Posted on 05/26/2022 8:11:56 AM PDT by blam
(Look at that beautiful corn in the background)
Texans need to be prepared for the grid to fail. Again. A new bombshell report from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) shows that while Texas has made some progress in increasing surplus energy flow to the grid for times of heightened demand, power is going to be extremely tight this summer, and Texans should prepare to expect rolling blackouts during the hottest months of the year.
The recently released 2022 Summer Reliability Assessment found that Texas, along with parts of California and the Southwest, are in an “elevated risk category of energy emergencies.” The extra pressure on the grid comes from a combination of abnormally high temperatures and doubt conditions, poor upkeep and maintenance of generators across Texas, persistent supply chain issues, and increasing demand. NERC also sighted cyber threats, wildfires, and a shortage of coal generation inputs as major issues that they will be monitoring as the days grow hotter and sufficient energy supply to the grid becomes more vulnerable.
While Texas still lacks the energy capacity necessary to meet demand at its highest points during extreme weather conditions, NERC acknowledges that Texas has made concerted efforts to mitigate the issue. The Lone Star State has increased its anticipated reserve margins, largely thanks to the increased installation of solar and wind power capacity. Overall, Texas’ renewable energy capacity is 4,100 megawatts higher than last year. This increase in solar and wind capacity does not come without its own challenges, however. The industry is still working out what to do about “solar trips,” when solar resources shut off due to circuit problems or grid disturbances such as lightning or fires.
Texas’s much-maligned grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), was touting the recent increases in reserve energy capacity just the day before NERC dropped its sobering report.
“Two years ago we had 12%,” said ERCOT interim President and CEO Brad Jones.
“Last year we had 15 to 16 and this year we have 23% reserves. So, you can see our reserves have grown over each of those years. We feel very confident about our position this summer.”
That confidence now rings as ironic in the face of Texas’ elevated risk category for summertime energy emergencies.
Despite ERCOT’s gains, University of Houston Energy Fellow Ed Hirs says Texas has not done enough. “We have less dispatchable power on the grid than we did last summer,” Hirs said. “We have about 63,000 plus megawatts available. That’s about a thousand megawatts less than we had last summer. Demand is growing.” And at the same time that ERCOT is boasting that it’s ready for summer, they had to call for energy conservation over the weekend as several generators failed.
Texas needs to invest in generators in a big hurry. Typically spring provides a respite from extreme temperatures and an opportunity to work on the grid and generational capacity, but early heat waves have already put a near-maximum strain on the grid in 2022. What’s more, generators are loath to invest in expansion at a time when inflation is high, cash is tight, and they’re not sure who is going to pick up the bill. The Houston Chronicle reports that so far, Texan consumers are bearing the brunt of it.
The long and short of it is that the grid just can’t keep up with increasing pressures of demand and market volatility. The old rulebook for planning and operating energy reserves for the summer months is out the window. “Now we’re really looking at extreme weather,” NERC Director of Reliability Assessment and Performance Analysis John Moura said Wednesday. “And what we’ve all learned in recent history, is that extreme doesn’t mean rare.”
Yes, the bs game.
“The long and short of it is that the grid just can’t keep up with increasing pressures of demand and market volatility.”
Speaking of bs.
The entire article is filled with it.
As you say, “funny, things weren’t like this in the past.”
Proof positive that the bs game is being played.
What’s changed???????
The idea that renewables have any business being associated in any way with a reliable power grid, and the idea that coal fired electrical generating plants should be shut down, and razed to the ground. We’re from the EPA we are here to help.
As we say on Freerepublic you can’t fix stupid.
I remember those bumper stickers.
So many of those MI plate cars were rust buckets 😂
My brother told me his solar panels produce enough energy that his meter spins backwards and he puts power into the grid - he should be compensated for this, IMO.
He also tells me his solar panels allow him to run his a/c 24/7 off of the panels (he has the part battery too).
With the constant heat we get where I am, I like that feature best - my power bill goes WAY up during the hot summer months when I have to run my a/c 24/7, often all the way into November.
Crackpot Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm was the failed Governess of Michigan. As she was busily running Michigan into the dirt, she breathlessly intoned during a speech “In five years, you’re going to be blown away.”
About five years later, my family was preparing to move out of state after her commie policies cost me my 20 year career.
I put a big poster on the back of each of our cars that read “Another Michigan Family Blown Away. Thanks Jennie”
She’s a complete incompetent and perfect for Biden.
Bkmk
I don’t put power onto the grid. My state doesn’t do net metering. Basically, if I were to put power onto the grid I’d automatically be signed up onto their solar buyback program, which would require me to pay a large monthly fee just for them to buy power from me for a tiny rate. No thanks. Thus I set my inverter to never put power onto the grid even the 3.3 hours I average per day in which my solar batteries are fully charged and I have extra power looking for somewhere useful to go.
“Buy a hybrid, propane/gasoline or at a minimum, propane. I would suggest you get one that is big enough to run your AC. My generator that I use during hurricane blackouts is 7550 watts, I run everything. Cylinders of propane gas do not go ‘bad’ like gasoline.”
Definitely agree on the dual fuel. You run central A/C with a 7550?
There will be outages...and they'll be beyond Texas. The entire western half is at risk. Plan accordingly.
Bexar county made an ugly mess near the 1604/10 area— butt ugly solar panels as far as the eye can see. I hate it, it really is an eyesore and I can’t imagine it’s any good for wildlife/environment.
I was born here and spent most of my life here, we never had these problems before the jolly green tyrants. They can’t fit a square peg in a round hole—the green energy isn’t up to the task and it’s time they admit it.
Want green? Let’s do nuclear, that’s clean and has the ability to meet our needs but we must go back to oil and coal until we are prepared. Because we are not.
Yes.
There is only ONE problem with the electrical grid. They have shut down reliable coal powered generating plants and replaced them with unreliable and environmentally disastrous wind and solar due to massive subsidies from Washington.
Thank God I am not on ERCOT.
That's the only way this will work and we will be able to sustain our current standard of living. If no nuclear....we'll be living like 3rd worlders before long.
Problem is, they're saying global warming will end the earth before we can build enough nukes to suffice.
I saw a one hour documentary on this nuclear reactor and it does seem to hold some promise.
Bill Gates, Warren Buffett Building Nuclear Reactor In Coal-Rich Wyoming
Yup check out DYI solar power with Will Prowse on YouTube. 🤔
You my consider getting an extra electric water heater and dumping the excess energy into it.🤔
I ducted the air intake from the attic, which almost always has hot air in Alabama. So it's basically free heat energy being pushed into the 50 gal water tank (through the built-in heat pump of the water heater).
I thought about doing the excess power-to-heat-water-heater thing some people use. But I didn't want my hot water to be intermittent. LOL
Born at Ft Sam Houston. Rarely ever in Bexar County due to Father and myself career Air Force. Not sure due to size and other issues if I’d want to now.
Amen on green environmental morons attempting to reinvent science and finding that doesn’t work just in time for the next grid down event. Insanity in action, and just who is listening to these “people”?
It gets hot in Texas?
Who knew?
L
Any idea what that set up cost him?
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