The Texas Legislature hasn’t left town; however, on energy issues, it’s likely to leave Texans in peace for a few days.
For the past half-year, lawmakers have contemplated legislation and policies that could bring the state backward in the energy sector, particularly clean energy. As I wrote in the last month for the Houston Chronicle, that’s an unsustainable approach. The attacks on clean energy will eventually increase the cost of electricity on the grid, which causes Texans to look for alternatives like solar power and energy storage to will keep them from being unable to afford and secure from costly bills and blackouts.
Thankfully, the legislature eventually did not go along with the. At the close of the normal session, on Memorial Day, the most harmful bills were either dead or had been scaled back far back. There are wrap-up articles in The Texas Energy and Power Newsletter as well as the Canaria media. The headline reads that with respect to green, advanced energy sources, Texas has escaped an opportunity.
This is a great relief. However, it’s not everyone’s definition of success. Our state is far from being the clean energy nation’s pioneer. It’s not a good idea to count our blessings on the fact that the legislative session didn’t go further to undermine our country’s leading clean energy sources.
In the ideal scenario, the state will use this opportunity to shift towards strategies that benefit customers, enhance the power grid, and further advance Texas the clean energy leadership. That means making it simpler for Texans to get access to green energy, certainly. However, it also covers things like helping with the weatherization of business and residential properties.
A bright energy future will mean more gas-fired power stations, particularly in the short term. It’s not a win-lose battle between thermal power plants and renewable energy. As I said, the system is most effective when thermal and renewable energy sources collaborate: renewables help keep costs low, and thermals aid in ensuring reliability across the grid.
Solar power is growing in Texas and for an excellent reason. Our summers are scorching hot and becoming more hot. The sun’s heating our roofs could be running our AC units.
The truth lies in the fact that Texans are moving towards clean energy. Solutions such as solar power allow Texans to live more effectively in a cost-effective manner while safeguarding grids and people from disruptions.