Texas Can Get to Net Zero by 2050 and Simultaneously Bolster the Economy
upstart writes:
Texas can get to net zero by 2050 and simultaneously bolster the economy:
Texas could eliminate its carbon pollution in fewer than 30 years, and decarbonizing would actually strengthen the state's economy, according to new research from energy scientists at The University of Texas at Austin.
The report warns that global markets are already casting a wary eye on goods and services that rely on fossil fuels. Those shifting consumer preferences could mean trouble for Texas, which built an economy larger than those of most countries on the strength of its oil and natural gas industries. Texas risks losing its economic footing unless it embraces new approaches to energy production, the report says.
[...] But Texas, despite its reputation for big rigs and black gold, is also an emerging clean-energy hub, with breathtaking solar and wind potential. The state is well positioned to decarbonize, according to the report, titled "Don't Mess with Texas: Getting the Lone Star State to Net-Zero by 2050." The researchers studied four approaches to reaching net-zero emissions. To their surprise, all four approaches produced greater economic output than "business as usual"-the state's annual gross domestic product was anywhere from 1.6% to 7.9% higher.
[...] "This doesn't have to mean the decimation of the oil and gas industries," Webber said. For example, the team's analysis finds that keeping some natural gas in the power sector's fuel mix provides valuable dispatchability when other resources are not available.
[...] Accompanying the report is a new online tool, the Texas Energy Policy Simulator (TX-EPS), with which anyone can test their ideas about decarbonizing the state. TX-EPS was developed by climate/energy think tank Energy Innovation.
[...] "The thing Texas does is deploy at scale. That's our superpower," Webber said. "We can do things at a globally relevant scale in a matter of decades or even years."
Original Source: Texas Can Get to Net Zero by 2050 and Simultaneously Bolster the Economy
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