While the generation of renewable energy sources has been growing for many US states, it appears Texas wants to take a step back into traditional energy sources such as coal and gas. Texas lawmakers have even passed a bill that mandates renewable energy sources like solar plants to have backup power from traditional sources, leading many to fear that electricity is about to become more expensive and harder to maintain in the state.
Senate Bill (S.B.) 715 is the proposed bill in question, and it hasn’t been fully approved into law yet. SB 715 is currently being reviewed by the House State Affairs Committee. If passed, however, the bill states the following:
“Resources that demonstrate the ability to operate when called upon for dispatch for 24 continuous hours at or above the seasonal average generation capability through the resource’s own generation capability or through a contract with an on-site or off-site resource, including a battery energy storage resource,” according to SB 715, courtesy of Legiscan.
This bill, proposed SB 715, combined with two other Senate Bills, namely SB 819 and SB 388, effectively would require solar plants to have backup power so they don’t have a lower output at night, when the sun’s down. Energy consultant and expert Doug Lewin even points out the absurdity of the Senate Bill.
“Match their output at night — a time when no one expects them to produce energy and when demand is typically at its lowest anyway,” Lewin suggests, transcript courtesy of The Hill.
For solar plants to match their daylight energy output with their nighttime output, they would then have to fall back on coal, gas, or other non-renewable energy sources. Such a requirement would increase the cost of electricity, considering how expensive non-renewable energy sources are compared to solar plants.
To support this projection, the Texas Association of Business (TAB) also conducted a study on the impact of SB 715, stating that it would cost Texas around $5.2 billion per year. This cost would then be shouldered by the consumers/taxpayers, at an average cost of $225 per person per year.
Even with the higher cost, however, there’s no security against blackouts or shortages, especially during summer or winter, as suggested by TAB.
Right-Wing Advocates Defend Their Bill
As expected, the sponsors of SB 715 are from the Republican Party, spearheaded by Senator Kevin Sparks. Other bill sponsors are Sen. Adam Hinojosa, Sen. Bryan Hughes, Sen. Phil King, Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, Sen. Mayes Middleton, and Sen. Charles Schwertner.
One of the most vocal groups to support the bill and pending legislation, Texas Public Policy Foundation, argues that SB 715 is necessary as some kind of compensation for the “volatility” of Texas solar and wind power, even though another study has already suggested that there’s still no guarantee of security against rolling blackouts and shortages.
Meanwhile, people online can’t help but make fun of SB 715 because of the somewhat irrational nature and requirements of the proposed bill. Some criticisms range from satire to others who are worried about the future of Texas.
“Again… we are toast 🤦♂️,” says Redditor RyanTheCox
“Also mandating wind power to be generated underground to protect birds,” jokes Redditor IvanStarokapustin
“I mean.. totally stupid… they can store the power and release it at night. but there’s a lot of cost associated with that, and there’s already methods of having power during the night. Is this really anything other than increasing the cost of providing power for the solar companies so that the competition for fossil fuels has a harder time getting a market share?” questions Redditor Nail_Biterr
