Texas reported a 30 percent increase in electricity generated by renewable energy in 2010, according to a renewable energy credits registry administered by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).
The state recorded 28 million MWh of electricity from renewables in 2010. That was up from 21.6 million MWh in 2009. Wind energy had the biggest share at 26.8 million MWh. Solar increased the most by percentage, a 221 percent increase from 4,492 to 14,449 MWh.
Other renewable sources reported in 2010 included:
Biomass, a 33 percent increase to 97,535 MWh,
Hydro, a 20 percent increase to 609,257 MWh, and
Landfill gas, a 13 percent increase to 464,904 MWh.
The state retired more than 11 million credits in the voluntary market in 2010. That was more than 2 million credits over the mandate for the year. A renewable energy credit is a tradeable instrument that represents 1 MWh of renewable energy produced.
The renewable program includes 107 generation accounts representing 10,515 MW of new renewable generation added since 1999.
