Wind helps meet new Texas record for electricity demand
Texas set a new record for electricity demand yesterday as the state continued to broil in a heat wave, and as it had a day before, wind helped keep the lights on and the air conditioning running.
The Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the state utility system, said demand topped out at 68,294 megawatts (MW) between 4 and 5 p.m., and that Texas wind turbines contributed 2,000 MW during that hour.
The 2,000 MW were more than double the 800 MW that ERCOT counts on from wind during periods of peak summer demand for its long-term planning purposes, and enough to power about 400,000 homes under the very high electricity demand conditions seen yesterday.
Commented AWEA Manager of Transmission Policy Michael Goggin, "At a time when the extreme heat prevailing in Texas is pushing the utility system close to its limits, wind generation is making a valuable and much-needed contribution to system reliability."
More reading:
As Texas utility system is stressed, wind generation shows up on schedule, August 3, 2011
Wind energy helps save day, February 4, 2011
How Wind Energy Is Reliably Integrated on the Grid, fact sheet
