About one-fifth of the electric power in Texas this morning came from wind turbines

Texas "set a new record for wind generation this morning, when — at 6:37 a.m. — about 19 percent of the electricity on the state’s main grid was supplied by turbines," Kate Galbraith reports for the Green Inc. blog of The New York Times. The peak of 6,272 megawatts "does not include turbines in the windy Panhandle because that region is on a different grid," Galbraith notes.

It's a windy season, so wind power is spiking. In 2009 Texas got 6.2 percent of its electricity from wind, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates the grid that serves most of the state. "The nation as a whole has less than 2 percent wind in its electricity mix," Galbraith notes.

Texas could use even more wind power, but its grids won't take it all. "Some turbines are slowed or shut down on windy days because the state does not have sufficient transmission wires to move all the power from the remote, windy areas of West Texas to cities like Dallas and Houston that need it," Galbraith reports. "Last night and this morning, for example, the prices for wind generation offered on the main Texas grid actually fell below zero, a sign of oversupply that usually prompts wind generators to shut down their turbines." The state is building more power lines, but those are expected to be delayed by a recent court decision, Galbraith notes. (Read more)