Over 85% of ERCOT's power during last night's freezing cold came from reliable Natural Gas, Coal, and Nuclear.

Can't argue with facts, the 68,000 megawatts of wind and solar capacity is unreliable.

You mean the sun doesn't shine at night time?

Definitely need more nuclear

At this point, I think every sane person prefers nuclear.

Solar may be a good use for desert/parking lots/building rooves, etc.

Bradley.Kohr.II said:

---

At this point, I think every sane person prefers nuclear.

Solar may be a good use for desert/parking lots/building rooves, etc.

---

I think solar is fine on top of an existing structure, like warehouses. Taking up acres of otherwise viable land...that's just dumb.

What was wrong with the lignite plants? They had become very clean.

Then we could get a lot of our good fishing lakes back.

DrEvazanPhD said:

---

Bradley.Kohr.II said:

---

At this point, I think every sane person prefers nuclear.

Solar may be a good use for desert/parking lots/building rooves, etc.

---

I think solar is fine on top of an existing structure, like warehouses. Taking up acres of otherwise viable land...that's just dumb.

---

Agree. If you go to Google Maps and look at Arizona State's campus, you'll see a lot of solar panels on top of buildings and used as covered parking. IMO, that is the best way to use solar.

Covered parking

Again, I think all sane people think covering farmland instead of parking lots is idiotic - which is why DC incentivized covering crop fields, I guess.

A&M and SMR's

"Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp said land (at RELLIS) has been offered to the four companies to build their small modular reactors (SMRs) at the site, with an application already started for an Early Site Permit with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The proposed site is projected to accommodate multiple SMRs with a combined electrical output of more than one gigawatt."

Transition all OTR trucking and rail to CNG. Build nat gas cogen plants. Develop the heck out of small nuclear.

ChoppinDs40 said:

---

You mean the sun doesn't shine at night time?

---

Do you like using electricity in the evening and at night?

I would add you can also count on Geothermal.

This.

Aggietaco said:

---

I'm surprised wind was providing almost 15% at nearly midnight.

---

Wind doesn't stop blowing just because it's dark. Proven by my grill cover across the fence on my neighbor's place.

Not the coal mines in my area. Guess you got stuck with a ****ty company. The reclaimed lands around me are pristine and hold some awesome wildlife.

Milwaukees Best Light said:

---

Since we are dancing around it, I am curious to hear opinions on Global Warming.

1. Do you believe it is actually occurring?

Yes. Climate change is real. I spent undergrad and post grad studying and understanding it. It's normal. No need to be alarmed.

2. Do you believe it is being caused by man, or a natural earth cycle?

I don't think we caused it. I think we are part of the overall process as a whole. I feel it's narcissistic to think we are that awesome so as to cause the earth to change its normal course. If we all died tomorrow, the climate would still change.

3. Saying you believe it is actually happening, do you think man can do anything to stop it?

No. Not in any meaningful way. Again, we're just along for the ride.

---

All that said, even though I don't think we have a huge impact, I think we should be good stewards of the environment. I am constantly reminded on our place that we don't own anything. Humans have lived and died exactly where I grow vegetables for tens of thousands of years. They've fished the same spring fed creek I do. They are gone, and now it's my turn to care for it. We are only passive and temporary stewards of our parcel of land. We're here for a one lifetime and then it's someone else's to care for. Solar is not being a good steward. Neither is strip mining. But that was the best we could do once and when we realize the impacts we should do better.

Solar and wind farms are hideous! Without subsidies they would never be built. Turning a field of grass and trees into a solar farm ought to be illegal. It sure doesn't look green to me.

Quote:

---

"Let solar and wind fill the gap in the day then fire up NG when needed."

"Renewables are for summer not winter. ERCOT only expects these to provide 5-7% in winter. But summer can be as much as 20-25%. "

---

The unintended consequence of subsidized wind and solar is every megawatt they sell is income NOT being made by a reliable source of power. That has become a very big number.

Thus coal and natural gas became unprofitable. That's why the ERCOT grid is being supplied by a 50 year old fleet of natural gas and coal plants. Most of them have been torn down.

ERCOT will be lucky to, especially in the San Antonio area to make it through the summer without interrupting large load customers. 345 KV transmission is limited to about 200 miles. City Public Service is trying to restart a shutdown 1970 power plant Braunig 3 to make it through the summer demand. ERCOT is evaluating restarting two 1960s vintage shutdown plants Braunig 1&2. I can't imagine the nightmare that must be, three decrepit units, not maintained, the experienced staff long gone.

A sustained high pressure weather system system
slowing down wind generation, combined with the high demand period 1700-2100 when it's still hot but solar has minimal output , is a real concern.