Report: Natural gas, renewables can meet all new future demand in Texas
May 26, 2016
Natural gas and renewable energy can provide all of the new electric power that Texas will need in the foreseeable future, according to a new report from the Brattle Group. Among its conclusions: Persistently low natural gas prices could drive older, costlier coal-powered plants out of the ERCOT grid, as 60 percent, or 12 GW, of the coal-fired electric generation now operating in ERCOT could likely be retired by the early 2020s; natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plants – along with utility-scale solar PV technology and wind power – will provide all new generation in ERCOT; about 85 percent of ERCOT system generation will come from natural gas, wind, and solar power, with NGCC plants providing the lion’s share of new power generation; and both wind and large-scale solar PV power will see major additions of new generating capacity even with low natural gas prices – 9 GW for wind and 13 GW for solar.