Wind on the Wires1 - Smart Grid (R) Evolution: Electric Power Struggles - page 141

experiences of ERCOT (Electricity Reliability Council of Texas which is not regulated
by FERC) and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region are further
explored later in the chapter.
Building on this context, the next part of this chapter explores in more detail three
case studies: (1) Texas, the U.S. state with the most installed wind power; (2) the Upper
Midwest of the United States, where states and the electric grid system operator have
worked together to plan for and integrate wind power into the electric system; and (3)
Germany, a nation in the midst of an energy transition, the Energiewende , and a leader
in the development of large-scale wind. Together, these cases allow us to more deeply
explore the struggles and synergies involved in the coevolution of large-scale wind power
and smart grid.
6.4 Texas: Wind and Transmission
Texas leads the United States in installed wind capacity, with more than 12,000 MW of
wind on the system. The scale of wind development in Texas has been made possible
by the co-development of a sophisticated, flexible, and extensive grid system that has
involved multiple actors. Coordinated action from grid operators, wind developers, the
state legislature, the PUC, and transmission developers has resulted in rapid and responsive
changes to the electric system. Wind development has been made possible with
state-supported transmission system upgrades, integration of sophisticated weather
monitoringsystems,andapproachestointegratewindresourcesintocompetitiveelectricity
markets.
6.4.1 Building Wind Power in Texas
The Texas wind case highlights the state's long history of wind use and the recent context
for rapid growth of wind power. Wind development was at times threatened by insufficient
transmission capacity, but a concerted effort to address this issue from the regional
transmission organization, ERCOT, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and
theenergycommunity ledtonovelsystemplanningandoperationtoaccommodate thenew
demands that wind made on the system.
In Texas, wind power has played a pivotal role in state history, especially in the dry
western portion of the state (Galbraith and Price 2013 ). Wind power was first a crucial
component of the water system and early transportation systems which opened up the state
to ranchers in the 1800's. The dry Texas Panhandle receives less than eighteen inches
(46 cm) of rainfall per year, making tapping groundwater critical for the early railroads,