Page 7 - AsiaElec Week 14 2021

AsiaElec COMMENTARY AsiaElec

Texas failed us,” she said. It collapsed in early the US House of Representatives.
March because of Arctic temperatures, mis- Conservative states are pushing back. Repub-
management and its isolation from other parts lican-led state capitols are considering legislation
of the grid. “So, we need to add both capacity that would “punch holes” in Biden’s green over-
to the electric grid, as well as resiliency to that haul of the electricity system by pushing fossil
grid. And that is one of the pieces of this bill,” she fuels or heaping costs on to renewables, said the
responded. Financial Times on April 4.
The move, dubbed the Biden backlash, is
Uphill battle already occurring in Texas. Bills announced by
Ultimately, the infrastructure plan is certain to state Republican lawmakers would tax renew-
be broken into several bills. ables projects, keep new wind turbines at least
Yet it will face an uphill battle in the closely a mile apart – a non-starter because it is so
divided US Senate, where at least one of the coal extreme – and require solar and wind projects
state of West Virginia’s two senators, Shelley to procure back-up power to cover some of their
Moore Capito, has already said she cannot sup- down time. Fossil fuels plants, which can go
port such an economic transition. offline, do not have to have backup power. Texas
Democrats could pass some of it with a pro- is the US’s largest oil and gas producer yet also
cess called ‘reconciliation’ with support from has more installed wind power than any other
some moderate Republicans. So-called recon- US state.
ciliation only requires a simple majority vote, Biden’s vast plan is on a fast track, by legisla-
but it can only be used for budgetary legislation. tive standards. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she
Passage of legislation in the Senate normally hopes to get the package through the House of
requires 60 out of 100 votes. Representatives by July 4. The Senate should then
Biden’s party, the Democrats, has a comfort- be able to consider at least parts of it before the
able majority in the lower chamber of Congress, congressional recess starting in mid-August.™

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