Scorching Texas Heat Shows Up in Electricity Consumption

While I do understand the point of this post, one thing that information above should be defined as "in recorded history" as for much of the Earth's geological record, the AVERAGE surface temperature was 6-10C higher than even the "hottest summer on record" of the current Holocene Epoch (past 100K years). Interestingly, the entire Holocene Epoch has been a period of the lowest temperatures in the Earth's entire 4B year history. Looking at the entire Mesozoic Era and the entire Tertiary Period, temperatures and the number of CDD days were very much lower. In fact, it's possible that during the entire Mesozoic period, there were many years that had ZERO CDD days. It is a very good likelihood, that the Earth is simply returning to its average climate (75% of its existence without ice caps). In addition, prior to the 1960s, including many very hot years past 150 years temperature record, humans lived without air conditioning without any issues. I go to Mexico all the time with areas as hot or hotter than Austin, and in most places that I stay there is not air conditioning. Obviously, folks in Texas don't want to live without AC, but a very fundamental conversation about perhaps being comfortable in 80-85F is warranted.

The increase in consumption doesn't shock me at all, Paul. Everything I've heard from Austinites and other Texas residents all summer is how very hot and DRY it's been. Without meaningful and FAST action to counter current trends in climate change -- and scientists now say "the window is closing" for such change -- it's just gonna get worse as our species faces self-inflicted extinction. Very few human efforts to alter the environment, "control" the weather, or adopt artificial methods of survival in harsh climates have done any good for the environment. We've shaped the current crisis with choices we continue to make on s daily basis.

Excellent use of graphs, and do they ever tell the story! Thanks for a terrific article. We had additional insulation added to the attic of our 12-year-old house, and it kept our bills at the same level as they were before, but not everyone has an energy-efficient home in the first place, much less the ability to add to it. I don’t know how Texans can cope with this without major government help.

The citizens of Texas need to find common ground to stop this insanity. It is especially difficult when it is too hot to breathe! I know that the Yahoo majority at the Texas Legislature this past session was complaining about renewables; but if not for renewables, ERCOT's goose would have been even more cooked.