Wind Failed the Stand-alone Texas Grid

See my post "Large-scale Renewable Energy" + Isolated Grid System = Energy Peril (for Texas) That post is still basically true but I had no data for the amount of wind power in Texas.  Turns out that it's HUGE.  But it's highly, highly variable-- just like solar.

Data from Casend at Zero Hedge:  

Wind provides up to ~50% of Texas power at times---probably in late afternoon windy conditions when demand is peak (in summer) -- but don't quote me on this.  But wind power is HIGHLY variable as you might guess. 

  

During the great freeze of 2021, iced-up turbine blades affected some 60% of the wind turbines and put them out of business when they were needed most. Natural gas took up the load but it too faltered somewhat with intense and frigid conditions. 

Wind failed when it was needed most. Natural gas substituted but then it failed somewhat. Not enough natural gas-fueled generation is the most obvious problem.  The texas grid ERCOT grid being isolated from the rest of the US was a killer too. Places outside of ERCOT (the Texas Grid), like El Paso, didn't have any problems for example.  See "Large-scale Renewable Energy" + Isolated Grid System = Energy Peril (for Texas) to see the ERCOT grid boundary and the following recommendations: 

The lesson for Texas (and the world) is that, if you adopt wind and solar at levels of 5, 10 or 15% of the total power generation (or more), or if you have potential problems with older, conventional power supplies, you had better have: 

1. adequate backup power in terms of quick-starting gas turbine generators or other responsive fossil fuel generation available and/or,  
2. Increase the number of new conventional or nuclear power plants that aren't affected by severe weather, or
   
3. Increase the ability to import power should there be a supply shortage by better grid connections to neighboring states like Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas and Louisiana (in the case of Texas) and, 
   
4. Similarly, you had better be able to sell power to other states should the supply of energy EXCEED demand due to the renewables. Although natural gas generation adjusts with the wide variation in wind output during normal times (99% of the time). 
5. Pony-up big bucks for energy storage meaning batteries (impractical at this time).