Texas isn't waiting for deregulation, rolling blackouts or the power shortages that are much too often a way of life for residents of that other large state out West.

Taking advantage of everything from the fertile minds of kids to gale force winds that howl across its wide expanses, the Lone Star State is promoting renewable energy use in a big way.

Anyone who wants to know more about renewable energy sources -- not just Texans -- can take advantage of much of the information on the Texas State Energy Conservation Office's new Web site.

In addition to the typical turn-it-off, turn-it-down and use-it-sparingly energy advice making the rounds these days, InfinitePower.org Web site offers some unique approaches to energy woes.

• Solar cooking. Solar cookers use direct sunlight to gather as much as 1,000 watts on each square meter of surface, compared to the 1,000 watts a typical toaster oven uses. Solar cookers can range from box cookers that behave like a conventional oven operating at medium temperatures to parabolic cookers that concentrate the rays of the sun and rival the performance of a conventional oven. SolarCooking.org offers more information.

• A trivia contest for students, teachers or anyone who wants to be more informed about, say, trashy energy. Each year, the average Texan generates a ton of trash that can be used to reliably generate electric energy. Several landfill gas power plants have already been constructed to generate electricity in Texas and the technology not only creates power, but also prevents potentially harmful gas from escaping into the atmosphere.

• Ask An Expert questions that don't pop up on the trivia contest. Combined with the answers that already exist in the site's Fact Sheets archive for kids, adults and by renewable energy type, and you'll have plenty to keep you busy making your home energy efficient.

The Web site InfinitePower.org is a campaign to show that renewable energy -- now the fastest-growing energy source in Texas -- can play an important role in any state's energy future when used along with traditional fossil resources and increased efficiency and conservation.

Texas ought to know.

• Texas has more renewable energy resources than any other state including solar, biomass, wind, and geothermal energy. Wind power is the fastest-growing energy resource in Texas.

• Texas is home to some of the largest electricity generating wind turbines in North America. A wind farm near Big Spring, TX includes 370 feet high wind turbines, each of which is capable of generating 1.6 megawatts of electric power. The complete farm generates enough electricity for 7,300 Texas homes.

• Texas offers a host of energy saving incentives including tax deductions for home owners who use renewable energy sources, property tax exemptions from the value added from solar or wind power related home improvements, low interest loans to finance solar water heating equipment and others.

For more articles by Broderick Perkins, please press here.

Published: June 1, 2001

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

A journalist for 35-years, Broderick Perkins parlayed an old-school daily newspaper career into a digital news service offering editorial content and consulting services. Perkins' San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews Group includes the flagship news site, DeadlineNews.Com, offering real estate, personal finance and consumer journalism, and a backshop, the Deadline Newsroom.