A winter storm has caused a rare cold spell in Texas, with low temperatures causing widespread power outages in the state. As of Monday afternoon, Feb. 15, 3.8 million homes in Texas were without power. As a result of the severe power outages, questions are growing against Texas’ green energy policies.
On Monday, Dallas, Houston and other cities experienced widespread rotating power outages of one hour at a Time, sometimes for longer periods. Some locals took to social media to say they had been without power for five hours or more. Among them, Kent (Kent) and Brazos (Brazos) counties in Texas were the worst, with almost all customers without power early Monday morning.
Houston’s mayor said some emergency shelters in Houston have lost power. All flights in and out of Houston have been suspended.
The Washington Post reports that power outages across Texas are due in part to problems with wind turbines. Turbines can freeze in cold weather, and the blades eventually stop turning. The Texas grid operator said nearly half of the state’s wind turbines were frozen, hurting the state’s power supply.
Wind power supplies 23 percent of the energy in Texas, and wind energy is growing rapidly in the state. As the Biden administration plans to advance a green energy policy, moving away from fossil fuels and toward an all-power system that generates electricity from renewable sources such as wind and solar. But this Texas blackout highlights the difficulties of renewable energy generation.
Texas Republicans have long advocated for the preservation of fossil fuels, and they have stressed the need to keep oil and natural gas. The conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation issued a press release expressing gratitude for the “affordable and reliable” fossil fuels that keep Texans warm.
This week, as Texas is covered in snow and ice, most wind turbines can be expected to be stationary and solar panels will produce little power,” the release said. “What is keeping Texans warm and alive during this deadly winter storm? It’s fossil fuels, especially natural gas.”
Rep. Roger Williams, R-Austin, Tex. Williams tweeted, “Power outages caused by this extreme weather increase the need for oil and gas production in Texas, not decrease it.”
Rick Perry, the former Texas governor and energy secretary in the Trump (R-Texas) administration, gave an interview on Fox Monday, but the signal went out just as the interview began because of the power outage. When he returned, he said the Family had to use diesel generators.
Some experts say this Texas blackout shows a sign that, overall, energy needs a more diverse mix of resources.
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