Utility-scale solar and wind kept the Texas grid online during 2023’s record-breaking summer heat, according to IEEFA – here’s how it breaks down.
Texas is a solar powerhouse
Researchers from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) crunched data from ERCOT, which operates the Texas grid. The researchers found that from June 15 through September 15 – Texas’s highest power-use period – solar provided more than 10% of the peak electric demand on 91 of those 93 days and averaged 13.8% across all 93 days. (And let’s note that peak electricity demand time isn’t even peak solar power generation time.)
The Texas grid got a boost from solar because its growth in the state has skyrocketed in the last five years – the Lone Star State is now No. 2 in the US for installed solar, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.
In 2019, according to IEEFA, utility-scale solar provided just over 500,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of power in July and again in August. That supplied just a bit more than 1% of all electricity needed. In 2023, however, utility-scale solar delivered more than 3.9 million MWh each month – that’s about 8% of the electricity Texas needed.
Beyond that, utility-scale solar is increasing so rapidly in Texas that the state is expected to bump California out of the No. 1 spot over the next five years, with a growth projection of 40,579 MW. (What’s more, rooftop solar isn’t even included in these numbers.)
Solar, wind, and the Texas grid this summer
The Texas grid set 10 new demand records this summer, thanks to record-breaking and relentless heatwaves. The most recent demand record was set on August 10, when 85,464 megawatts (MW) of power were needed during peak time. That was up 6.6% from 2022’s all-time record high on July 20, 2022, when 80,148 MW was needed.
So here’s where it gets interesting: According to IEEFA, solar generation on August 10 this year was 10,435 MW, up 2,355 MW from the 8,080 MW produced on the 2022 record date of July 20. That means that solar supplied nearly half of the additional power needed by ERCOT.
And it would be remiss to not include wind power generation during 2023’s sweltering summer, especially seeing how Texas is No. 1 in that clean energy capacity category. The analysts note that on August 10, 2023, wind power generation was 9,553 MW during the peak hour, compared with 7,369 MW on July 20, 2022. That’s an increase of 2,184 MW.
This means that wind and solar produced 4,539 MW more power than when the previous power demand record was set – so they supplied 85% of all the extra power needed.
(However, as Electrekreported in July, ERCOT needs to do some serious grid upgrades to harness every bit of that power.)
And what’s more, the more than 3,500 MW of installed long-duration energy storage capacity also played a crucial role in keeping Texas’s lights on this past summer because the large batteries store clean energy generated during lower demand periods, and they discharge the power when it’s needed. ERCOT estimates that about 10,000 MW of battery storage capacity will come online commercially by the end of June 2024.
The figures undercut a key argument used by fossil fuel advocates when talking about renewables – that they are not reliable or predictable. The data proves otherwise. Solar is both reliable and predictable.
Graphs: IEEFA
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In a bold bid to combat the crippling air pollution crisis in its capital, Delhi, Indian lawmakers have begun high-level discussions about a plan to phase out gas and diesel combustion vehicles by 2035 – a move that could cause a seismic shift in the global EV space and provide a cleaner, greener future for India’s capital.
Long considered one of the world’s most polluted capital cities, Indian capital Delhi is taking drastic steps to cut back pollution with a gas and diesel engine ban coming soon – but they want results faster than that. As such, Delhi is starting with a city-wide ban on refueling vehicles more than 15 years old, and it went into effect earlier this week. (!)
“We are installing gadgets at petrol pumps which will identify vehicles older than 15 years, and no fuel will be provided to them,” said Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa … but they’re not stopping there. “Additionally, we will intensify scrutiny of heavy vehicles entering Delhi to ensure they meet prescribed environmental standards before being allowed entry.”
The Economic Times is reporting that discussions are underway to pass laws requiring that all future bus purchases will be required to be electric or “clean fuel” (read: CNG or hydrogen) by the end of this year, with a gas/diesel ban on “three-wheelers and light goods vehicles,” (commercial tuk-tuks and delivery mopeds) potentially coming 2026 to 2027 and a similar ban privately owned and operated cars and bikes coming “between 2030 and 2035.”
Electrek’s Take
Xpeng EV with Turing AI and Bulletproof battery; via XPeng.
Last week, Parker Hannifin launched what they’re calling the industry’s first certified Mobile Electrification Technology Center to train mobile equipment technicians make the transition from conventional diesel engines to modern electric motors.
The electrification of mobile equipment is opening new doors for construction and engineering companies working in indoor, environmentally sensitive, or noise-regulated urban environments – but it also poses a new set of challenges that, while they mirror some of the challenges internal combustion faced a century ago, aren’t yet fully solved. These go beyond just getting energy to the equipment assets’ batteries, and include the integration of hydraulic implements, electronic controls, and the myriad of upfit accessories that have been developed over the last five decades to operate on 12V power.
At the same time, manufacturers and dealers have to ensure the safety of their technicians, which includes providing comprehensive training on the intricacies of high-voltage electric vehicle repair and maintenance – and that’s where Parker’s new mobile equipment training program comes in, helping to accelerate the shift to EVs.
“We are excited to partner with these outstanding distributors at a higher level. Their commitment to designing innovative mobile electrification systems aligns perfectly with our vision to empower machine manufacturers in reducing their environmental footprint while enhancing operational efficiency,” explains Mark Schoessler, VP of sales for Parker’s Motion Systems Group. “Their expertise in designing mobile electrification systems and their capability to deliver integrated solutions will help to maximize the impact of Parker’s expanding METC network.”
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The manufacturing equipment experts at Nott Company were among the first to go through the Parker Hannifin training program, certifying their technicians on Parker’s electric motors, drives, coolers, controllers and control systems.
“We are proud to be recognized for our unwavering dedication to advancing mobile electrification technologies and delivering cutting-edge solutions,” says Nott CEO, Markus Rauchhaus. “This milestone would not have been possible without our incredible partners, customers and the team at Nott Company.”
In addition to Nott, two other North American distributors (Depatie Fluid Power in Portage, Michigan, and Hydradyne in Fort Worth, Texas) have completed the Parker certification.
Electrek’s Take
T7X all-electric track loader at CES 2022; via Doosan Bobcat.
With the rise of electric equipment assets like Bobcat’s T7X compact track loader and E10e electric excavator that eliminate traditional hydraulics and rely on high-voltage battery systems, specialized electrical systems training is becoming increasingly important. Seasoned, steady hands with decades of diesel and hydraulic systems experience are obsolete, and they’ll need to learn new skills to stay relevant.
Certification programs like Parker’s are working to bridge that skills gap, equipping technicians with the skills to maximize performance while mitigating risks associated with high-voltage systems. Here’s hoping more of these start popping up sooner than later.
Based on a Peterbilt 579 commercial semi truck, the ReVolt EREV hybrid electric semi truck promises 40% better fuel economy and more than twice the torque of a conventional, diesel-powered semi. The concept has promise – and now, it has customers.
Austin, Texas-based ReVolt Motors scored its first win with specialist carrier Page Trucking, who’s rolling the dice on five of the Peterbilt 579-based hybrid big rigs — with another order for 15 more of the modified Petes waiting in the wings if the initial five work out.
The deal will see ReVolt’s “dual-power system” put to the test in real-world conditions, pairing its e-axles’ battery-electric torque with up to 1,200 miles of diesel-extended range.
ReVolt Motors team
ReVolt Motors team; via ReVolt.
The ReVolt team starts off with a Peterbilt, then removes the transmission and drive axle, replacing them with a large genhead and batteries. As the big Pete’s diesel engine runs (that’s right, kids – the engine stays in place), it creates electrical energy that’s stored in the trucks’ batteries. Those electrons then flow to the truck’s 670 hp e-axles, putting down a massive, 3500 lb-ft of Earth-moving torque to the ground at 0 rpm.
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The result is an electrically-driven semi truck that works like a big BMW i3 or other EREV, and packs enough battery capacity to operate as a ZEV (sorry, ZET) in ports and urban clean zones. And, more importantly, allows over-the-road drivers to hotel for up to 34 hours without idling the engine or requiring a grid connection.
That ability to “hotel” in the cab is incredibly important, especially as the national shortage of semi truck parking continues to worsen and the number of goods shipped across America’s roads continues to increase.
And, because the ReVolt trucks can hotel without the noise and emissions of diesel or the loss of range of pure electric, they can immediately “plug in” to existing long-haul routes without the need to wait for a commercial truck charging infrastructure to materialize.
“Drivers should not have to choose between losing their longtime routes because of changing regulatory environments or losing the truck in which they have already made significant investments,” explains Gus Gardner, ReVolt founder and CEO. “American truckers want their trucks to reflect their identity, and our retrofit technology allows them to continue driving the trucks they love while still making a living.”
If all of that sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve heard of Hyliion.
In addition to being located in the same town and employing the same idea in the same Peterbilt 579 tractor, ReVolt even employs some of the same key players as Hyliion: both the company’s CTO, Chandra Patil, and its Director of Engineering, Blake Witchie, previously worked at Hyliion’s truck works.
Still, Hyliion made their choice when they shut down their truck business. ReVolt seems to have picked up the ball – and their first customer is eager to run with it.
“Our industry is undergoing a major transition, and fleet owners need practical solutions that make financial sense while reducing our environmental impact,” said Dan Titus, CEO of Page Trucking. “ReVolt’s hybrid drivetrain lowers our fuel costs, providing our drivers with a powerful and efficient truck, all without the need for expensive charging infrastructure or worrying about state compliance mandates. The reduced emissions also enable our customers to reduce their Scope 2 emissions.”
Page Trucking has a fleet of approximately 500 trucks in service, serving the agriculture, hazardous materials, and bulk commodities industries throughout Texas. And, if ReVolt’s EREV semis live up to their promise, expect them to operate a lot more than 20 of ’em.