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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, In February 2021, Winter Storm Uri provided a harsh |
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reminder of the fragility of the Texas power grid; and |
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WHEREAS, Record low temperatures created a catastrophic |
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energy shortage as weather-related failures took down natural gas, |
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nuclear, coal, wind, and solar generation; natural gas-fired power |
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plants, which supply 42 percent of the state's electricity, ran out |
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of fuel as pipelines and related equipment froze; and |
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WHEREAS, The geographical characteristics of Texas have |
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created untapped geothermal resources that can increase energy |
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options; geothermal, which generates energy using heat from the |
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Earth's interior, is a reliable and flexible source that runs |
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consistently regardless of weather conditions and can quickly |
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adjust to the changing needs of the power system; it is clean, |
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producing 95 percent fewer emissions than coal and 92 percent less |
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than gas; moreover, it is endlessly renewable, as the superheated |
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water can be injected back into the ground to run in a constant |
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loop; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas has a long history with geothermal; the State |
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Capitol was originally heated by geothermal water, and in the |
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1970s, the U.S. Department of Energy funded geothermal projects to |
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provide space heating for the Falls Community Hospital in Marlin |
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and Cotulla High School in the Eagle Ford Shale; geothermal |
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resources along the Gulf Coast were catalogued and proven |
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extractable in the 1970s and '80s, but such initiatives languished |
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once oil prices sank; and |
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WHEREAS, Every oil and gas well brings geothermal heat to the |
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surface as a byproduct; preliminary data collected by Southern |
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Methodist University over 15 years ago indicated that up to 2,000 |
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megawatts of geothermal energy could be available just from the |
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state's then-extant oil and gas wells, and the subsequent fracking |
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boom likely means that even more geothermal energy is available; |
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more recent research has identified abundant geothermal energy |
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reserves across Texas, and new technologies have made it possible |
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to extract geothermal energy from deep below the Earth's surface; |
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geothermal technology can repurpose end-of-life oil and gas wells, |
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alleviating the need for plugging, abandonment, or decommissioning |
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while also supporting clean energy generation; and |
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WHEREAS, Geothermal energy development can also repurpose |
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the skills and expertise of the state's oil and gas workers, which |
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are readily transferable; in Canada, many former oil workers have |
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already made this transition; geothermal applications will create |
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independent energy resources and jobs in a rapidly changing |
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industry, and with its well-trained workforce, as well as its |
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geological advantages, Texas is poised to realize tremendous |
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economic development through geothermal expansion; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas must diversify its energy portfolio in order |
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to create a more resilient, responsive power grid and maintain its |
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energy leadership and independence, and geothermal energy is a |
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resource that can provide thousands of good jobs and attract |
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millions in investments while achieving these goals; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby express support for geothermal energy production. |