logo
Record-early heat wave hits Texas as lawmakers target renewables

Record-early heat wave hits Texas as lawmakers target renewables

The Hill14-05-2025
A brutal and record-early heat wave is baking Texas this week — bringing the triple-digit temperatures typical of July to the middle of May.
The sudden heat spike, which was made more likely by the decades-long failure to stop burning fossil fuels, creates an acute danger for a populace not yet acclimatized to summer heat.
It also comes at a fraught time: as the Texas Legislature debates measures that experts say would curtail the very power supply that will keep the air conditioning on and deadly blackouts at bay.
This week, the state House advanced S.B. 715, a bill passed last week by the Senate that would require existing wind and solar plants to provide backup power when they aren't operating — a measure the state business lobby said would lead to blackouts and higher power costs.
Last month, the Senate also passed S.B. 388, a bill requiring that every new watt of wind and solar power also come with a corresponding new watt of coal, nuclear or gas — despite a turbine supply chain bottleneck that will make it very difficult to build new gas plants before the 2030s.
The Texas Senate has also passed S.B. 819, which significantly restricts where windmills and solar farms can be built while creating no such restrictions for coal or gas plants.
This push, which the Texas renewables industry calls an existential threat, is happening alongside an effort by the national GOP, which controls Congress and the White House, to slash Biden-era clean energy tax credits and federal efficiency standards that sought to incentivize measures from building out solar production to helping schools cut their heating bills and air conditioning with subsidized geothermal energy.
In addition to increasing power supplies and cutting energy costs, those Biden-era measures had been intended to slow the heating of the planet, which shows itself in not just an across-the-board rise in temperatures but in increasingly bizarre 'whiplash' between extremes.
This week's heat wave, a sudden jump from a mild spring into the teeth of summer, is 'one of the more dramatic temperature swings in recent memory,' the National Weather Service reported on Sunday.
For much of Texas, this sudden spike is directly attributable to global warming, according to research from Climate Central, an independent group of scientists that works to untangle the link between extreme weather and the background heating caused by carbon pollution.
Global warming made the sudden heat experienced by three-quarters of the state population about three times more likely — and the more intense temperatures experienced by a quarter of the state population about five times more likely, Climate Central said.
Texas's 'extreme and probably unprecedented temperatures' this week began as a ridge of hot air moving in from the Pacific over the mountains of Northern Mexico and West Texas before getting trapped in Central Texas, Austin-based meteorologist Avery Tomasco explained on CBS Monday.
As more and more air rolls downhill and piles on the dry ground, air molecules heat themselves up in a process called compressional heating.
But the root causes of the sudden heat lie deeper: in the state's protracted drought and a rapidly heating climate — phenomena that mean Texans can look forward to a near future of three- to four-month stretches of 100-plus degree days.
In such a world, air conditioning becomes a life-or-death need, which means that grid stability does too.
The health of the Texas grid made national headlines in 2021, when blackouts following Winter Storm Uri killed hundreds. Those blackouts were caused by a combination of failed power generation — primarily gas — and spiking demand for heating.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas is predicting that cranked-up air conditioners across the state this week will drive electricity usage to meet or exceed peak levels — just as about a third of the state's aging gas, coal and nuclear fleet are offline due to breakdown.
Last July, power failures following Hurricane Beryl left millions of Houston residents without air conditioning — which led to surging indoor heat that killed 15 people.
This week, however, such deaths are considered unlikely as the state grid should easily meet electric demand thanks to a years-long buildout in wind and solar power. Solar and battery storage were the biggest single source of new power on the Texas grid last year, the Dallas Federal Reserve found, with gas a distant second.
Texas energy expert Doug Lewin of Stoic Consulting argues that solar, which provides the most power roughly when conditions are hottest, is a 'perfect' source for the state.
'There was never a resource more developed to keep Texans cool than solar,' Lewin told The Hill.
The current slate of state legislation, he said, isn't just an existential threat to renewables but to the entire state economy.
While temperatures will peak and fall back in the 90s later this week, Texas' long-term forecast is for more heat.
Because water heats slower than air or dry soil, water in the landscape or atmosphere serves as a stabilizing influence against sudden temperature spikes. Moisture in land or air can help keep conditions from getting so hot that the water is baked out of the soil, helping avoid a feedback loop in which the weather gets even hotter and droughts become semi-permanent.
But Texas currently has little such ballast. Last month, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) reupped a drought disaster proclamation that is now three years old.
Despite recent downpours, just under two-thirds of the state is abnormally dry, and more than a third is in severe to exceptional drought, according to the National Drought Information Service.
A 2024 extreme weather report from the Texas state climatologist suggests that as the planet heats, this phenomenon will get worse, as the state faces 'increased drought severity, including more erratic runoff into reservoirs.'
The study said that while rainfall totals may sometimes be above average, they will increasingly fall in land-scouring downpours, rather than the slow-soaking that fills reservoirs and aquifers and serves as a buffer against heat.
Recent research suggests that the global area afflicted by lethal heat waves would triple in size in coming decades even if global climate agreements — which President Trump exited on his first day in office — were kept.
Lewin argued that as climate change makes extreme weather more likely, the chance of unprecedented events 'keeps going up,' making the need for a rapidly growing grid more urgent.
'Whatever you thought was the worst heat wave, what you thought was the worst hurricane, what you thought was the worst flood, you know, what you thought was the worst wildfire? There's a worse one out there,' he said. 'It's just waiting to happen, and we better be ready for it.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

U.S. and China to resume tariff talks on Monday in effort to extend truce
U.S. and China to resume tariff talks on Monday in effort to extend truce

CNBC

time32 minutes ago

  • CNBC

U.S. and China to resume tariff talks on Monday in effort to extend truce

Senior U.S. and Chinese negotiators meet in Stockholm on Monday to tackle longstanding economic disputes at the center of the countries' trade war, aiming to extend a truce keeping sharply higher tariffs at bay. China is facing an Aug. 12 deadline to reach a durable tariff agreement with President Donald Trump's administration, after Beijing and Washington reached a preliminary deal in June to end weeks of escalating tit-for-tat tariffs. Without an agreement, global supply chains could face renewed turmoil from duties exceeding 100%. The Stockholm talks, led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, take place a day after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met Trump at his golf course in Scotland to clinch a deal that would see a 15% baseline tariff on most EU goods. Trade analysts on both sides of the Pacific say the discussions in the Swedish capital are unlikely to produce any breakthroughs but could prevent further escalation and help create conditions for Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to meet later this year. Previous U.S.-China trade talks in Geneva and London in May and June focused on bringing U.S. and Chinese retaliatory tariffs down from triple-digit levels and restoring the flow of rare earth minerals halted by China and Nvidia H20 AI chips and other goods halted by the United States. So far, the talks have not delved into broader economic issues. They include U.S. complaints that China's state-led, export-driven model is flooding world markets with cheap goods, and Beijing's complaints that U.S. national security export controls on tech goods seek to stunt Chinese growth. "Stockholm will be the first meaningful round of U.S.-China trade talks," said Bo Zhengyuan, Shanghai-based partner at China consultancy firm Plenum. Trump has been successful in pressuring some other trading partners, including Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines, into preliminary deals accepting higher U.S. tariffs of 15% to 20%. Analysts say the U.S.-China negotiations are far more complex and will require more time. China's grip on the global market for rare earth minerals and magnets, used in everything from military hardware to car windshield wiper motors, has proved to be an effective leverage point on U.S. industries. In the background of the talks is speculation about a possible meeting between Trump and Xi in late October. Trump has said he will decide soon whether to visit China in a landmark trip to address trade and security tensions. A new flare-up of tariffs and export controls would likely derail any plans for a meeting with Xi. "The Stockholm meeting is an opportunity to start laying the groundwork for a Trump visit to China," said Wendy Cutler, vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute. Bessent has already said he wants to work out an extension of the Aug. 12 deadline to prevent tariffs snapping back to 145% on the U.S. side and 125% on the Chinese side. Still, China is likely to request a reduction of the multi-layered U.S. tariffs, which total 55% on most goods, and further easing of U.S. high-tech export controls, analysts said. Beijing has argued that such purchases would help reduce the U.S. trade deficit with China, which reached $295.5 billion in 2024. China is currently facing a 20% tariff related to the U.S. fentanyl crisis, a 10% reciprocal tariff, and 25% duties on most industrial goods imposed during Trump's first term. Bessent has also said he would discuss the need for China to rebalance its economy away from exports toward domestic consumer demand. The shift would require China to put an end to a protracted property crisis and boost social safety nets to encourage household spending. Michael Froman, a former U.S. trade representative during former President Barack Obama's administration, said such a shift has been a goal of U.S. policymakers for two decades. "Can we effectively use tariffs to get China to fundamentally change their economic strategy? That remains to be seen," said Froman, now president of the Council on Foreign Relations think-tank.

Joe Biden's Book Is Bound to Be Dull
Joe Biden's Book Is Bound to Be Dull

Wall Street Journal

time32 minutes ago

  • Wall Street Journal

Joe Biden's Book Is Bound to Be Dull

The news that Joe Biden sold his presidential memoir to the Hachette Book Group for an advance of about $10 million raises a question: What will Hachette get for its money? Mr. Biden's approach to his presidency suggests that a Biden memoir is likely to combine many of the worst characteristics of previous presidential memoirs gone wrong. The first challenge with such memoirs is that ex-presidents often aren't particularly interested in writing after being president. When Lyndon B. Johnson left the White House, he told a friend, 'I'm going to enjoy the time I've got left.' Johnson probably had a good book in him, but he apparently didn't want to share it. Instead, he produced a lackluster memoir that was published in 1971, and also worked on another tepid book with biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin, which was published after his death. According to Ms. Goodwin, Mr. Johnson would tell his team fascinating and earthy anecdotes but then get mad when he saw them on the page, saying, 'Get that vulgar language of mine out of there. What do you think this is, the tale of an uneducated cowboy? It's a presidential memoir, damn it, and I've got to come out looking like a statesman, not some backwoods politician.' This illustrates another challenge with presidential memoirs—the temptation to revise history to reflect well on the author. Mr. Biden, who is significantly older than Johnson was when he was putting together his memoirs, is likely to have even less interest in sitting down to do the hard work of writing. This means that the book is almost certain to be ghost-written, which can diminish its authenticity. As Robert Caro, who knows something about writing compelling presidential history, has said: 'Most presidential memoirs are pretty canned. If they're not written by somebody else, they seem like they are.' This was the case with Ronald Reagan's clearly ghost-written memoir, 'An American Life.' The book was a commercial disappointment, and it failed to give readers real insight into Reagan.

Texas Lawmaker Files Recreational Cannabis Legalization Bill
Texas Lawmaker Files Recreational Cannabis Legalization Bill

Forbes

time2 hours ago

  • Forbes

Texas Lawmaker Files Recreational Cannabis Legalization Bill

A Texas lawmaker has introduced a bill to legalize marijuana as the legislature reconvenes for a ... More special legislative session called by Gov. Greg Abbott. A Texas lawmaker last week introduced legislation to legalize recreational cannabis for adults. The measure, HB 195, was filed in the Texas House of Representatives by Democratic Rep. Jessica González on July 24. González filed the new bill as the Texas legislature met in a special session called by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. The governor called for the special session last month to renew deliberations on several issues from this year's regular legislative session, including the regulation of hemp products marketed for human consumption. HB 195 Legalizes Weed For Adults If passed by the legislature and signed into law, HB 195 would legalize recreational marijuana in Texas for adults aged 21 and older, online cannabis news source Marijuana Moment reported on Thursday. The measure would allow adults to possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis, including up to 15 grams of marijuana concentrates. Adults would also be permitted to share the same quantities of cannabis, provided such exchanges are not advertised, promoted or paid for. Adults would be permitted to keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis at home, although amounts over 2.5 ounces would have to be kept in a locked or secured area. The measure does not legalize home cannabis cultivation, however. Legislation Authorizes Regulated Sales Of Recreational Marijuana The legislation also legalizes commercial production and sales of recreational cannabis, which would be regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (DLR). The agency would be tasked with issuing licenses for cannabis growers, transporters, testing facilities, processors and retailers, beginning no later than November 1, 2026. The Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation, which oversees the DLR, would be responsible for drafting regulations to govern the cannabis industry. The bill mandates the adoption of regulations covering several issues, including requirements for child-resistant packaging. Marijuana product packaging would also be required to be labeled as cannabis and would be barred from resembling the packaging of commercial candy products. The commission would also be required to develop regulations for a track-and-trace system to monitor cannabis products as they travel through the supply chain. The legislation also mandates rules covering the security of cannabis facilities, restricting dangerous pesticides, and the advertising and display of cannabis products. HB 195 also mandates the distribution of taxes and fees collected from the legal cannabis industry. The DLR would receive 10% of revenue to oversee and administer the state's legal cannabis program. Another 10% would go to the Texas Department of Safety to oversee cannabis laboratory testing, while 20% would go to municipalities and counties with at least one licensed cannabis business. The remainder of revenue collected would be earmarked for the Texas Education Agency's Foundation School Program. The Texas State Capitol in Austin. Bill Gives Local Governments Some Control Over Cannabis Businesses Cannabis businesses would only be permitted in jurisdictions where the local government has authorized commercial cannabis activity. Local governments would also be allowed to set rules governing the number, operating hours and location of cannabis businesses in their jurisdiction. The legislation allows property owners to ban cannabis smoking on the premises. However, bans on other forms of cannabis consumption, cannabis possession or marijuana paraphernalia are not permitted. The bill does not legalize consuming cannabis in a motor vehicle, watercraft or aircraft. Consuming cannabis in a public place would also remain illegal except in areas authorized by local governments. Texas Cannabis Activists Laud New Legalization Bill Heather Fazio, director of the Texas Cannabis Policy Center, applauded the introduction of HB 195. 'As we continue the conversation about hemp regulation, we appreciate Rep. Gonzalez's bill to simply legalize and regulate cannabis across the board,' Fazio told Marijuana Moment. 'Her bill cuts to the chase: cannabis should be legal for adult use. Not more arrests. No more criminal records. And no more confusing policies. Just safe, legal cannabis in Texas.' HB 195 is awaiting assignment to a legislative committee in the Texas House of Representatives. If the measure is passed and signed into law, Texas will join the 24 states that have legalized recreational marijuana. Last month, lawmakers significantly expanded the state's medical cannabis program, making the Lone Star State the 40th state to adopt comprehensive medical marijuana legalization.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store