Posts

Showing posts from September, 2022

Batteries Not Included in ERCOT's Fall SARA

Image
What Does ERCOT’s Fall SARA Say? The good news is that ERCOT's Fall SARA says there's going to be enough capacity this fall. But with all the utility scale battery projects in the works, why aren't they including them? When you anticipate the autumn chill, you’re bound to see ERCOT’s Fall SARA to be chill as well. The Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy for fall and spring typically include little to fret over. Milder weather means less power drain on ERCOT’s power suppliers. So the experts at ERCOT predict a low chance of extreme power demand. That means LESS spikey electricity rates .  This fall, peak demand should top out at 64,928 MW. Meanwhile, ERCOT should have 93,492 MW on tap to satisfy that demand. With supply far outpacing demand, power plants tend to use fall and spring for routine maintenance. They can go offline without imperiling Texas power customers. A little prevention goes a long way for when the weather gets too hot or too cold. Batteries Don’t Cou

DOE Earthshot Program Could Help Power Texas

Image
Will Earthshot Program Provide Infinite Power? Like this geothermal power plant in Iceland, the Earthshot Program will harness the power of the molten rock a few miles below Texas to generate cheap, practically inexhaustible energy. The laws of physics prevent a perpetual motion machine from becoming a reality. Friction and gravity are impossible to overcome on Earth. But drilling deep into the earth could yield a near infinite source of reliable green energy. And the Department of Energy Earthshot Program is funding it. Public money brought us the sticky note, so why not cheap power? Recent investments from the US government have spurred research into geothermal energy. Geothermal energy uses a constant and nearly inexhaustible source. The trick is to tap into deeper and hotter layers of the planet and transport that energy to homes and businesses. In the long run, this could lead to lower electric bills by raising supply. Texas Geothermal Energy A South Texas geothermal energy proj