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Texas is beating California by a large margin when it comes to solar due to bureaucratic red tape and "environmental" review in California along with monopolist

Texas is beating California by a large margin when it comes to solar due to bureaucratic red tape and "environmental" review in California along with monopolistic utility companies, which have successfully lobbied against solar by removing net metering and adding in extra solar connection charges.

ZeroGravitas 3mo ago
Texas generates a lot more power than California. The generate more grid solar, more wind, more gas and more coal than other states. They're still #2 to California when you include distributed solar though.
- s1artibartfast 3mo ago
  That isnt an point for california because distributed solar is an economically inefficient solution. It is only attractive in California due to a combination absurd electricity prices from State sanctioned monopolies and red tape preventing grid development.
  - ZeroGravitas 3mo ago
    Coal is economically inefficient compared with distributed solar. Nuclear is broadly on par in cost. The health impact costs of running existing coal plants in Texas are higher than the cost of installing new rooftop solar. That's ignoring carbon costs, which could be the same again. And that's at Texas install costs. While low for America they are double Australian costs mostly due to poor permitting regulations and lack of competition. This artificially makes the gap between utility and rooftop solar wider. So you're being weirdly specific in your desire for economic efficiency.
    - s1artibartfast 3mo ago
      What is oddly specific about it? We should cut red tape and permitting processes to enable low cost green energy from the cheapest sources. The California model is one of the last states should look to as an example of how to run an energy market and roll out solar.
    - s1artibartfast 3mo ago
      Followup: This article [1] and this website [2] contain some information about grid connection statistics by region. California grid connections approval times are pushing 9 years, nearly doubling that of nearby western states. In comparison, Texas ERCOT operates on a connect and manage framework, which lets people buildout generation without stagegate approval, and then works out the interconnection issues in parallel or after the fact. ERCOT process is 18 to 30 months.[3] https://www.construction-physics.com/p/inside-the-interconnection-queue https://www.construction-physics.com/p/inside-the-interconne... https://www.interconnection.fyi/?market=CAISO https://www.interconnection.fyi/?market=CAISO https://www.ercot.com/files/docs/2024/10/30/0940-AM-ERCOT-Interconnection-Process-Generation-Entity-Winter-Weather-Preparedness-Fernandes.pdf https://www.ercot.com/files/docs/2024/10/30/0940-AM-ERCOT-In...

ZeroGravitas 3mo ago

Texas generates a lot more power than California. The generate more grid solar, more wind, more gas and more coal than other states. They're still #2 to California when you include distributed solar though.

s1artibartfast 3mo ago
That isnt an point for california because distributed solar is an economically inefficient solution. It is only attractive in California due to a combination absurd electricity prices from State sanctioned monopolies and red tape preventing grid development.
- ZeroGravitas 3mo ago
  Coal is economically inefficient compared with distributed solar. Nuclear is broadly on par in cost. The health impact costs of running existing coal plants in Texas are higher than the cost of installing new rooftop solar. That's ignoring carbon costs, which could be the same again. And that's at Texas install costs. While low for America they are double Australian costs mostly due to poor permitting regulations and lack of competition. This artificially makes the gap between utility and rooftop solar wider. So you're being weirdly specific in your desire for economic efficiency.
  - s1artibartfast 3mo ago
    What is oddly specific about it? We should cut red tape and permitting processes to enable low cost green energy from the cheapest sources. The California model is one of the last states should look to as an example of how to run an energy market and roll out solar.
  - s1artibartfast 3mo ago
    Followup: This article [1] and this website [2] contain some information about grid connection statistics by region. California grid connections approval times are pushing 9 years, nearly doubling that of nearby western states. In comparison, Texas ERCOT operates on a connect and manage framework, which lets people buildout generation without stagegate approval, and then works out the interconnection issues in parallel or after the fact. ERCOT process is 18 to 30 months.[3] https://www.construction-physics.com/p/inside-the-interconnection-queue https://www.construction-physics.com/p/inside-the-interconne... https://www.interconnection.fyi/?market=CAISO https://www.interconnection.fyi/?market=CAISO https://www.ercot.com/files/docs/2024/10/30/0940-AM-ERCOT-Interconnection-Process-Generation-Entity-Winter-Weather-Preparedness-Fernandes.pdf https://www.ercot.com/files/docs/2024/10/30/0940-AM-ERCOT-In...