Comments on: Texas is the proving ground for a new way of electric grid operation

By: Don Radcliffe

Don Radcliffe — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 15:37:47 +0000

The country as a whole will greatly benefit from the efficiency of a VPP program. However there are thousands of lobbiests and billions of dollars going into political pockets standing in the way.

By: MarkN

MarkN — Thu, 30 May 2024 17:57:34 +0000

The ERCOT service area includes many locally-owned utilities, and residents in their service area do not have competitive options for their electricity billing and provider. These local utliities, like Austin but many others, generally have flat pricing, no time-of-use rate structure, or other of the details that make VPP make sense. This isn’t smart, but it’s how things are.

By: John R. Hogerhuis

John R. Hogerhuis — Wed, 29 May 2024 21:57:43 +0000

Texas doesn’t have a “free market.” It is not “deregulated.” It is regulated, by ERCOT, and the courts who enforce contracts, at minimum.

All markets are artificial and not free. And that’s fine. Certainly Texas regulated market is different from other states but it’s not either or “regulated” or “deregulated.”

Other states could benefit from adopting a more competitive regulatory framework but we need to stop talking in absolutes or we won’t have the true understanding needed to find a better the balance.