It’s true; everything really is bigger in Texas. Everything, that is, except for energy bills. Texas leads the nation in having the lowest average energy bills. The use of natural gas rather than other, more expensive fuels to heat a large number of homes in the state keeps the average Texan’s energy costs well below the national average. While air conditioners and other appliances around homes are still powered with electricity, the latest generation of energy efficient appliances enables even the cost of electricity to be lower for Texas residents.
When a state is able to lower their energy costs other states often look towards them for solutions to their energy problems. Texas has utilized natural gas to heat instead of using propane, heating oil or electricity. 43% of the homes in Texas heat with natural gas compared to 51% of the U.S. homes.
As people demand increasingly large homes, homeowners are interested in making the most economical choices about the energy needs of their homes. While there are of course many possible energy sources, natural gas is the single most popular in Texas and growing rapidly.
Texas does have the advantage of a warmer climate compared to much of the nation, with some regions being warm enough year round to make heating costs a minor concern. However, this doesn’t change the fact that natural gas is a more economical fuel for heating and cooling homes, plain and simple. Natural gas has always been a less costly energy source than electricity or heating oil.
Given Texas’ location, cooling one’s home is more of a concern for many than heating them. With the hot weather Texas often experiences, it can be expensive to keep homes cool here; for home cooling, electricity does provide the best option. When it comes to electricity consumption, Texans fall right in the middle when you look at consumption by state.
As far as fueling vehicles goes, gasoline is the most common fuel, just as it is in the rest of the country. There are a lot of cars and trucks on Texas roadways; Houston alone is nearly the size of Chicago with almost three million people and over a million cars to fuel. Many people are choosing to go green with their driving habits, but as elsewhere, most vehicles in the state are still running on traditional gasoline.
The Clean Cities program encourages motorists to use less fuel by choosing to drive vehicles which use gasoline more efficiently, reducing driving when unnecessary and by making the transition to using cleaner burning fuels. Texas residents are concerned with the environment and there are many in the state who are interested in using cleaner burning alternative fuels for their vehicles. There are many experts who predict that Texas will soon lead the country in the use of these renewable fuels.
Some think that it will not be much longer before fueling stations offering alternative fuels will outnumber traditional gas stations. Texas is a state which believes in using energy wisely and fully intends to be the national, even the world leader in energy efficiency and the use of renewable fuels.
About the author: Jerry Dyess specializes in the Commercial Energy market. He has published many articles on Business Electric prices.
Tags: deregulation, energy, savings, Texas
