As Texas hits 112F, here’s how big battery storage is keeping the grid online
As the brutal heat wave in Texas continues, Electrek spoke with Julia Souder, CEO of the global nonprofit Long Duration Energy Storage Council, about how big battery storage is helping to keep the Texas grid online.
Electrek: How is big battery storage helping to keep the Texas grid up and running in the extreme heat?
Texas is experiencing another historic heat wave. Solar, wind, and batteries are critical for keeping the lights on by providing the power, flexibility, and stability to keep the grid running effectively.
In recent weeks, the ERCOT energy grid has seen a peak in demand, from the drawing down of 81,000 MW of power, surpassing the previous record in winter 2021. However, unlike those winter storms that left millions without power, the grid in Texas has not yet had a blackout because of the recent scaling of renewable energy and energy storage that provides clean power as gas and coal plants were taken offline.
When long-duration energy storage (LDES) is paired with renewable energy, critical applications can stay online during times of extreme strain on the grid. LDES provides the flexibility, resiliency, and reliability needed to ensure the power stays on for hours, days, and even longer.
Electrek: To what extent is big battery storage being used in Texas, and why is it successful (or not)?
While there are LDES pilots in the works in Texas, at the moment, there is not much LDES deployed at scale – and this is the problem. As more renewable energy comes online to help decarbonize and electrify communities, LDES is needed to provide flexibility during peak demand periods over multiple hours, days, and seasons to ensure a reliable source of power where energy shifting is necessary.
LDES is already supporting energy systems abroad, and the LDES Council anticipates a scale of up to 600 GW by 2040 in the US, aligning with the recommendations in the US Department of Energy’s Liftoff report on long-duration energy storage.
Electrek: How are policy and regulation key for LDES expansion, and what happens if a state’s legislature passes laws in favor of fossil fuels over clean energy and LDES?
Over the next five years, Texas is expected to account for nearly a quarter of US grid-scale batteries. Policy to support and expand this growth is critical. Key decision-makers must consider setting an LDES target to spur market growth and provide certainty. Texas can use LDES tax incentives as well as create a road map for developers and investors to bring a multitude of LDES benefits, including cost savings, to communities.
Acknowledging the benefits of LDES is also critical, including capacity value, grid support, and ancillary services. Some LDES technologies can be added to the grid without complicated permitting, while other LDES projects will benefit from streamlining and simplifying permitting processes. Doing so will see much-needed acceleration.
Texas leadership must push forward strong policies supporting the diverse LDES technologies that service many aspects of the Texas economy.
Electrek: What is the LDES market going to look like in the future?
The LDES market has huge opportunities for growth. However, it’s more than a power generation asset; it’s also a transmission asset. Where transmission and distribution lines are too congested, LDES will provide relief, as well as defer costs.
Texas is currently leading the way for utility-scale solar installation that will need LDES in order to ensure there is 24/7 clean power and cost reductions. It’s essential to the clean energy transition, and now is the time to support its deployment and ensure the removal of barriers that could prevent LDES from being used to its full potential.
Julia Souder is the CEO of the Long Duration Energy Storage Council. She has over 22 years of experience in the energy and environmental sectors. She has been a longtime advocate of clean energy technology, working extensively to support environmentally friendly technologies and equitable policies. Previously she held senior positions at the LDES Association of California, National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Clean Line Energy Partners, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, the US Department of Energy (DOE), and as an entrepreneur at JAS Energies LLC.
Photo: Jupiter Power
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JackRabbit, the maker of pint-sized electric microbikes, is back with a new product designed to quickly recharge their batteries from pure, uncut photons mainlined into an e-bike directly from the sun. In true independent charging form, the Solar Charging Kit from JackRabbit keeps riders rolling even when there’s not a convenient AC outlet in sight.
Unveiled this week, the Solar Charging Kit consists of a single folding solar panel and a tiny voltage converter that is configured to output 42.0V, which is the exact voltage required by JackRabbit’s little e-bike batteries. There’s also an added USB-A and a USB-C charging port for powering other devices in addition to charging JackRabbit batteries.
“This Solar Charging Kit plugs directly into your bike,” explained the company, “letting you recharge without needing an outlet, but with a speed comparable to the charger that comes with the OG/OG2 (42V, 2A).”
That would mean the panel outputs around 80W of solar power, which the company says can recharge its batteries in just three hours. That fairly quick recharging speed is helped by the fact that JackRabbit’s batteries are a mere 151 Wh, or around a third of the size of most e-bike batteries.
If that sounds small, then you’re right – it is. But JackRabbit is all about going micro, offering barely 25 lb rideables that are easy to store and bring on adventures, even when they aren’t actually being ridden.
With small batteries that fit under the 160Wh limit for many airlines in the US, the batteries can be quickly charged and taken to the widest number of locations. And for riders that want to go further than a single 10-mile (16-km) battery will allow, extra batteries are small enough to fit a pants pocket. The company also offers much larger Rangebuster batteries, though they won’t pass by TSA and make it onto an airplane in your personal item.
It sounds like the Solar Chargking Kit should be able to charge up JackRabbit’s large RangeBuster batteries, though likely in more than three hours.
The $349 Solar Charging Kit is a bit pricier than building something similar yourself, but it’s also safer and more convenient than hacking together your own battery charger since it’s designed to work with JackRabbit’s batteries right out of the box.
Technically it’s only inteded for JackRabbit’s micro e-bikes (themselves technically seated scooters, even if they look and feel more like a typical bike), but it’d probably work for just about any 36V e-bike that requires 42.0V to charge.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen solar charging kits for electric bikes, and it’s a trend that is certainly appreciated by outdoors and camping enthusiasts, festival goers, or anyone who finds themself and their bike spending extended periods in the great, sunny outdoors.
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Solar generated 11% of EU electricity in 2024, overtaking coal which fell below 10% for the first time, according to the European Electricity Review published today by think tank Ember.
EU gas generation declined for the fifth year in a row, and total fossil generation fell to a historic low.
“Fossil fuels are losing their grip on EU energy,” said Dr Chris Rosslowe, senior analyst and lead author of the report. “At the start of the European Green Deal in 2019, few thought the EU’s energy transition could be where it is today; wind and solar are pushing coal to the margins and forcing gas into structural decline.”
The European Electricity Review published today by global energy think tank Ember provides the first comprehensive overview of the EU power system in 2024. It analyzes full-year electricity generation and demand data for 2024 in all EU-27 countries to understand the region’s progress in transitioning from fossil fuels to clean electricity.
Wind and solar continue their meteoric rise in the EU
The EU power sector is undergoing a deep transformation spurred on by the European Green Deal. Solar generation (11%) overtook coal (10%) for the first time in 2024, as wind (17%) generated more electricity than gas (16%) for the second year in a row.
Strong solar growth, combined with a recovery of hydropower, pushed the share of renewables to nearly half of EU power generation (47%). Fossil fuels generated 29% of the EU’s electricity in 2024. In 2019, before the Green Deal, fossil fuels provided 39% of EU electricity, while renewables provided 34%.
Solar is growing in every EU country and more than half now have either no coal power or a share below 5% in their power mix. Coal has fallen from being the EU’s third-largest power source in 2019 to the sixth-largest in 2024, bringing the end into sight for the dirtiest fossil fuel. EU gas generation also declined for the fifth year in a row (-6%) despite a very small rebound in power demand (+1%).
The EU is reaping the benefits of reduced fossil fuel dependency
The surge in wind and solar generation has reduced the EU’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and its exposure to volatile prices since the energy crisis. Ember’s analysis found that without new wind and solar capacity added over the last five years, the EU would have imported an additional 92 billion cubic meters of fossil gas and 55 million tonnes of coal, costing €59 billion.
“While the EU’s electricity transition has moved faster than anyone expected in the last five years, further progress cannot be taken for granted,” continued Rosslowe. “Delivery needs to be accelerated particularly in the wind sector, which has faced unique challenges and a widening delivery gap. Between now and 2030, annual wind additions need to more than double compared to 2024 levels. However, the achievements of the past five years should instil confidence that, with continued drive and commitment, challenges can be overcome and a more secure energy future be achieved.”
Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe said: “This milestone is about more than just climate action; it is a cornerstone of European energy security and industrial competitiveness. Renewables are steadily pushing fossil fuels to the margins, with solar leading the way. We now need more flexibility to kick-in, making sure the energy system is adapting to new realities: more storage and more smart electrification in heating, transport and industries.”
Read more: China installed a record capacity of solar and wind in 2024 – in numbers
If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
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