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Texas Senate passes bill requiring solar plants to provide power at night (thehill.com)

submitted 2 days ago by Wanderer@lemm.ee to c/energy@slrpnk.net

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"The Texas Senate passed a bill Thursday that leading business interests fear would lead to an age of expensive power and rolling blackouts.

If passed by the House, state S.B. 715 would require all renewable projects — even existing ones — to buy backup power, largely from coal or gas plants.

This would require solar plants in particular to buy backup power to “match their output at night — a time when no one expects them to produce energy and when demand is typically at its lowest anyway,” consultant and energy expert Doug Lewin wrote in an April analysis"

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[–] ThePantser@sh.itjust.works 36 points 2 days ago (3 children)

So they need battery backup? Or can they buy from hydro plants?

[–] Wanderer@lemm.ee 30 points 2 days ago (2 children)

No batteries don't count.

"The Texas Senate on Wednesday passed a bill to create a new “dispatchable” power credits trading program that would effectively require utilities, generation companies and electric cooperatives in Electric Reliability Council of Texas territory to offset new renewables and battery capacity — with an equal amount of new dispatchable capacity beginning as early as next year.

The bill’s definition of “dispatchable” excludes batteries while also exempting power generation companies that exclusively operate battery energy storage systems from the dispatchable power generation requirement."

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/texas-senate-bill-dispatchable-power-credits-trading/743185/

[–] buddascrayon@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago (1 children)

If this passes the solar companies should close up shop and abandon Texas. Head for a state with as much sun but less stupid.

Leave the assholes to their fate.

[–] njm1314@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago

I imagine that's the goal

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

At first I thought, this isn't toooooo terrible as making batteries to store any excess would actually be great, although there could be situations where you don't need excess due to excess baseload already...

This is just bonkers though. Wow.

[–] Cort@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

They could partner with hydro and wind and make up the difference with battery storage

[–] buddascrayon@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

The bill specifically says they cannot use battery. Which is literally the dumbest shit I've ever heard. This bill was written by the coal and gas lobby.

If this passes, the solar and wind companies should simply close up shop and tell Texans to buy all their power from coal and gas and see how far that gets them. These dipshits will only learn through pain.

[–] lev@slrpnk.net 9 points 1 day ago

Texas is an awful place. It is full of Texans.

[–] Cort@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Hmmm, I wonder how that'll jibe with the presidents executive order on energy:

Protecting American Energy from State Overreach: This order instructs the Attorney General to identify and challenge state and local laws that could impede the development or use of domestic energy resources . . .

Of course the AG would have to step in and actually do something

[–] Donk@slrpnk.net 1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

understand that the EO meant fossil fuels exclusively, mango mussolini hates renewables (especially wind, which has been HUGE in texas)

[–] Cort@lemmy.world 1 points 4 hours ago

Technically not about fossil fuels exclusively, as they include hydro, bio-mass, and nuclear in their list of priorities

Sec 3a

. . . undue burden on identification, development, or use of domestic energy resources — with particular attention to oil, natural gas, coal, hydropower, biofuels, critical mineral, and nuclear energy resources . . .

In a functioning government the AG, independent from executive influence, could act on this, but I certainly don't have hope for the current administration

[–] pineapple_pizza@lemmy.dexlit.xyz 5 points 2 days ago

Not really much hydro in Texas, or close by