William Shafarman, director of the Institute of Energy Conservation, a solar power research center at the University of Delaware, says power generated by the sun doesn’t cause the same kind of pollution as power generated by natural gas or by burning coal.The sun is also renewable because it isn’t going away anytime soon. According to Shafarman, coal and natural gas will eventually get used up, making them less sustainable in the long run.
The percentage of Texas power that comes from solar is also much higher in the middle of the day, when there’s the most available sun. In monthly and annual averages, the percentage is lower because it includes power used at night and on low-generation days.Webber says solar power is helping fill an increasing demand for energy in the state. “We have a growing population and a growing economy,” he said. This gives Texas the opportunity to build new, renewable energy plants to power the grid.
During the day, Hsu can sell excess energy from her panels to ERCOT. But ERCOT charges her more than she makes in the sale for energy during the night, when her panels are not productive, she said.Hsu says that if ERCOT consistently bought excess solar power at the same price as they charge for nighttime use, more people would install solar panels.Rooftop solar panels may be expensive for private citizens, but solar is much more affordable for utility companies working at a larger scale.