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Renewable resources are a growing piece of the global energy puzzle and will play a key role in meeting future demands while meeting the challenges of climate change. Texas is rapidly increasing production capacity, which is critical to meeting the state’s growing energy needs.
Texas has long had more wind power than any other state and continues to increase its production. At the beginning of this year, the state had nearly 37.2 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity, about 27% of the nation’s total (more than six times the number of second-place California). Given its wind patterns and vast size, Texas has exponentially more potential production capacity.
The latest data on utility-scale solar capacity shows Texas added 4.3GW in 2023, bringing cumulative capacity to nearly 15.7GW. California has long been a leader in solar power, but it added only 2.6 GW in 2023, for a total of 18.1 GW at the end of the year. The pace of installations this year makes it seem as if Lone Star State has overtaken California. Given Texas’ dominance in oil and natural gas and significant investment in emerging resources, Texas is poised to continue to be the nation’s energy capital.
The rapid growth of renewable energy is great news, but it is not without its challenges. First, a distinction is made between production capacity (maximum production) and electricity generation (the amount actually produced and supplied within a given period). If the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining, the amount of electricity generated will obviously decrease. Second, renewable energy sources can be “curtailed” or wasted due to transmission constraints or lack of demand.
I have discussed in previous columns the urgent need for additional generation capacity and transmission lines. Given that renewable energy (especially wind) is located in sparsely populated areas, additional transmission capacity is essential to realize its full potential role. Adding battery capacity can also help balance the load.
Despite rapid advances in renewable energy, more than half of the electricity generated in the state is still fueled by natural gas. Maintaining sufficient all-weather baseload capacity is essential to ensure there is enough power to meet the explosive future demand from a growing population and a massive new injection of energy-intensive industries. is. Fortunately, the state’s abundant natural gas supplies can meet these needs (and those of many other parts of the world) and can be developed and deployed in a responsible manner.
Texas’ recent growth in renewable energy has been significant, adding to the state’s vast portfolio of available options and strengthening the state’s role in the global economy. Looking to the future, an “all of the above” strategy will definitely be needed, and multiple options will be needed to ensure sufficient power supply for a prosperous future. Stay safe!
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Dr. M. Ray Perryman is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Perryman Group (www.perrymangroup.com), which has served the needs of more than 3,000 customers over the past 40 years.
