When two new Montana wind farms come online, the state will have more nameplate capacity in wind than in coal.
Nameplate capacity is the maximum rated output in megawatts when a source of power operates in optimal conditions.
According to US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, Montana coal plants provided 1,631 megawatts (MW) of nameplate capacity in October. In the same period, Montana’s wind capacity provided 1,479 megawatts.
Florida-based NextEra Energy’s 775 MW Clearwater Wind projects, once fully online, will add an additional 311 MW.
So that will put wind’s nameplate capacity in Montana at 1,790 MW – that’s 159 MW more than coal.
In 2022, according to the EIA, Montana ranked 10th among US states for the largest share of electricity generated from renewables, at around 53%. (Hydropower is a big source of renewable power in the state.)
Much of the power that Montana produces is transmitted to utilities in Oregon and Washington. Utilities in those states are transitioning to procuring clean power, thanks to laws that require them to divest from fossil fuels.
But when it comes to in-state generation, coal still has a higher capacity factor. Coal-fired power plants provided the largest share – 42% – of Montana’s electricity generation in 2022, followed by hydropower at 38%, wind power at 15%, natural gas at 2%, and petroleum coke at nearly 2%.
Those percentages are shifting as coal plants retire, and the EIA says that nearly all of the power projects lining up to come online in Montana are onshore wind. Plus, a Montana court ruled in August that the state must consider climate change and environmental protections in the approval process for new energy projects.
Max Greene of clean energy advocacy organization Renewable Northwest told the Montana Free Press that interest in Montana’s wind power will continue to grow – provided that transmission capacity (and battery storage) grows too:
Most of that east-to-west transmission is pretty well subscribed at this point.
We’re going to have to look at what opportunities will be out there for other ways to develop this important resource.
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Leading electric vehicle analyst, author, and industry thought leaders Loren McDonald and Bill Ferro stop by Quick Charge to discuss EV Adoption’s acquisition by Paren, the “crisis” of EV charging reliability, and the real state of the EV market.
Depending on who you listen, EVs are either driving brands to record growth and are about cross that critical 10% of the overall market nationwide, or the future is bleak, the market is down, and EVs just aren’t selling. What’s really going on? Loren and Bill (probably) have some answers.
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Chevy EV owners in Texas who have Reliant as their electric utility can now charge for free at night with renewable energy.
Over 150 Chevrolet dealerships across Texas are now offering the Reliant Free Charge Nights plan to new EV buyers. With Free Charge Nights, customers can offset their charging costs by receiving credits for electricity used between 11 pm and 6 am. The plan is powered entirely by renewable energy, thanks to the purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs).
Rasesh Patel, president of NRG Consumer, says the plan is about making power personal: “We’re excited to help Chevrolet EV drivers offset the cost of charging their vehicle all while having access to a renewable electricity plan.”
This collaboration aims to make EV adoption more appealing by making charging cheaper and greener. GM Energy’s chief revenue officer, Aseem Kapur, emphasized that partnerships like this help build the ecosystem needed to support an all-electric future: “The Reliant Free Charge Nights plan is a great example of how an automaker and an energy company can work together to make EV adoption an easy decision.”
Existing Reliant customers can also sign up for the Free Charge Nights plan. To get started, Chevrolet EV owners need to designate their vehicle on the GM Energy Smart Charging Portal before enrolling in the plan.
Reliant Energy, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, serves over 1.5 million customers in Texas, making it one of the largest electricity providers in the state.
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Texas is about to get a major power boost – a new AI-powered virtual power plant (VPP) delivering capacity equivalent to 200,000 homes during peak demand.
NRG Energy is teaming up with Renew Home to bring nearly 1 gigawatt (GW) of capacity to the Texas grid by 2035, aiming to make it more resilient while helping residents save on energy costs.
The new VPP will rely on hundreds of thousands of smart thermostats and other connected home devices, making use of AI technology provided by Google Cloud. These devices, like Vivint and Nest smart thermostats, will be offered to eligible customers at no cost. By automating HVAC adjustments, they help shift energy use to when electricity is cheaper, cleaner, and less strained.
NRG and Renew Home have big plans for the VPP. Starting in spring 2025, the companies plan to roll out the program across Texas, installing these smart thermostats in homes served by NRG’s retail electricity providers. Eventually, they plan to add home battery storage and EVs to expand the power plant’s capabilities.
Texas has faced record-breaking energy demands, with peak usage hitting 85 GW in 2023. As the state’s population grows and extreme weather becomes more frequent, VPPs like this one could play a key role in stabilizing the grid. VPPs aggregate a lot of small-scale energy resources, from smart thermostats to home batteries, and use them to help balance supply and demand during times of high stress on the grid.
This nearly 1 GW VPP will be one of the largest of its kind in Texas. NRG’s president of consumer operations, Rasesh Patel, calls it a “pivotal step” for improving customer experience while making Texas’ energy infrastructure more sustainable and resilient.
In addition to Renew Home, NRG is working with Google Cloud to maximize the power plant’s effectiveness. Google Cloud’s AI and analytics tools will help predict weather conditions, forecast renewable generation, and optimize energy usage, all of which will help make energy management smoother for both customers and the grid.
Ben Brown, CEO of Renew Home, said:
NRG’s commitment to creating a more resilient and sustainable energy future while also making electricity bills more affordable makes them an ideal partner for co-developing this unique VPP program.
This initiative raises the bar for future-proofing our electricity infrastructure and delivering cost savings to customers.
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