What began on Jan. 10, 1901, when the Lucas well blew in Spindletop, near Galveston, continues today as Texas claims the top spot in wind energy production. This leadership is built on predictable and supportive economic and regulatory policies that allow Texas to responsibly exploit our state's abundant resources. Now Texas must create the same environment for solar energy or watch the world's fastest growing energy sector pass us by, and with it, thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investment.

Hindering efforts to make Texas a solar industry leader is a pervasive myth that the technology is still in the research and development stage. The simple fact is solar energy is in rapid market development similar to telecom, computers and the Internet. Photovoltaic (PV) solar is a direct descendant of the semiconductor industry and its continually advancing technology. It's so effective that the U.S. Department of Defense has installed more than 200 megawatts of solar PV at more than 40 military installations across the country and counting.

Globally, the solar industry is exploding, driven by huge investments and policy commitments in Europe and Asia. Solar has grown from a $2.5 billion industry in 2000 to $71 billion in 2010, increasing $32 billion between 2009 and 2010. This growth is driving the cost of PV down rapidly, and within several years, it is predicted that direct incentives will be unnecessary.

Passage of House Bill 2961 — which I am proud to have joint-authored with colleagues Reps. Allan Ritter, R-Nederland; Warren Chisum, R-Pampa; Myra Crownover, R-Denton; and Mark Strama, D-Austin — will help move Texas to the forefront of the solar industry. The state's solar potential is among the highest in the nation, yet our solar industry lags far behind others such as California, Colorado and even New Jersey. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, Texas barely ranks in the top 10 states for solar generation capacity installed in 2010, and it doesn't crack the top 10 states in overall solar generation capability. Make no mistake; Texas ultimately will have significant solar installations no matter what we do. Our choice is whether to be a leader in the multibillion-dollar solar market, or simply a consumer of solar products.

To jump-start the industry in Texas, a collection of citizens, legislators and industry experts support HB 2961 to create a solar generation program with a goal of 1,000 megawatts (MW) installed over its limited five-year duration. The program would provide rebates for wholesale generation as well as for distributed solar generation divided proportionally between residential and nonresidential market segments. The result will be jobs and investment for Texas.

With the incentives created in HB 2961, estimates are that the number of solar workers in Texas would quadruple. According to the employment website Simply Hired, the average annual salary in the solar industry is $61,000. Currently, the Solar Foundation estimates that there are 170 solar companies in Texas with approximately 6,400 workers, about the same as can be found in several much smaller states. By comparison, California has about 36,000 workers employed by solar companies with a little over 1,000 megawatts of solar installed in the state.

It's equally important to note that solar programs in other states have shown $6 in private investment for every $1 of incentive. Additionally, a thriving solar industry in Texas could also generate as much as $425 million in sales tax revenue as a result of direct sales of solar equipment.

Of course, critical to the success of any expansion is the support of citizens, and Texans overwhelmingly favor solar energy. A majority of those polled in December 2010 would support an extra $1 (68 percent) or $2 (59 percent) added to their home electric bill to assist solar energy in Texas.

As Thomas Edison is often quoted, "I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that." We don't. We can pass HB 2961 to help make Texas the leader in solar energy and reap the rewards now for our citizens and our economy.

Darby, a Republican from San Angelo, is vice chairman of the Texas House Transportation Committee and serves on the House Appropriations Committee and Local and Consent Calendars.

Globally, the solar industry is exploding, driven by huge investments and policy commitments in Europe and Asia. Solar has grown from a $2.5 billion industry in 2000 to $71 billion in 2010, increasing $32 billion between 2009 and 2010.