Texas Wind and Solar Failed During This Week’s Winter Storm

Report: Texas Wind and Solar Failed During This Week’s Winter Storm, Grid Carried by ‘Natural Gas and Coal’

V. Saxena, The Western Journal 

The recent snow storm that overtook Texas reportedly crashed the state’s wind and solar energy generators, leading to natural gas, coal, and nuclear providing most of the state’s electricity.

Kerry Clapp, an online writer cited by meteorologist Ryan Maue, reported in his Substack last week that “renewable generation declined almost immediately” as the snow storm took over.

“Wind, solar, and batteries fell from briefly supplying ~63% of generation to ~7% within roughly 48 hours,” he wrote. “Battery storage played a negligible role, constrained by high prices and lack of surplus electricity.”

In conclusion, Clapp reported that “natural gas, coal, and nuclear carried the grid, covering both lost renewables and rising demand.”

Texas renewables ghosted the state during extreme weekend cold. "Wind, solar, and batteries fell from briefly supplying ~63% of generation to ~7% within roughly 48 hours." Grid is up + demand met by coal/gas/nuclear

According to David Blackmon, an energy-related public policy analyst and consultant, by the early morning hours of Jan. 26, natural gas, goal, and nuclear were providing 89 percent of all the state’s power.

“Natural gas alone is chugging along at an impressive 68%,” Blackmon reported online on Substack later that same day.

Politico similarly reported that the U.S. energy grid “leaned heavily on coal and natural gas generation to satisfy the energy appetite from Winter Storm Fern.”