Editorial: PUC wants a risky overhaul of Texas electric grid. We’re not yet convinced.
To hear Peter Lake tell it, figuring out how to keep Texas’ electric grid going during peak demand is akin to keeping a spare car in the driveway and knowing it will work when you need it.
The technical term for this is “dispatchable” energy, an electrical source such as natural gas that can be turned on or off quickly and is not weather-dependent like wind and solar. During Winter Storm Uri, natural gas facilities weren’t reliable enough and new weatherization requirements are meant to shore them up. Wind and solar energy, meanwhile, have grown rapidly in Texas, which presents a challenge. For roughly 30 hours per year, models suggest that the sun won’t be shining and winds will slow to a gentle breeze at times of peak demand.
