Texas has been expanding its wind and solar energy generation for years, and new data shows that wind and solar together set a new high for the percentage of energy dispatched by Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).
Wind and solar produced a record 34% of the power dispatched by ERCOT in the first quarter of 2022, according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). Together, wind and solar accounted for 71% of generation increases during the quarter, the institute said.
"After passing coal as power source, Texas wind and solar now have natural gas in their sights," according to institute analyst Dennis Wamsted.
Solar's share of total ERCOT power generation was 4.9% during the first quarter, up from 2.9% over the same period in 2021.
Prominent Texans have been advocates for increased renewable energy generation in Texas, according to nationalcleanenergyweek.org.
“Clean and renewable energy are a valuable part of America’s future and are closely tied with Texas’ prosperity and success,” Gov. Greg Abbott wrote in his Clean Energy Week Proclamation in September 2020. Gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke said in a tweet that "Texas can leverage our oil and gas expertise to lead on new energy sources like geothermal power, offshore wind and hydrogen," according to nationalcleanenergyweek.org. "We can create jobs and make America more energy independent. We just need a governor who will make energy innovation a priority."
In 2021, total subsidies to wind and solar generation topped $2.4 billion, The Energy Alliance reported. State and local subsidies, which are completely under the control of Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the members of the Texas Legislature, came in at almost $1 billion.
The increased reliance on volatile renewable energy sources has led to concern about stability of the grid following blackouts during winter storm Uri, which hit Texas, according to excellentthought.net. It has been argued that both the increases in renewable subsidies and market share led directly to the extended blackouts and water outages suffered during Uri. Right before the grid collapsed about 1 a.m. Monday, Feb. 15, wind was supplying only 8.2% of the demand. Solar was providing 0% of the load. The other 92% of the load was being met by the generation of natural gas, coal and nuclear power, the website said.
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