Renewable energy provides relieve to Texas’ state grid, ERCOT CEO says
In Texas, San Antonio Express News reported that Electric Reliability Council of Texas CEO Pablo Vegas noted that wind and solar power provided a relief for Texans relying on the state grid to keep power flowing to their air conditioners during this summer’s record energy use.
Renewable energy has been a lifeline for Texas so far this summer, Vegas said, as these energy sources are providing enough cushion to meet the soaring demand.
“We’re in a place now where we are dependent upon renewables to meet demand,” Vegas said.
“Balance has to exist 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” Vegas added. “The sun shines during the day, the wind blows intermittently. When it’s not blowing, when the sun is not shining, everybody still expects power. So we have to have a balance of supply to meet the needs during all of those periods of time.”
Since last summer, power companies across Texas collectively added more than 3,000 megawatts of solar and another 1,000 megawatts in wind, said Vegas.
