Electricity prices are soaring in heavy wind energy states

[rangerrebew]

Electricity prices are soaring in heavy wind energy states
By Steve Goreham |March 7th, 2023|Energy|20 Comments

United States electricity prices are rising rapidly, up 18.1 percent over the last two years. Renewable energy advocates claim that wind and solar installations produce cheaper electricity than traditional power plants, but power prices are rising as more wind and solar is added to the grid. In fact, electricity prices are soaring in leading wind energy states.

Over a 12-year period from 2008 to 2020, US average electricity prices rose only eight percent, according to the US Energy Information Administration. This was much lower than the inflation rate of 20 percent over the same period. But power prices rose five percent from 2020 to 2021 and an additional 12.5 percent last year. Most of this rise was due to rising US inflation, but the share of electricity generated from wind also rose from 8.4 percent in 2020 to 10.2 percent in 2022.

Headlines announce that electricity generated from renewables is lower cost. Scientific American stated in 2017, “Wind Energy is One of the Cheapest Sources of Electricity, and It’s Getting Cheaper.” In October, 2020 Bloomberg announced that “Wind and Solar Are the Cheapest Power Source in Most Places.”

https://www.cfact.org/2023/03/07/electricity-prices-are-soaring-in-heavy-wind-energy-states/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=electricity-prices-are-soaring-in-heavy-wind-energy-states&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=electricity-prices-are-soaring-in-heavy-wind-energy-states

[Elderberry]

Texas has the largest wind energy capacity, but had the lowest energy price rise.

https://neo.ne.gov/programs/stats/inf/205.htm

[Smokin Joe]

Texas has the largest wind energy capacity, but had the lowest energy price rise.

https://neo.ne.gov/programs/stats/inf/205.htm

We're in the top ten for wind capacity, and despite the raw generational capacities, have one of the top percentages of wind generated electricity by state, with about 1/3 of the electricity in the State generated by wind power. (I might note that these units are winterized, too, considering we have two basic seasons--winter and 'hard sledding'.) However, that 1/3 is only part of the picture, in that we generate roughly twice the electricity we need for in-State purposes, and export the rest to other States and Canada.

The thing to avoid is situations where the contractual obligation for delivery to outside consumers overrides the obligation to provide power to domestic (in-State) consumers. IIRC, it was such an agreement that led to the real fustercluck and insane energy bills y'all had down there when you had the 'big freeze'. 

Electricity prices increased here, too, but only by 14%. Winter is making up for the rest.