Wind and solar energy in texas

Are wind and solar power reliable in Texas?

Despite the Texas Republican rhetoric that wind and solar are unreliable, Texas has a massive and growing fleet of renewables. Zero-carbon electricity sources (wind, solar, and nuclear) powered about 38% of the state’s power in 2021, rivaling natural gas at 42%. This is a relatively recent phenomenon for the state.

How much wind power does Texas have?

In 2011, Texas became the first state to reach 10,000 MW of wind generating capacity and remained the only state with that capacity until 2020. In 2023, wind represented 28.6 percent of Texas energy generation, second to natural gas (41.8 percent).

Are wind turbines generating power in Texas?

Link Copied! Wind turbines generate power on a farm near Throckmorton, Texas. Texans are cranking on the air conditioning this week amid an unusually early heat wave, setting new records for electricity demand in the state, which surpassed 75 gigawatts on Sunday and smashed the 2019 record.

Will Texas get more wind power?

Solar buildout is coming on the heels of a previous wind boom in Texas. The state has installed more wind capacity since 2019, but the wind buildout is slowing and solar is likely to soon eclipse it. However, there are early plans for offshore wind farms in the Gulf of Mexico, which could add more renewables to the state’s grid.

Will wind and solar power double in Texas by 2035?

By 2035, wind and solar generation combined are expected in to double in Texas. Thanks to the rapid growth of solar power research and technology, the energy source has become a valuable part of the Texas energy network. This is one in a series of reports the Comptroller has prepared on energy in Texas.

Is Texas a leader in wind energy?

This isn’t new. Texas has produced more gigawatt-hours of electricity from renewable sources than any other state for several years running, thanks largely to wind energy. Now, the state is expanding its lead by continuing to be the county’s leader in wind energy, by a mile, and quickly closing the gap on California on utility-scale solar power.