Investments and new technologies will keep Texas the energy capital of the world
Energy dominance is the cornerstone of President Trump's agenda, and he is committed to strengthening U.S. energy independence and reclaiming the mantle of global energy leadership. That means reversing disastrous Biden-era decisions such as the 'pause' on American liquefied natural gas exports, expediting infrastructure projects that have been snarled in regulatory delays, and encouraging domestic producers to accelerate exploration and production activities.
It also means pursuing permitting reform and greenlighting more projects that will improve our energy supply chain. Developing an abundant energy supply here at home lessens our nation's reliance on nations such as China, Russia, Iran and Venezuela for the oil, gas, uranium and critical minerals that our economy relies on.
Texas serves as a model for the responsible development of diverse and reliable energy that keeps costs low for hardworking families and attracts businesses of all sizes. We are the top producer of oil and gas in the nation and possess its largest refining capacity — approximately one-third of the national total.
We also rank first and second in wind and solar production, respectively, and boast two nuclear generating stations. Our state is growing our nuclear capacity by embracing exciting technological advancements like small modular reactors. Additionally, Abilene Christian, a university I was proud to represent and work with as a state senator, is leading the way in researching and developing salt-cooled nuclear energy.
Meanwhile, thanks to cutting-edge research at Texas A&M University, Texas is making incredible strides in graphene technologies. Graphene is a nanomaterial with countless applications in electronics and energy storage. Our state also has a supply of many of the world's most precious rare earth minerals in the Round Top Mountain property, which I manage as your Texas land commissioner.
This balanced energy approach helps Texas prepare and respond to severe weather events and other emergencies. It has also played an increasingly important role in bolstering our national security as Texas leads the way in developing critical technologies.
China has placed a premium on overtaking the U.S.'s technological leadership in areas such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing. Texas is doing its part to stand in the way of China's ambitions. We have established ourselves as a top destination for data center development, which provides the backbone for these critical technologies.
In fact, thanks to our state's all-of-the-above energy policy and private companies, including data center developers, bringing their own resources to large-scale projects, Texas produces more than twice as much electricity as Florida and is the largest net supplier of energy in the nation, despite being the largest energy consumer.
As head of the General Land Office, I have a front-row seat to the impact Texas has on our shared economic and security goals, both here in Texas and for the country writ large. The minerals produced on the land we lease — from gravel to limestone to lithium — support construction projects, manufacturing operations and power generation. Our oil and gas reserves make global commerce possible and fund critical public education initiatives, as well as disaster mitigation and recovery efforts.
And the GLO's role as the steward of more than 13 million acres of state land has enabled us to meaningfully contribute to strategic national goals, including securing the southern border and serving our veterans through the programs of the Veterans Land Board, which is responsible for the nine state veteran homes and four veteran cemeteries.
Texas has embraced its energy potential, and the results have been extraordinary. With strong leadership at the state and federal levels, Texas is poised to cement its role as an energy leader and a haven for smart public policy.
Dawn Buckingham, MD, is the Texas Land Commissioner. She previously served as a state senator from Lakeway.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas energy dominance is key to America's success | Opinion
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