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Three years ago, when Texas lost power in the middle of an extremely cold winter, my son - who lives in Austin - had to crawl into his sleeping bag in front of the fireplace to keep warm. We now know that the power failure, which killed 200+ people, resulted from problems not with renewables but with the state's natural gas infrastructure, as power plants stopped running and gas-lines froze.
This year, during another cold spell, the power has stayed on in Texas due to an increase in wind power as well as solar and battery capacity.
Solar projects increased in Texas, beginning around 2018, when solar became cheaper. It's widely accepted there that people have a right to do what they want with their own land, and solar projects can generate additional income, giving struggling farmers a strong incentive to consider such enhancements.
Renewables continue to grow in Texas, with some predicting the state could be fully powered by renewable energy within the near future. By next year, according to the Energy Information Administration, renewables are "likely to overtake natural gas as the main source of electricity in Texas." This means the grid will become more reliable and electricity will become cheaper.
The truth is that the price of gas is extremely volatile; burning lots of it during a cold snap can be costly. The increased supply of renewables has already saved Texas residents billions of dollars.
Senator Yaw, dredging up the old arguments about "unreliability," wants Pennsylvania to move in the opposite direction. Gas was supposed to be a "bridge" fuel, paving the way to a low-carbon economy. Instead, Yaw continues to tout it as our highway to the future. If we continue down this road, Pennsylvania will be left behind.
Texas is listening. Why aren't we?
KAREN ELIAS
Lock Haven
Submitted by Virtual Newsroom