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Comment by energy123 | Hacker News Reader

A graph is easier.

Here's California: https://www.gridstatus.io/live/caiso?date=2026-05-15

Here's Texas: https://www.gridstatus.io/live/ercot?date=2026-05-15

This series of graphs shows grid batteries quickly displacing peaker gas plants in Queensland over 24 months / two years.

This isn't the most advanced grid in the country, but it's just good business to displace the most expensive and dirtiest gas plants even if you still use gas for other tasks on the grid.

https://reneweconomy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/open-...

The only problem with that is that coal plants are increasingly priced out at midday and no alternative exists for overnight.

Coal plants were mostly displaced by natural gas, but several states still rely on them for base load.

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=54919

Independently of its horrendous impact on the environment, more people die from coal mining accidents every year than in the entire history of nuclear power (yes, including Chernobyl).

Not to mention that the waste product from coal-burning power is radioactive. https://www.osti.gov/etdeweb/servlets/purl/21557305

> https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=54919

FWIW, in the 4 years after this chart was produced, 5 more states flipped over from Coal to either Natural Gas or Wind. https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-what-powers-each-u-s...

I feel like batteries, while they won’t work for weeks, exist overnight as well.

The most interesting insight from this chart is that Texas actually produces more solar electricity than California.

But much less in terms of proportion of total energy usage. It's jarring how much less energy efficient TX is than CA. Over 2x the energy usage despite having a substantially smaller population.

The majority of energy produced in Texas (60%) goes towards industry. California is not in this situation, because California chose deindustrialization, pricing out and exporting most of its industrial capacity to other regions. California has a shortage of electricity and doesn't produce enough to power itself, which is a major reason why its electricity rates are so high. California has the 2nd highest electricity rate in the country.

https://www.eia.gov/states/CA/rankings https://www.eia.gov/states/TX/overview

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