A recent report released by the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs reveals how Texan poll respondents feel about renewable and traditional energy sources in the state.
The poll included questions about conventional oil and gas, as well as the emerging industries of solar, wind, nuclear, and geothermal, and aimed to gauge how Texans see their role in the evolving energy sector following more than 20 years of grid instability.
Well-known for being a ‘red’ republican state, the polls showed – what some may consider surprisingly – positive attitudes toward expanding renewable energy sources, with 64% in favour of solar expansion, 57% supporting wind farm and hydroelectric dam growth, 42% in favour of increasing nuclear plants, and 59% supporting geothermal expansion.
Expansion of traditional energy sources like fossil fuels received significantly less support from respondents, with 41% in favour of expanding conventional oil and gas, 40% supporting off-shore natural gas, 35% in favour of fracking expansion, and only 27% supporting coal-based energy growth.
Dr. Malcolm Ross, geologist, professor and Strategic Advisor for Eavor Technologies Inc., says that while the poll results could bolster support for the Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance (TxGEA), more intriguing is the level of bipartisan support behind expanding geothermal energy extraction.
According to the report, both republicans (63%) and democrats (59%) support more geothermally-sourced energy in the state. While other renewables like hydroelectric dams, hydrogen plants, and biofuels received similar levels of red and blue support, Ross highlights one important factor when considering feasible industry growth: scalability.
In the wake of the record-breaking, headline-making Winter Storm Uri in 2021, Texas is (understandably) in search of increased grid stability. Renewables like solar and wind are ideal for the southern climate and are thriving industries in the state, contributing just under 800MW from solar and 99MW from wind.
But solar and wind energy production share a common dilemma – intermittency issues. In a state already plagued with frequent grid blackouts, Texas is in need of baseload energy production, a key feature of geothermal technologies.
Unlike wind and solar, the heat contained below the earth’s surface is unaffected by variables like weather and seasonal changes. The closed-loop technology behind the innovative Eavor-LoopTM allows for constant, on-demand energy production, regardless of time of day, year, or changes in weather patterns.
The Eavor-Loop also bypasses restrictions felt by traditional geothermal techniques, which have historically limited geothermal extraction to areas with rare geologic conditions, similar to the restrictions on hydroelectric dams – large bodies of water, both above and below ground, can be uncommon, and manufacturing the right conditions can be costly.
Eavor and other AGS closed-loop geothermal systems are uniquely poised to solve energy insecurity and instability in Texas and beyond, with unrivalled capacities for constant, or baseload power, and versatility, or scalability – meaning Eavor-LoopTM’s can go virtually anywhere, and provide reliable, clean, green energy for generation after generation.
