What Happened to Texas' Electric Utility Grid?!

In this video I take a deep dive into the mechanics of how power is generated, distributed, and sold in the state of Texas; and take a hard look at who, if anyone, is responsible for the power outages of February 2021.
At the end of the video, I briefly discuss how I plan to build my own small power station at home. Building this solar power plant (and showing others how to construct one of their own) will be one of my big projects of 2021.

[realsolarcars]

I'm surprised you didn't mention vehicles as an energy source. Adding an inverter to your vehicle is an inexpensive way to transform it into a low powered generator. It works great on hybrids because the engine will cycle on and off to maintain battery charge. An ICE car can do this too, it's just less efficient to idle the engine constantly. Although it doesn't solve the fuel storage issue because most cars don't run on propane. Otherwise, this was a very good video.

[xXTECHxKNIGHTXx]

Bought a generator and inverter for my pickup, I ain't going through that crap again lol. I actually found your channel when I was searching around for info about inverters!

A post on our nextdoor app said its happened 3 times in the last 30 years.

[mjk]

Thanks for a detailed Video. Very interesting for someone living in Europe. One thing I want to point out is that due to ongoing climate crisis we may get these kind of temperature fluctuations more frequently.

[justin_time]

So glad to hear that you are alright! It was scary enough watching from afar, but I couldn't imagine being there and having to live through it. Did any of your neighbors become more interested in your solar and EV projects because of the blackouts?

[steveclunn]

Great video on explaining what happened in Texas. I like the little details that help put it into a good perspective.

[HansKeesom]

Wow very good analisys, more people should know about this. It's again : "Prepare for the worst, hope for the best"

[c.w.harkins]

Hey Sam, good video. Seen several days below zero up here during all that crazy weather. We are part of a larger power grid and they did rolling blackouts for a few days to keep from having areas going completely offline. So I look forward to what you plan on doing in the upcoming videos to prepare for the "what if" future.

[johndalgliesh]

Ah I've been hoping for this video, very glad you made it! You explained things really clearly without graphics, don't worry haha. I agree that emergency use generators don't really work. Even hospitals and data centres find they don't work half the time when needed.

We have the same 5-party electricity system in Australia, and one of our states (South Australia) did actually have the horror situation total outage a few years back, the whole state grid went down for a while in summer. I was living there at the time, it was pretty hot. They had connections to other states but those links shut down too to protect their own grids. They rebooted it pretty quickly though, it was hours not months. It was the same left vs right blame game, but nothing really changed legislation wise... next year they installed the big Telsa battery and no problems since.

Have fun testing all those Leaf modules!

[rossconverse]

Hi Sam,
Really good video, very balanced.
Thanks,
Ross

[MsDebc]

You said 'once in a lifetime' more than once but these extreme events have happened twice in the last few decades. Each time reports were delivered outlining what needed to be done to prepare for the next time... TX leg just ignored them because it involved regulation and money

[lyounmt]

Ercot definitely seems to have made the right choice. Rather Power down 1 day than 6 months jesus loll .

[SecondLifeDesigner]

Yes, there were a few windmills that froze and didn't provide power but on a whole the windmills that were still working produced more electricity than they were projected to generate during the cold storm of February 2021. Yes it is was not really a political issue or whether it is a Republican or Democrat controlled state. The real problem was and continues to be corporate greed. Corporations maximize profits to the shareholders. Who owns the vast majority of stocks? The richest 1%. As long as it is cheaper to let a few people die so the 1% can get the maximum profits that is what will happen. Both the Republicans and Democrats only serve the needs wants and desires of the richest 1%.