Electricity consumers in Texas could save nearly $5.5 billion over the next decade by using distributed energy resources such as solar energy, energy storage and electric vehicles to reduce the need for more expensive peak power generation and investments in transmission and distribution, according to a new study.
Source: Houston Chronicle/Jordan Blum
The energy industry trade group Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance of Austin reported that Texas households could save an average $456 by better integrating distributed energy resources into transmission and distribution planning and allowing small-scale generation facilities to participate in existing wholesale markets.
The small power generators are often located in the back of grocery stores and manufacturing facilities so they can be turned on to keep food cold during power outages or during times of peak demand when companies are paid to reduce their power consumption from the Texas grid.
The adoption of distributed energy resources is expanding rapidly but for the most part, is not directly incorporated into the state grid manager’s energy supply stack, according to the report.
“We are already a national leader in advanced energy, but Texans would get much more value from better integrating distributed energy resources into our grid and wholesale markets,“ said Suzanne Bertin, managing director of the alliance.
