A year after Texas cold spell, study shows renewable energy could avoid blackouts
Greg has done little to prevent another power crisis
Around this time last year, millions of Texans were shivering without power during one of the coldest spells to hit the central United States. For five days, blackouts prevented people from heating their homes, cooking or even sleeping. More than 200 people died in what is considered the nations costliest winter storm on record, amounting to $24 billion in damages.
Twelve months later, the states electrical grid, while improved, is still vulnerable to weather-induced power outages.
If we got another storm this year, like Uri in 2021, the grid would go down again, said Andrew Dessler, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University. This is still a huge risk for us.
Now, a recent study shows that electricity blackouts can be avoided across the nation perhaps even during intense weather events by switching to 100 percent clean and renewable energy, such as solar, wind and water energy.