4 ms·

Kind of unrelated, but I'm wondering why TX uses so much more electricity than CA. Right now (afternoon of 1/26) happens to be a good time to compare: -- Tempe

Kind of unrelated, but I'm wondering why TX uses so much more electricity than CA. Right now (afternoon of 1/26) happens to be a good time to compare: -- Temperatures are mild throughout most of TX (50s and 60s F); temps in CA are similar, perhaps a bit warmer; -- It's roughly mid-day in both places (3PM TX, 1PM CA); -- TX has a population of ~30M, CA has ~39M ..yet somehow right now TX is consuming ~47GW (per ercot) while CA is only consuming ~23.5GW (per caiso). What gives? ERCOT: https://www.ercot.com/gridmktinfo/dashboards https://www.ercot.com/gridmktinfo/dashboards

MichaelNolan 3y ago
There are a few reasons. 1. TX has more heavy industry than CA. 2. CA has spent decades and billions on energy efficiency improvements. 3. CA prices are higher, which encourages lower demand, and encourages investments in efficiency. TX has lower prices which encourages more demand.
ZeroGravitas 3y ago
California takes a much more european approach to energy efficiency.
dgacmu 3y ago
It's a mix of a bunch of things. CA is more heating day dominated than TX, and as a result of that, more households use natural gas for heating, whereas you're more likely to see supplemental electric heat in TX than, particularly, NorCal. (2) high energy costs lead to more investment in electrical efficiency in CA; (3) high energy costs mean that if you're running an aluminum smelter (for example), you don't run it in CA. Or building a new mega data center. so there are fewer electricity-intensive industrial facilities in CA than there would otherwise be.
- bradknowles 3y ago
  Natural gas is a by-product of much oil extraction, and commonly used for heating, cooking, etc.... Propane is also commonly used, in more rural locations. But what Texas has is much higher requirements for air conditioning, which can't be easily gas-powered at the level of individual houses. Thus the higher electrical energy requirements. Now, you can run gas turbines at the utility level to generate electricity, but that's much less common at the level of individual homes.
HDThoreaun 3y ago
Does home solar usage count on this graph? The electricity never hits the grid so I think it might not. If not California's massive push for home solar could be part of the explanation.

MichaelNolan 3y ago

There are a few reasons. 1. TX has more heavy industry than CA. 2. CA has spent decades and billions on energy efficiency improvements. 3. CA prices are higher, which encourages lower demand, and encourages investments in efficiency. TX has lower prices which encourages more demand.

ZeroGravitas 3y ago

California takes a much more european approach to energy efficiency.

dgacmu 3y ago

It's a mix of a bunch of things. CA is more heating day dominated than TX, and as a result of that, more households use natural gas for heating, whereas you're more likely to see supplemental electric heat in TX than, particularly, NorCal. (2) high energy costs lead to more investment in electrical efficiency in CA; (3) high energy costs mean that if you're running an aluminum smelter (for example), you don't run it in CA. Or building a new mega data center. so there are fewer electricity-intensive industrial facilities in CA than there would otherwise be.

bradknowles 3y ago
Natural gas is a by-product of much oil extraction, and commonly used for heating, cooking, etc.... Propane is also commonly used, in more rural locations. But what Texas has is much higher requirements for air conditioning, which can't be easily gas-powered at the level of individual houses. Thus the higher electrical energy requirements. Now, you can run gas turbines at the utility level to generate electricity, but that's much less common at the level of individual homes.

HDThoreaun 3y ago

Does home solar usage count on this graph? The electricity never hits the grid so I think it might not. If not California's massive push for home solar could be part of the explanation.