Texas is not typically thought of as the greenest state in the union as it is heavily entrenched in a fossil-fuel-based economy. However, more than 90 elected officials and key decision makers have set out to upgrade the state’s standing in the renewable energy industry with the Renew Texas plan. It's potentially a high-impact undertaking with a significant economic upside. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy estimates that Texas could save $5 billion through energy efficiency, create 38,000 jobs and reduce pollution by 20 percent.

The state has more than enough renewable resources to make this happen. Environment Texas Director Luke Metzger puts it this way: “Texas has the technological prowess and vast resources of renewable energy from the sun, wind and crops that can revitalize our economy, power the nation, create thousands of high-paying manufacturing jobs and renew Texas’ role as the energy capital of the world.”

The plan calls for 4,000 megawatts of solar energy generation capabilities over the next 12 years. That is on top of the Pickens Plan that if implemented would generate, through wind power, 20 percent of the country’s energy needs beginning with wind farms in Texas.

An important feature of the Renew Texas plan mandates that utility companies reduce energy consumption by one percent by 2015 and an additional one percent by 2020. While this is better than nothing, it's a pretty modest goal. It would be good to see a more aggressive energy reduction commitment.

Other features of the plan call for upgrading building codes to increase energy efficiency by 15 percent in new homes. Increasing energy efficiency in schools and universities through better construction methods and materials is also a plan requirement.

To accomplish these goals, the Texas legislature will need to provide low-interest loans and other incentives to get consumers to apply for a green/energy efficiency loan. Hopefully the Obama Administration, with its commitment to green energy, will also play a role in helping to make this happen.