A history of the state ’ s booming energy sector . From oil to wind and solar energy , the Lone Star State is the undisputed leader of US energy production .

Spindletop Hill oil geyser

On January 10 , 1901 , an oil geyser erupted from a drilling site on Spindletop Hill in Jefferson County , southeastern Texas . The geyser reached 150 feet and produced nearly 100,000 barrels a day , surpassing any previous oil discovery in power . This event led to a thriving oil industry in the area .

Energy crisis

The energy crisis , rooted in substantial petroleum shortages as well as elevated prices , led to the Texas energy advisory council , which commissioned studies on different energy sources . In 1974 , a study was conducted on wind power , then , in 1977 , another was conducted on a range of options such as solar , wind , biomass , and algae .

Deregulation

The Texas energy market was deregulated during this period . In 1999 , Texas established its Renewable Portfolio Standard ( RPS ) as part of the restructuring of the state ' s electricity market . The original objective was to install 400 megawatts ( MW ) of new renewable energy by 2003 and to continuously increase capacity every two years , reaching 2,000MW by 2009 .

16 April 2023