Lower water levels on the Hoover dam
US grid to face transition pressure
Regional grids will struggle with twin challenges of decarbonisation and extreme weather events
The US power grid is under increasing strain from more frequent temperature extremes, just as the country aims to significantly boost electric vehicle (EV) adoption and greater demand for electricity. Regular droughts are placing extra pressure on Californian hydropower. The state’s 14GW of installed capacity produced 21.5 net TWh of power in 2020, down from 38.5 net TWh in 2019 and well below the 28.8 TWh average for the 2010-2020 period. More than 4.5mn homes and businesses were left without power in Texas in February following winter storms, and the state has experienced further problems recently. Texas has its own grid to, with only a small 600MW interconnected with the grid that serves
Also in this section
12 November 2024
Standards have been agreed for a mechanism under Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement to trade carbon credits internationally
8 November 2024
The energy sector will need all viable technologies to meet surging demand as AI and datacentres drain power grids
31 October 2024
Russia still aspires to become a major supplier of hydrogen, CO₂ storage capacity and carbon credits, despite financial constraints and the loss of Western technology and expertise
30 October 2024
Occidental subsidiary signs agreement with Enterprise Products Partners for pipelines and transport services for Bluebonnet hub
