Latest News
Energy Alliance policy director on residents' lawsuit: 'Wind and solar farms scar the Texas landscape and the lives of many'
Four residents of Era, Texas, have filed a petition in Harris County District Court where they alleged that EDP Renewables North America LLC and Wildcat Creek Wind Farm LLC were negligent, created “a private nuisance” and trespassed, according to a report by Law 360 on Dec. 21.
'It was the right thing to do': Texas Supreme Court denies petition from renewable energy companies for tax code Chapter 313 deadline extension
A pair of renewable energy companies filed a suit in December at the Texas Supreme Court seeking to extend the Texas Tax Code Chapter 313 deadline.
Peacock: Abbott's new PUC orders still ignores renewable energy reliability
Gov. Greg Abbott has signaled the Texas Public Utility Commission to move forward with electrical grid market redesign despite Texas lawmakers' request for additional deliberation, Energy Alliance Policy Director Bill Peacock said. Despite this push forward, the redesign still ignores the inherent problem of renewable energy sources lack of reliability.
Governor Abbott supports new ERCOT reliability standard, market design
Governor Greg Abbott on Jan. 10 sent a letter to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) supporting the adoption of a reliability standard and new reliability design for the ERCOT market, as more people and businesses move to Texas and energy demand grows.
Governor Abbott supports new ERCOT reliability standard, market design
Governor Greg Abbott on Jan. 10 sent a letter to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) supporting the adoption of a reliability standard and new reliability design for the ERCOT market, as more people and businesses move to Texas and energy demand grows.
Patterson: 'Data from ERCOT shows the state of our grid is still precarious at best'
The Texas State Senate Business and Commerce (B&C) Committee recently sent a letter to the Texas Public Utility Commission saying that the PUC did not include any evaluation of the dispatchable ancillary or reliability service product as the Legislature had previously requested in a report it had released.
Schwertner: 'Texas needs to build new dispatchable energy resources for when the grid is stressed in extreme weather/higher energy use'
Texas State Senator Charles Schwertner said that a recent proposal by the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) fails to meet legislative directives in a tweet published on December 1
EIA: Texas energy is shifting with renewables expected to 'play a larger role' in 2023
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report with projections that 2023 will have the largest shift in generation mix for the Texas energy region (ERCOT) as wind and solar both grow but coal and natural gas production fall.
ERCOT CEO: 'You don't get the same value for solar in the winter'
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas' (ERCOT) reserve margin has shrunk because renewable energy sources have been given priority over dispatchable energy sources, Pablo Vegas, CEO of the council, said in a news conference.
ERCOT's Vegas: 'There’s a low probability scenario where there’s very high peak load and extreme outages'
Approximately six months after many questioned whether it was prepared for scorching summer temperatures, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is under scrutiny again, this time for its ability to soldier through another potentially dangerous blast of cold weather.
Texas State Senate Committee on Business & Commerce: PUC report 'fails to meet the directives'
After the Texas State Senate Business & Commerce Committee conducted a hearing on a Public Utility Commission (PUC) report regarding the restructuring of of the Texas electricity market, the Committee issued a letter to the PUC expressing concern that their proposals do not meet the legislature's directives.
Texas Senate Committee on Business and Commerce: PUC report 'fails to meet the directives'
Following the Public Utility Commission's (PUC) briefing related to their report on the restructuring of the Texas electricity market, the Texas State Senate Committee on Business and Commerce issued a letter to the PUC expressing concern that the PUC's proposals do not meet the legislature's directives.
TAM representative Katie Coleman on Texas grid reliability: 'It essentially just assumed we were going to retire coal and gas and that creates a problem that we have to solve'
At a recent Texas Senate Business and Commerce Committee hearing on a Public Utility Commission (PUC) energy grid report, Katie Coleman speaking on behalf of the Texas Association of Manufacturers talked about how this report is attempting to solve grid reliability issues while basing them off of false energy retirement assumptions that will only end up creating more problems down the road.
EIA expects 'higher wholesale electricity prices this winter in every region of the country' as Americans will spend an average of 50.6% more for electricity this winter
The U.S. Energy Information Administration released data for its short-term energy outlook last week, bringing grim news to Americans as colder months approach. Limited natural gas production combined with a higher demand for natural gas creates no choice but for prices to rise. The data reveals significantly higher wholesale electricity prices expected this winter in all supply regions analyzed-- an average 50.6% increase compared to last year.
Kolkhorst on Texas power grid: 'We're paying a lot of money for uncertainty'
At a hearing on a Public Utility Commission (PUC) energy grid report, Texas State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-TX18) noted how the evidence specifically shows that the coal and natural gas sectors are shrinking, potentially putting the Texas grid in harm's way.
Campbell: PUC report 'a flawed study that accomplishes nothing'
During a recent Senate Business and Commerce Committee hearing reviewing recommendations from the Public Utilitity Commission (PUC) related to a redesign of Texas' electricity market, State Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) signaled her skepticism at the underlying assumptions and conclusions offered in the PUC report.
Henneke: Wind farm in Gulf of Mexico ‘would do none of the things that proponents promise’
The executive director and general counsel of the conservative Austin, Texas, think tank Texas Public Policy Foundation said plans to put wind farms in the Gulf of Mexico would do more harm than good.
Peacock: 'Texas politicians, the public and the media have no model of how an electric grid ruled by market prices would compare to the scenarios offered by E3'
Energy Alliance Policy Director Bill Peacock discussed the state of the modern energy market in an interview with the Austin Journal.
Peacock: Market designs recommended in PUC/E3 report will cost Texans billions
Energy Alliance Executive Director Bill Peacock sounded the alarm for electric grid prices, noting that the public, politicians and the media have no foundation of how an electric grid ruled by market prices rather than a “market-based” government intervention would stack up to scenarios envisioned by Energy and Environmental Economics Inc. (E3).
PUC commissioner on possible electricity market redesign: 'Texas must maintain year-round reliability under all weather conditions'
Reports indicate that the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) is on the verge of considering a redesign of the Texas electricity market. In July 2021, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wrote a letter directing the PUC to begin work on redesigning the market. Energy market spectators are wary of the potential shifts saying that the reliability of Texas electricity "may get worse before it gets better."