and transported through pipelines to the Permian Basin, where advanced oil recovery projects could utilize the stored gas to recover significant amounts of additional oil for the Texas market, a common practice in the Texas oil industry for more than 30 years. But how would a clean-coal power plant affect Texas electricity?

The 600 megawatt facility could potentially power 600,000 homes, though environmentalists have staunchly opposed building any additional coal-fueled power plants. The concern isn't necessarily focused just on the potential emissions from burning the fossil fuel, but also the environmental implications of storing and mining—including pollution of water, depletion of water supply and destruction of land to name a few. If approved, which will be in 2009 at the earliest and Tenaska won't conclude construction until 2014. Legislative and environmental battles may delay any development plans in the near future, pushing the probable time line even further away.

For more information, please see the Tenaska newsroom for updated press releases and information.

Texas Electricity Customers Could See Lower Electric Bills in 2008

2008-02-15T19:02:38Z

An influx of gas supply to Texas power plants could stall price fluctuations in 2008 for Texas electricity customers. New natural gas pipelines in Colorado and Louisiana are a key factor in slowing down price increases, as the U.S. Department of Energy estimates a 0.7 percent increase in retail electricity rates. 2007 alone saw a 3 percent increase in Texas, but the increased gas supply couple with milder weather has predictions showing a smoother 2008 for Texans. Considering nearly 47 percent of Texas power plants are gas fired, the pipeline ventures could be a significant factor in helping dampen prices.

For more in formation: See this article in the Houston Chronicle

Texas and Mexico Looking to the Future

2008-02-01T17:07:24Z

Texas electricity is growing by leaps and bounds. Texas and Mexico recently cited the importance of working together to increase future developments in the energy industry, specifically the importance of expanding oil and gas pipelines between both areas, and combining powers to help in the development of wind power.

Mexico is currently the third largest exporter of oil to the U.S., and approximately 70 percent of gas produced in Texas comes from Mexico. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this proposed partnership is the opportunity to increase the wind capacity in the U.S., which is quite possibly a significant increase considering the relatively untouched wind capacity in Mexico, and the annual growth of wind power in Texas.

For more information on future developments in the oil and gas industry, check out the The Oil, Gas and Energy Law Symposium's web site.

Texas Electricity Glossary

2008-01-30T10:20:07Z

Ever feel like your electricity bill is mocking you? Or maybe it's not that collective ouch everyone feels when we open our bills and realize we could probably benefit from switching our electricity providers (thank you deregulation). Maybe, just maybe, it's simply a case of needing information on our electricity service, and not knowing where to get it. Previous blogs have detailed and focused on deregulation facts, saving money, switching service and so on, but today I am going to venture into new territory: The Texas electricity glossary.

I found a few confusing terms that I felt would be good for all of us to have a little clarity on. Of course, there are plenty more to peruse within the glossary itself, but I'll post a few just for fun, or functionality, or whichever you may prefer.

Kilowatt-Hour (kWh)
A unit of energy equivalent to one kilowatt (kW) of power expended for one hour of time. The amount of electricity you use each billing period is expressed in terms of a kilowatt-hour, and is noted on your bill.

Duly noted indeed. Kilowatt-hour is especially prominent in rate-plan descriptions and price comparison, so it's a nice little nugget of information.

Retail Electric Provider
A company that sells electricity to customers. All retail electric providers must be certified to do business by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

Okay, when you research companies in your area, it's important to realize the difference between an energy marketer, or retail electric provider, and the company that maintains and delivers your electricity. Many times in case of outages, your transmission company will be the appropriate contact for information, not the provider who you purchase service from.

Pure Wind Baby... Ah, Smell the Energy Efficiency

2008-01-21T20:48:34Z

According to our friends at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)—and this isn't just hot air folks—more than $9 billion in investments helped the nation's wind capacity grow by 45 percent in 2007.

More cheers are in order for Texas once again (go ahead and throw out a random holler; it's really uplifting) as Texas electricity customers can hang our collective hats on the fact that our state continues to lead the rest of the pack in wind energy production. The Lone Star state increased wind capacity by an impressive 57 percent, from 2,768 megawatts to 4,356 in just one year.

Oh and by the way, Texas has more than 1,200 megawatts of wind power in construction. Can I get a booyah?

If Your Energy Meter Only Had a Brain

2008-01-15T16:09:45Z

The days of old are parting ways for an exciting new product in the energy industry. The smart meter is a new technology that will provide the following enhanced services for Texas electricity customers:

Access to energy use information 24 hours a day

Improved outage detection and faster restoration

More flexible services when the customer wants them

Reducing the need to access the customer’s property

What does it do?

In simple terms, it communicates and transmits—in a wireless and automatic fashion—energy use and information, allowing a two-way communication between the customer and the energy provider.

Why is it beneficial to the customer?

It provides customer with detailed energy use and information and allows the customer to reduce their energy usage. A smart meter can be shut off during peak hours when the customers are not home.

It improves the detection of power outages, aids in restoration and can even provide the customer with energy usage patterns.

Certain companies will provide customer rebates for using the smart meter.

Meters will no longer have to be read in person. This provides additional privacy at the customer’s home and eliminates human errors.

Some deregulated electricity companies are currently utilizing the smart meter, and close to 7,200 businesses already use it as well, but it will take some time for the regulated market to jump on board. This is due to the cost of the equipment and determining exactly who should be responsible for the cost of the meter.

Saving Money with Energy Star in 2008

2008-01-11T22:34:43Z

Are you planning on investing in a new home, remodeling or purchasing new household appliances? Did you know

that Energy Star can save you money on those types of purchases?

Energy Star was created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy to help protect the environment through energy efficient products while helping consumers to save money.

By purchasing energy efficient products that are backed by Energy Star you can save roughly a third of your energy bill. How great is that? You can save money on your energy bill and still purchase reliable name brand products you
trust.

For more information visit the Energy Star site.

Solar Energy Technology to be Produced in New Austin Factory

2008-01-03T14:22:26Z

HelioVolt Corporation, a company devoted to providing solar technology for the mass market, is building a factory to produce it's solar energy products sometime in 2008. The new Austin facility will utilize HelioVolt's FASST technology, a manufacturing process including a patented "solar skin" that claims to be many times thinner than silicon, and a faster production process. The solar skin allows commercial-scale projects to hopefully become a widespread reality. This could be huge for Texas electricity customers.

What makes this development a possible green TKO in the long-term bout against global warming, is the potential for producing more cost-effective solar technologies, a renewable energy that has remained out of price range for many. If HelioVolt can live up to it's claims of production that is 10 to 100 times faster than traditional solar processes, then Texas may see viable options for solar architecture within the next decade, possibly matching the impressive wind portfolio that the state already has.

Order Renewable Energy in Texas Today—It's Easier than You Think

2007-12-28T16:36:56Z

Worried over winter highs and the approach of summer making your energy bill skyrocket? Despite common miscalculations regarding the cost of using renewable energy in your home, the Texas Public Utility Commission points to more than 20 renewable energy plans available in North Texas, showing that going green doesn't necessarily mean fewer options. The plans vary from 100 percent renewable to smaller percentages of the electricity derived from clean resources.

The average cost of said plans were 12.3 cents per kilowatt-hour as of late November, with fossil-fuel electricity plans running an 11.5 cents per kilowatt-hour average in Texas—about $12 per month difference.

With 1,185 megawatts of wind capacity already added in 2007 alone, and more anticipated to come, Texas electricity customers have access to a growing renewable energy marketplace, and a competitive one at that. Year to year, purchasing renewable energy in Texas becomes more convenient, and cheaper, giving customers access to the latest in green power technology, and a chance to help protect the environment.

ElectricityTexas in the New Year

2007-12-21T15:31:16Z

So it's the time of year to hope. Hope for change, hope for better eating habits, hope for a briefcase full of cash and so on. With the holiday spirit in tow, I've decided to embark on a brief hiatus into the world of 2008, but with a special twist.

So here are my three Texas electricity wishes for 2008 (or at least what I hope can happen) :

More savings for Texas electricity customers. Energy companies are doing a fine job of offering special incentives and really competitive rates, so I expect that to continue and hopefully improve in 2008.

More renewable energy produced from Texas' large supply of wind power, as well as additional biomass fuel technology from Texas agriculture.

Take advantage of deregulation in Texas and find affordable electricity ... especially next time I move and need to hook up my utilities.

Though it may seem like common sense to take advantage of lower prices, there is still some misinformation about what deregulation means for electricity service, and why competition is a good thing. So here's to the new year, and to finding the electricity service that we all deserve. Finding reliable and affordable electricity in Texas is easier than you probably imagined.

Texas Mayors Call for Light Switch

2007-12-12T12:55:39Z

According to a recent article in the Austin Business Journal, mayors from Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Houston and San Antonio are preparing for a major switch to help alleviate some energy strains for Texas electricity customers. The compact florescent lights (CFLs) will help Texans use 75 percent less energy to light their homes, a switch that is prompting the five mayors to designate the CFL as the "state bulb."

CFLs are unique in their design and performance, lasting up to 10 times longer than traditional, incandescent bulbs, and coupled with the savings in energy use, the CFL could save more than $30 over the lifetime of each bulb. As Texas homes make the switch, the cumulative effects over time could be astronomical, as the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy have estimated that using one CFL in every home could save more than $600 million annually.

The designation of a state bulb is a part of a push by Texas to increase its overall energy efficiency, where as of now the state ranks 11th according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

For additional information on the proposed switch to CFLs, please see this article in the Austin Business Journal.