" ... What makes this tragedy worse is that it likely was preventable, with Texans let down by the isolated nature of the state’s grid and a lack of weatherization, which is why multiple investigations have been called for at the state and federal levels.
This tragedy must not be compounded by an inability to learn from these events.
Texas’ power outages really were a result of human rather than technological failures, and Texas can prepare itself for the next deep freeze, hurricane, and other disasters.
... A long-term solution to this issue would be providing Texans with a means to source power from other parts of the country in times of need.
One of the most effective ways to make this happen is the creation of a Supergrid: a network of high-voltage transmission lines.
The Supergrid could draw upon its nationwide pool of power to move electricity from one area to supply others that have suffered widespread outages due to bad weather events.
What we have seen recently in Texas means creating such a Supergrid should be a top priority for Congress and the Biden administration, as they address infrastructure legislation.
Doing so will enable grid operators to move power in emergencies and in day-to-day operations to ensure that Texas and other parts of the country have greater grid reliability and resilience to keep the heat and lights on in times of crisis.
Utility-scale battery storage, which has already plummeted in price, also can also be used to store energy and serve as a back-up power source, as clean energy resources assume a greater portion of the electricity generation mix.
Bolstering grid resilience and reliability is also gaining greater importance as our transportation system—and many other aspects of our daily lives—are becoming increasingly electrified.
Yet this vehicle electrification provides us with some out-of-the-box solutions: electric school buses and other heavy-duty vehicles, typically unused during bad weather, can feed the ample amounts of energy stored in their large batteries back into the grid with vehicle-to-grid technology, providing temporary power for homes.
What is happening in Texas is a tragedy, but it need not be a waste.
We must learn from this situation to modernize and update the grid not solely in Texas, but across the country.
We need the strategic vision, and collective political leadership and political will, to plan, prepare for, and create this more resilient energy future.
These deep freezes have happened before, and they will happen again.
We must be ready the next time they happen."
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Thursday, March 4, 2021
"Texas Tragedy Highlights Need to Increase Grid Resilience Nationwide"
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