Texas, the state often described as the country’s energy hub, is not as energy efficient as might be expected, according to a recent report.
Already, high standards are helping shave home expenditures for families. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, in 2012, the average U.S. household spent $1,945 on heating, cooling, appliances, electronics and lighting, and that was after the nation’s total energy expenditures dropped by $12 billion the year prior.
To determine who who is ahead of the curve and positioning themselves best to maximize future savings, WalletHub recently analyzed home- and car-energy efficiencies for every state (excluding Hawaii and Alaska, where the necessary data was not readily available).
The group discovered that Texas ranked among the worst in terms of energy efficiency. When ranked on the basis of total residential energy consumption per capita, the Lone Star state ranked 35 out of 48, sandwiched between Missouri (34) and Virginia (36).
Though the state trails in both categories analyzed by WalletHub, a recent report from the Houston Chronicle on the expansion of solar energy in Texas promises to relieve the state of some of its more dirty energy habits.
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, since 2014, more than 300 megawatts of solar energy have been introduced to Texas’ 70,000-megawatt grid, which produces enough power for 28,000 homes.
Kyung Ah-Park, managing director of environmental markets at Goldman Sachs, told the Chronicle that greater investment in the state’s energy efficiency is only going to make it cheaper in the future.
“The more we actually deploy and grow demand, the cheaper the energy becomes, which in turn further drives demand.”