▲ 728 ▼ Texas power prices soar 20,000% as brutal heat wave sets off emergency (markets.businessinsider.com) submitted 2 years ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world 158 comments fedilink hide all child comments Texas power prices soared 20,000% Wednesday evening amid another brutal heat wave. Spot electricity prices topped $5,000 per megawatt-hour, up more than 200 times from Wednesday morning. The state's grid operator issued its second-highest energy emergency, then later said conditions returned to normal.
[–] MonkderZweite@feddit.ch 32 points 2 years ago (3 children) They have an excess of energy (too much sun) but the grid is close to collapsing (too much cooling). Maybe install more solar power? permalink fedilink source hideshow 6 child comments replies: [–] ForgotAboutDre@lemmy.world 42 points 2 years ago The problem is ideology. The Texas power grid is the end state of neo-liberalism taken to the extreme. The belief that natural monopolies should be privately controlled with minimum regulations has lead to this. A power grid run for maximum short term profit with minimum investment. The grids poorly maintained, because that doesn't make money. The grid is unfit, because implementing designs that cover the extremes is expensive. The price is excessive because the state is ideologically unwilling to intervene. permalink fedilink source parent [–] GiddyGap@lemm.ee 28 points 2 years ago (5 children) Many Texas leaders (and other Taxans) see any energy source that's not oil and gas based as "part of the radical liberal agenda." permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 10 child comments replies: [–] madcaesar@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago Pay 1000$ electrical bill to own the libs! permalink fedilink source parent [–] FaeDrifter@midwest.social 5 points 2 years ago Well yeah, being a manly man means being inconsiderate and destructive to the environment. Oh, you care about nature? You want to be a steward of the Earth? Sounds gay. And gay men get beat to death and sent to hell. permalink fedilink source parent [–] Buelldozer@lemmy.today 3 points 2 years ago Sure they do, then they get run the fuck over by the big money Capitalists who are building it anyway. Texas is #1 in renewable energy production for a reason. permalink fedilink source parent [–] Wirrvogel@feddit.de 2 points 2 years ago* Many Texas leaders (and other Taxans) see any energy source that’s not oil and gas based as “part of the radical liberal agenda.” Solar energy is also decentralized, so people/villages can have their own source of energy and the profits won't go to one monopoly and that can't happen, because free market - yes - but not actual free like this. permalink fedilink source parent [–] Chocrates@lemmy.world 1 point 2 years ago They do, but capitalism is gonna win this one. Solar is cheap and sunshine is plentiful so it is still getting built. ERCOT is a disaster, most of it on purpose but the legislation that set it up. Would probably be a good idea to hook up to the neighboring power grids too for emergencies... like every day in the summer is turning in to. permalink fedilink source parent [–] Zenbach@lemmy.world 15 points 2 years ago (1 child) I work in Solar Construction and Texas is our fastest growing market right now. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] nukeworker10@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago (1 child) Quick question, how do I get solar installed (in Texas) without getting scammed. Every company I have talked too has felt like dealing with the slimmest used car salesman. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] silentknyght@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago I think you run into this problem anywhere in the country. We were recommended our solar company by our neighbor, who had a good experience. They finally finished our job, and mechanically, they did a fine job. But their interpersonal interactions were mostly bad, and my wife would vehemently not recommend them to anyone else. Seems like it's going to be a crapshoot. Good luck permalink fedilink source parent
[–] ForgotAboutDre@lemmy.world 42 points 2 years ago The problem is ideology. The Texas power grid is the end state of neo-liberalism taken to the extreme. The belief that natural monopolies should be privately controlled with minimum regulations has lead to this. A power grid run for maximum short term profit with minimum investment. The grids poorly maintained, because that doesn't make money. The grid is unfit, because implementing designs that cover the extremes is expensive. The price is excessive because the state is ideologically unwilling to intervene. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] GiddyGap@lemm.ee 28 points 2 years ago (5 children) Many Texas leaders (and other Taxans) see any energy source that's not oil and gas based as "part of the radical liberal agenda." permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 10 child comments replies: [–] madcaesar@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago Pay 1000$ electrical bill to own the libs! permalink fedilink source parent [–] FaeDrifter@midwest.social 5 points 2 years ago Well yeah, being a manly man means being inconsiderate and destructive to the environment. Oh, you care about nature? You want to be a steward of the Earth? Sounds gay. And gay men get beat to death and sent to hell. permalink fedilink source parent [–] Buelldozer@lemmy.today 3 points 2 years ago Sure they do, then they get run the fuck over by the big money Capitalists who are building it anyway. Texas is #1 in renewable energy production for a reason. permalink fedilink source parent [–] Wirrvogel@feddit.de 2 points 2 years ago* Many Texas leaders (and other Taxans) see any energy source that’s not oil and gas based as “part of the radical liberal agenda.” Solar energy is also decentralized, so people/villages can have their own source of energy and the profits won't go to one monopoly and that can't happen, because free market - yes - but not actual free like this. permalink fedilink source parent [–] Chocrates@lemmy.world 1 point 2 years ago They do, but capitalism is gonna win this one. Solar is cheap and sunshine is plentiful so it is still getting built. ERCOT is a disaster, most of it on purpose but the legislation that set it up. Would probably be a good idea to hook up to the neighboring power grids too for emergencies... like every day in the summer is turning in to. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] madcaesar@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago Pay 1000$ electrical bill to own the libs! permalink fedilink source parent
[–] FaeDrifter@midwest.social 5 points 2 years ago Well yeah, being a manly man means being inconsiderate and destructive to the environment. Oh, you care about nature? You want to be a steward of the Earth? Sounds gay. And gay men get beat to death and sent to hell. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Buelldozer@lemmy.today 3 points 2 years ago Sure they do, then they get run the fuck over by the big money Capitalists who are building it anyway. Texas is #1 in renewable energy production for a reason. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Wirrvogel@feddit.de 2 points 2 years ago* Many Texas leaders (and other Taxans) see any energy source that’s not oil and gas based as “part of the radical liberal agenda.” Solar energy is also decentralized, so people/villages can have their own source of energy and the profits won't go to one monopoly and that can't happen, because free market - yes - but not actual free like this. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Chocrates@lemmy.world 1 point 2 years ago They do, but capitalism is gonna win this one. Solar is cheap and sunshine is plentiful so it is still getting built. ERCOT is a disaster, most of it on purpose but the legislation that set it up. Would probably be a good idea to hook up to the neighboring power grids too for emergencies... like every day in the summer is turning in to. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Zenbach@lemmy.world 15 points 2 years ago (1 child) I work in Solar Construction and Texas is our fastest growing market right now. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] nukeworker10@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago (1 child) Quick question, how do I get solar installed (in Texas) without getting scammed. Every company I have talked too has felt like dealing with the slimmest used car salesman. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] silentknyght@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago I think you run into this problem anywhere in the country. We were recommended our solar company by our neighbor, who had a good experience. They finally finished our job, and mechanically, they did a fine job. But their interpersonal interactions were mostly bad, and my wife would vehemently not recommend them to anyone else. Seems like it's going to be a crapshoot. Good luck permalink fedilink source parent
[–] nukeworker10@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago (1 child) Quick question, how do I get solar installed (in Texas) without getting scammed. Every company I have talked too has felt like dealing with the slimmest used car salesman. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] silentknyght@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago I think you run into this problem anywhere in the country. We were recommended our solar company by our neighbor, who had a good experience. They finally finished our job, and mechanically, they did a fine job. But their interpersonal interactions were mostly bad, and my wife would vehemently not recommend them to anyone else. Seems like it's going to be a crapshoot. Good luck permalink fedilink source parent
[–] silentknyght@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago I think you run into this problem anywhere in the country. We were recommended our solar company by our neighbor, who had a good experience. They finally finished our job, and mechanically, they did a fine job. But their interpersonal interactions were mostly bad, and my wife would vehemently not recommend them to anyone else. Seems like it's going to be a crapshoot. Good luck permalink fedilink source parent