ERCOT wind farms produced almost as much energy in 2019 as coal-fired plants, according to the grid operator’s latest demand and energy report, continuing a recent trend.

Wind was responsible for 76.71 TWh of energy last year, or 19.97% of the total, ERCOT said last week. Coal, meanwhile, produced 77.86 TWh of energy in 2019, or 20.27%. Coal’s generation share dropped from almost 25% in 2018, while wind was up from 18.5%.

When including the 5.35 TWh of energy produced by solar and hydro resources, renewables generated more energy than coal last year.

Gas generation produced 154.39 TWh of energy in 2019, almost as much as wind and coal combined.

Wind is expected to pass coal as a primary energy source this year. The Norwegian research firm Rystad Energy has predicted that Texas wind farms will generate about 87 TWh of electricity in 2020, compared to 84.4 TWh from coal.

ERCOT began 2020 with 23.9 GW of installed wind capacity. Market participants have signed interconnection agreements for another 9.5 GW of capacity.

Rayburn Country Load Moving into ERCOT

ERCOT has begun the integration of 96 MW of Rayburn Country Electric Cooperative’s load and associated transmission facilities that were once in SPP’s grid. That changed Jan. 6 and 7, when radial connections were established from Rayburn’s load to the ERCOT system.

Some transmission work remains to be done but is on track to be completed by Jan. 21. The work will result in 130 miles of 138-kV transmission lines becoming part of the ERCOT system.

The Texas Public Utility Commission last year approved Rayburn’s request to add the load to the 710 MW already within the ISO’s grid. (See “Rayburn Country’s Move to ERCOT Approved,” Texas Public Utility Commission Briefs: March 13, 2019.)

— Tom Kleckner