Post

Conversation

Kevin O'Rourke
@krorourke
Where markets are free, wind and solar are dominating. "Solar and wind generated 40.2% of the ERCOT grid’s electricity this year through June." See: pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/07/22/sol
Quote
Joshua D. Rhodes
@joshdr83
On why the cheapest form of energy does well in Texas: “[Texas] set up its markets to be cut-throat,” says Joshua Rhodes, a research scientist at [UT Austin] By contrast, in many other parts of the US, there is no competition at all, says Rhodes. telegraph.co.uk/gift/80aac07ff
50.9K
Views
David Watson 🥑
Post your reply

Graham Radler
@GrahamRadler
If it’s not clear, we’ve not been in a competitive power development market for 15 + years in the US, let alone ERCOT. The market share growth of renewables has been driven by government subsidized, government directed programs and policy, not free markets. “Where markets are
1K
Kevin O'Rourke
@krorourke
Agree, it wasn’t intended as a precise evaluation. ERCOT has relatively accommodated all sources of generation better than most markets. And as you know, all sources of generation have benefited from tax credits (which are different than a subsidy).
497
@tangobastogne
@tangobastogne
ERCOT is not a SIMPLY free market. The long distance T-lines were built ONLY for wind, and the lines represent a bureaucratic intervention in the market. No American citizen in a red state wants the Texas electric industry.
448
Kevin O'Rourke
@krorourke
The lines were built to serve a low-cost resource, which was wind. ERCOT has an open access transmission tariff that allows any generator to connect to those lines. Solar later connected as well once the costs came down, if you’re referring to CREZ specifically.
269
Squal_l
@Squal_1
This is incorrect. Only 30.9% came from wind and solar during this time period. It is closer to 40% if you include hydro. Sorry, I accidentally deleted the wrong post while playing with the kids. Here it is again. Will follow with the functioning link on this one.
Image
65
Kevin Krause
@KevinSKrause
Portfolio standards and tax credits are clear forms of market intervention, so I wonder what is this free market you speak of?
67
Dallas Based
@litmands
I call BS-- solar and wind rely on government handouts and destabilize the grid. Without subsidies they raise costs tremendously. Only Nat gas and Nuclear make sense for baseload power. Wind costs four times more than gas, delivers power intermittently, and isn’t truly carbon
81

Discover more

Sourced from across X
Ramez Naam
@ramez
The inability to approve transmission lines - particularly interstate - is one of the largest energy policy failures of the US.
Quote
Shanu Mathew
@ShanuMathew93
"Even under the most conservative scenario of needed transmission expansion—2.1x by 2050—DOE’s findings imply the need to build roughly 5,000 miles per year of high-capacity transmission to support grid reliability, reduce congestion, and enable continued economic growth."
Show more
Image
38K
Seaver Wang
@wang_seaver
Aluminum under construction--the hydro-powered Rio Tinto Arvida smelter in Quebec is undertaking a large scale modernization, building two new potlines with highly efficient AP60 electrolytic cells (right side) and slowly shuttering older potlines onsite. 48.43 -71.16
Image
2.1K
Shanu Mathew
@ShanuMathew93
"Even under the most conservative scenario of needed transmission expansion—2.1x by 2050—DOE’s findings imply the need to build roughly 5,000 miles per year of high-capacity transmission to support grid reliability, reduce congestion, and enable continued economic growth."
Image
37K
John Bistline
@JEBistline
Interesting article in Nature suggests China has driven down nuclear power plant costs and kept them stable over two decades, beating the "cost escalation curse" with local supply chains and standardized designs. I wonder how much is transferable to other country contexts.
Image
48K