Hawkinson, K. (Aug 25, 2023). Renewable energy sources have kept the Texas power grid stable this summer even as the state breaks record after record for power usage. Business Insider. Retrieved August 27, 2023, from https://www.businessinsider.com/renewable energy-kept-texas-power-grid-stable-record-power-use-2023-8
The extremely hot weather that Texas has been experiencing has greatly strained the Texan power grid which failed in the past, most notably during the extreme cold weather Texas experienced just a couple of years ago. The environmentally friendly renewable energy technology that has become more prominent in the state has helped the grid become more resilient despite record-breaking power usage due to the hot weather.
Texas has made significant investments in renewable energy. Texas is a state that is usually more opposed to renewable energy alternatives than the nation as a whole. It is very significant that states like Texas have made investments in renewable energy that are paying off greatly as in this case of a more resilient energy grid. However, there is still more work to be done. The renewable energy decreases described in the article show that it is more important than ever to continue investing in renewable energy infrastructure. Now that the potential benefits of renewable energy technology have been shown to states typically more opposed to it hopefully the nation as a whole going forward will be more willing to devote significant resources to the development of renewable resources so that more success stories like the resilient Texas energy grid can happen all across the nation and the world.
I agree that it is extremely important to invest in renewable energy technology. And Texas is a great spot because it has a lot of open land that can receive a lot of sunlight for solar panels. Do you think Texas will open the door for other states with big areas of land to follow in their footsteps?
Thanks for the comment, Luke. Yes, I think as we are forced to transition to more renewable sources states with large open areas will take advantage of their geography.
It’s great that Texas is making moves to invest in renewable energy, especially after their summer record-breaking highs. However, I wonder if there is a way to quickly implement some strategies to protect the people who live in Texas from the extreme weather swings. Do you think Texas can learn from any other states for dealing with weather crises?
Thanks for your comment. I think Texas needs to have its grid be more resilient to weather swings, they would likely benefit from transitioning from what is now a totally independent power grid from the rest of the nation.