• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

Texas power grid.

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.
Most of the wind power superstructures installed in Texas come from the Netherlands and Germany. I've seen the harbor at Corpus Christi completely covered with incoming blades and tower components that had just arrived from overeas. So, yeah, the foreign development has been happening for quite some time. It's cheaper to make overseas, ship and install than to build it in America. Same with solar. Most of the photovoltaics are manufactured in CCP China and shipped around the world.
 
Most of the wind power superstructures installed in Texas come from the Netherlands and Germany. I've seen the harbor at Corpus Christi completely covered with incoming blades and tower components that had just arrived from overeas. So, yeah, the foreign development has been happening for quite some time. It's cheaper to make overseas, ship and install than to build it in America. Same with solar. Most of the photovoltaics are manufactured in CCP China and shipped around the world.
Unfortunately they skipped the heater....Why it would be an Option is beyond me.

We understand Texas being independent...but in this case the lack of Federal Regulation (IE winterize) was the contributing factor. Not just for Turbines but for everything. Not just anyone state, but the entire countries grid is ancient.

and everything follows the money...when renewable start's paying as much money as the oil and Gas Co. , that is when we would see a change.

It is impossible for us to discuss changes without it instantly turning to Politics....Because it is completely political.:rain:

Someone needed to stand up and say "We are not prepared for the cold"
 
Last edited:
I think it's fair to assume Texas has different priorities in a wind turbine than the Netherlands or any state in the northern US. Tx was probably way more concerned about their turbines withstanding consistent severe thunderstorms vs a once every 15 year huge snow/ice event. Southern states have a whole different mentality about winterization than states up north that really need to worry about it. I guess GA is due, it's been 7 years since our last snowjam, and 10 years since snowpocalypse. Most of our snow events are only a day or two, but those events caused about a week of disruption. Good times... lol
 
With renewable energy, you have to store what you are not using so that you have power when the wind doesn't blow and the sun don't shine.
Or adapt demand to supply by making incentives to do so. California has their OhmConnect program that rewards members for conserving during peak demand hours. Conversely, we can encourage more usage when there's plenty available. Thermal storage is another technology that is easy to manufacture and would work nicely for the vast majority of residential load - HVAC, hot water, and refrigeration.
 
Part of the problem in Texas was that they already had a number of plants off-line and could not contribute to grid generation. In the north, peak energy usage is in the winter so they run repairs in the summer. In the south, peak time is the summer so they run repairs in the winter. While not the cause of the issue, it did exacerbate it.

I don't live in Texas but I find it to be a real problem when you can get hit with $17k for 3 days power of a household. Free market is great and all but regulations that help prevent that type of swing is better IMHO. I won't make my point further as it would become political quickly. I just know that I prefer the system I have in Michigan over what I've seen they have in Texas.

Hopefully our Texas friends are back to full power, have heat and food, have little damage and are getting clean water. I also hope that changes you may want to see in your State's energy policy get made.
 
Last edited:
Yeah, ERCOT had five out-of-state members resign this week. Sounds like political pressure.

I just got water today, 10 days without, busted pipe. I tried, put my name on a plumbers list, went under the house for three days trying to git 'r done, failed. I'm no plumber. He got here at 11am, had me patched up in 1 hour.

We melted snow on the stove for 1 week till it all melted, mail lady sympathetically towed us up the hill when she saw us trying to shovel out of our driveway; that was Saturday, still below freezing temps. Snow melted Monday. Been buying the 5 gallon jugs of water to get by since Sunday. We both relished a hot shower today like it was a prize in the lotto. Temp was 79f today. That's Texas for ya.
 
Back