Texas performed much better this time. After 2021, the state strengthened its grid, adding winter weatherization to power plants and transmission systems. Texas has seen a massive influx of batteries online, providing significant relief to the grid during winter demand peaks, especially in the morning. According to an expert, Texas was also lucky that this storm was less severe there told Inside Climate News This week.
Here on the East Coast, we’re not out of the woods yet. Snow has stopped falling, but the grid is still experiencing high electricity demand due to the cold temperatures. (I’ve definitely been staying under my warm blanket the past few days.)
According to PJM, a peak power demand of 130 gigawatts could be seen for seven consecutive days, which the local grid has never experienced. An update on the utility’s site Tuesday morning.
US Department of Energy released Emergency orders to many grid operatorsThat includes PJM, which basically allows power plants to run while ignoring emissions regulations. Department Orders were also issued to allow several grids Telling data centers and other facilities to begin using backup generators. (This is good news for reliability but bad news for clean air and climate, as these power sources are often incredibly emissions-intensive.)
We can learn a thing or two from Texas here on the East Coast, so we don’t need to resort to these polluting emergency measures to keep the lights on. Solomon says more energy storage could be a big help in future winter storms, giving the grid flexibility to help weather the worst. Getting offshore wind online could also help, as those facilities typically produce reliable power in the winter.
No single energy source can solve the huge challenge of building and maintaining a resilient grid. But since we face the constant threat of extreme storms, renewable energy can actually help us deal with them.
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