With extreme weather events rising in frequency, the need for a prepared modern energy grid grows.
With extreme weather events rising in frequency, the need for a prepared modern energy grid grows.
The greatest demand for electricity in Texas is traditionally during the hottest days of the year, when air conditioners turn on full blast to beat the heat. But in February 2021, an unusually long spell of cold weather took the region by surprise. It resulted in high demand for electricity, more than 4.5 million Texans losing power, 210 deaths and direct economic costs estimated at $15–$27 billion.
Texas’s event made news for its terrible societal and economic impact. Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory studied it from another angle: how Texas and other parts of the country can improve power system planning and electricity market operations.
“Looking forward, how can we strengthen power systems to withstand extreme weather events?” — Todd Levin, principal energy systems engineer.
Read more at DOE/Argonne National Laboratory
Photo Credit: Wildfaces via Pixabay
