The use of secondary targets with commercially available high power X-ray spectroscopy tubes has been investigated as a means of providing an excitation source for X-ray energy spectroscopy. A comparison has been made between the secondary target mode of excitation and the use of the tube directly. Results from this comparison show the superiority of the secondary target technique. Examples of analysis using the secondary target excitation are given to illustrate the high data rates and low background this technique has to offer.