solar
Forecasting the Future of the ERCOT Grid, Part 1: The Ongoing Winter Reliability Challenge
Written By: Michael Reed and Brent Bennett, Ph.D. Download the full research paper here. Key Points While the operational performance of the ERCOT grid has improved since Winter Storm Uri in 2021, the increasing reliance of…
How obscuring solar power’s full cost subverts state law
Adding a solar project to the electrical grid cannot be done without also adding backup generation The North Carolina Utilities Commission excludes the costs of backup generation in evaluating solar projects’ costs, even…
Solar’s cost should reflect its need for backup generation
It is undisputed that backup generation is an integral, inseparable aspect of solar facilities The North Carolina Utilities Commission treats solar facilities as if they are low-cost sources by treating their necessary backup…
Fuel price is no reason to pick renewables over natural gas
For years, the John Locke Foundation’s Center for Food, Power, and Life has been warning of electricity price hikes in the wake of the 2021 passage of the Carbon Plan law. A recent research brief even included a section…
Powering data centers needs less bureaucracy, more freedom
The electricity demands of data centers and other power-hungry industrial customers pose significant concerns about grid reliability and rising costs The most immediate answer — one discussed by the president and by the…
Fact-checking a “fact check” on solar and wind energy
On Sept. 5, 2025, the U.S. Energy Department’s official X account posted an Aug. 23, 2025, Washington Examiner article featuring Energy Secretary Chris Wright. The accompanying text in the post stated, “Wind and solar energy…
The Explosion of Transmission Costs in ERCOT: Causes, Forecasts, and Policy Solutions
KEY POINTS • Transmission costs in ERCOT rose from $1.5 billion in 2010 to over $5 billion in 2024 and could increase to over $12 billion per year by 2033.• After adjusting for inflation and overall rising electricity demand,…
The lingering effects of bad policy choices
On Nov. 20, Duke Energy announced that it had requested rate increases from the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) of 15.0 percent for Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) customers and 15.1 percent for Duke Energy Progress…
Texas Has Strengthened Its Grid, But It Is Still Vulnerable to the Next Winter Storm
With Texas experiencing its first significant cold front of the winter season and the five-year anniversary of Winter Storm Uri on the horizon, it’s worth taking stock of how far Texas has come on grid reliability—and how far…
MVP Southgate gets a key state permit after years of denials
With the MVP Southgate project getting a critical state water permit, North Carolina is finally set to get its second interstate natural gas pipeline The state would have already had more pipelines were it not for Gov. Roy…
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