Solar Power Trumps Texas Lawmakers As Heat Wave Hits
Another twist of the knife was a provision that imposed new transmission fees on renewable energy. “If these bills had passed, this additional financial burden could have potentially hindered the economic viability of renewable energy projects and discouraged further investment in the sector,” Chick and Rahmn noted.
Chick and Rahmn warn that the bills could be revived in the next legislative session, and that is probably so. However, the crushing heat wave over Texas is providing solar power advocates with a clear argument in favor of renewable energy.reporter J.
Wind speeds in Texas have slacked off during the heat wave, leading to a drop in wind production relative to other periods. However, solar appears to be making up the difference and then some.reporter Benjamin Storrow also weighed in on June 26 with some observations by Alison Silverstein, a Texas-based energy consultant., particularly at peak,” Silverstein told Storrow.
“About 15 percent of ERCOT’s power generation came from solar alone during most afternoon hours, often making solar the second-largest source of electricity production after natural gas,” Storrow noted, drawing from data compiled by the website Grid Status. The solar inputs were particularly important, Storrow added, due to shortfalls at a nuclear power plant and two coal facilities.piece also indicated that state lawmakers made a serious goof when they excluded energy storage from the new $10 billion Texas Energy Fund. Energy storage acts as a extender that enables solar power to keep kicking if demand stays high after the sun goes down, as can happen during heat waves.
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