[Note: Doug Sheridan is the Principle at Energy Point Research in Houston. He’s also one the most prolific and astute energy commenters at LinkedIn. Below is a commentary he posted this morning about issues with the Texas power grid managed by ERCOT. It’s a great read.]
I wouldn't characterize the issues with the Texas grid as being driven by mismanagement of the grid, but more driven by market design. ERCOT is more or less an energy only market with no market for capacity and only lip service to ancillary services. If capacity would be offered and sold separately from energy, there would be no need for the State of Texas to offer financial incentives to spur development of reliable natural gas generation. Those buying energy from wind and solar would get just that, MWh's delivered when and if the wind blows and/or the sun shines. Try running a data center on that.
Sheridan didn’t like the low interest loan bill from the outset warning it was only low interest loans not a solution. The full solution to meet tge demand capacity of the Texas Grid is to implement nukes (a longer than shorter term to generation date) and natural gas and coal generation - at the expense of the install base of solar and wind. The cost of electricity in Texas has risen dramatically with the addition of solar and wind and batteries. We can’t just add to the generation limitations with more intermittent and reliability issues from solar and wind - I don’t care how many batteries you say can be installed to counter the intermittency - it’s not the most economic for the end user. If solar and wind are so inexpensive as advertised then let the end user address the intermittent issue at their consumption site. Suddenly the cost and affordability leave the discussion for the emotional arguments against hydrocarbons. So much for sound economic evaluation and management.
Improvement in the management of the Texas Grid will likely take removal of several currently elected politicians. Every election counts - vote wisely.
Unfortunately the public’s ability to react to such misguidance is hindered by a complicated system that requires responsible informed and objective management. You are right that management and popular ignorant beliefs sponsored by big bucks are the impediment.
Many Mea Culpas are due…few are coming. You can quibble with this solution, but it is far superior to hundreds of billions in unreliable batteries, double or triple the amount of wind to keep them charged , and thousands of miles of new transmission. Better they came to their senses now.
Finally, someone with a public voice saying what I've been trying to get across.
The $5B fund to "fix" the Texas grid ignores the fact that it was subsidies of the same sort for wind and solar which broke the grid in the first place. Putting a bandage over that ignores the hemophilia that is our renewable infested grid.
Get the wind and solar off the grid and it will go back to being reliable. But Texas legislators love their corrupt cronies too much. They're making bank on their subsidy farms and sharing the wealth with the Texas lawmakers.
How did Rick Perry go from no real assets to a tens of millionaire while working as a "public servant"?
It couldn't have anything to do with wind energy and toll road deals, could it?
I wouldn't characterize the issues with the Texas grid as being driven by mismanagement of the grid, but more driven by market design. ERCOT is more or less an energy only market with no market for capacity and only lip service to ancillary services. If capacity would be offered and sold separately from energy, there would be no need for the State of Texas to offer financial incentives to spur development of reliable natural gas generation. Those buying energy from wind and solar would get just that, MWh's delivered when and if the wind blows and/or the sun shines. Try running a data center on that.
Sheridan didn’t like the low interest loan bill from the outset warning it was only low interest loans not a solution. The full solution to meet tge demand capacity of the Texas Grid is to implement nukes (a longer than shorter term to generation date) and natural gas and coal generation - at the expense of the install base of solar and wind. The cost of electricity in Texas has risen dramatically with the addition of solar and wind and batteries. We can’t just add to the generation limitations with more intermittent and reliability issues from solar and wind - I don’t care how many batteries you say can be installed to counter the intermittency - it’s not the most economic for the end user. If solar and wind are so inexpensive as advertised then let the end user address the intermittent issue at their consumption site. Suddenly the cost and affordability leave the discussion for the emotional arguments against hydrocarbons. So much for sound economic evaluation and management.
Improvement in the management of the Texas Grid will likely take removal of several currently elected politicians. Every election counts - vote wisely.
Unfortunately the public’s ability to react to such misguidance is hindered by a complicated system that requires responsible informed and objective management. You are right that management and popular ignorant beliefs sponsored by big bucks are the impediment.
Many Mea Culpas are due…few are coming. You can quibble with this solution, but it is far superior to hundreds of billions in unreliable batteries, double or triple the amount of wind to keep them charged , and thousands of miles of new transmission. Better they came to their senses now.
Finally, someone with a public voice saying what I've been trying to get across.
The $5B fund to "fix" the Texas grid ignores the fact that it was subsidies of the same sort for wind and solar which broke the grid in the first place. Putting a bandage over that ignores the hemophilia that is our renewable infested grid.
Get the wind and solar off the grid and it will go back to being reliable. But Texas legislators love their corrupt cronies too much. They're making bank on their subsidy farms and sharing the wealth with the Texas lawmakers.
How did Rick Perry go from no real assets to a tens of millionaire while working as a "public servant"?
It couldn't have anything to do with wind energy and toll road deals, could it?