Posted on 07/25/2019 8:00:33 PM PDT by cba123
Wind power has surpassed coal for the first time in Texas, according to a new report.
The numbers cap an enormous rise in wind power in the nation's top energy-producing state over the past decades.
Wind has generated 22% of the state's electrical needs this year. It just edged out coal, which provided 21% of the Lone Star State's power, according to the Electrical Reliability Council of Texas, which manages electrical flow on about 90% of the Texan grid.
Sixteen years ago, in 2003, wind made up just 0.8% of the state's power, and coal satisfied 40% of electrical needs, the council documents show.
By 2010, wind accounted for 8% of the state's energy, and it steadily inched forward to 19% last year and now 22% in the first half of 2019.
At the same time, coal's portion of the energy mix has declined over the past several years, from 37% in 2013 to 24% last year and just 21% this year.
(please see full article at the link)
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Blah. Blah. Blah.
But this article, seems interesting anyway.
I live in Georgetown, TX - they went 100 percent wind and solar (actually, not really) and locked in 20 and 25 year contracts. Now, with natural gas electricy so cheap, they buy wind and solar excess and sell it back to the grid at a loss. Brilliant.
Nothing wrong with development and use of alternate energy sources as long as the decisions are market driven.
Sparrows and crows now on endangered species list in Texas.(/S)
Yeah, that (R) mayor of ours is a real piece of work.
If wind power is not subsidized, that’s fine. Somehow I doubt it tho.
With what subsidies?
In Calif, we got wind power too. And our prime electric rates (we have tiers now) are from 4pm to 9pm at 4x the ‘usual’ rate. Not to mention forced blackouts. So how’s it going in Texas, rate-wise? Did your electric bills go down or up?
Yup.
Palin pegged him correctly years ago.
Pass wind if you want but the real action is gas.
/s. (Do I really need to do this?)
Granted, I’m getting old. I moved here to rural Texas about 50 miles north of Houston about 16 years ago. When I 1st saw those monstrosities rolling up 45 on extended tractor trailers I didn’t know what they were or were for?? Later, I learned about the wind power in the pan handle and in Oklahoma big tome too.
I would love to see non-polluting alternative solar and wind replace other sources.
I hope we get to the point where the majority of our power can be produced via solar and wind.
But we're not there and since the sun doesn't always shine and the wind doesn't always blow we're going to have to continue to depend on traditional 24 hr a day reliable sources.
If the market can produce cheaper and reliable alternatives I'm all in. I wish them the best of luck.
I just don't want the government to mandate solar and wind before the efficiency is increased and I have to deal with rolling blackouts and intermittent electricity and higher energy costs.
Wind energy is the “boondoggle” of the 21st century.
MSN and CNN are insane.
Nothing but nonsense.
Yes, there are a lot of wind farms in Texas. Is it a cost effective source of energy? Not without subsidies.
All forms of generation receive government subsidies.
Wind subsidies have dropped 80% in the past few years and presently wind is subsidized at nearly the same level as the coal industry at $1.26 billion each.
https://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1463602/wind-subsidies-fall-80-three-years
In this case, diversity is a strength... many different sources of energy is a good thing... more of every source is a good thing... There’s no reason to look at the sources as competing with each other... unless you have an agenda.
I need to see that from somebody besides “windpower monthly”. LOL
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