Re: Texas to Meet Renewable Goal Early

[Jed Rothwell]

From this press release:

http://www.puc.state.tx.us/nrelease/2005/021505.cfm

"Approximately three percent of the state's total electric generating capacity comes from renewable energy."

That's great! However, I think it includes hydroelectric power. For a quick look at Texas overall electric power generation, see:

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/st_profiles/texas.pdf

See Table 4, bottom section, "Total Electric Industry."

Total capacity as of 2002 is 94,488 MW. 2000 MW of wind power is 2% of that, plus 600 MW hydroelectric comes to about 3%. However, this is probably nameplate capacity, rather than actual. Other sources such as petroleum or natural gas plants are not run at 100% of capacity on average, so I expect hydro + "Other Renewables" are about 2%. Wind is probably well ahead of Hydroelectric in Texas, even taking into account capacity factor, and it is about 14% of Nuclear (actual wind: 600 MW, actual nuclear: 4,320 MW).
 
They should expand the number of wind farms by a factor of 10 and retire all of their coal-fired plants. The natural gas, nuclear and hydroelectric power should be enough to fill in the gap when the wind does not blow.

The latest stats from http://www.awea.org/ show that the U.S. expects to add 2,500 MW this year. See: http://www.awea.org/pubs/documents/Outlook%202005.pdf

Comparing actual capacity, 2,500 MW is almost as much capacity as an average U.S. nuclear plant (750 MW versus 860 MW). If we were building one new nuclear power plant per year that fact would be in the news, but wind farms seldom attract much attention, except when some bozo (such as the V.P.) claims that wind will never make a significant contribution.


Continuing from the press release:

"In Texas, a megawatt provides enough electricity for a year to power three to four hundred homes."

Sigh. I wish the PR people at PUCT would learn a little about energy, or have one of their tech people proofread these things.

- Jed