OSU Professor Advocates For Energy Diversity, Storage After Winter Storm Crisis

Oklahoma is no longer on the energy emergency scale that triggered rolling blackouts.

However, some are calling for a better power grid moving forward.

An Oklahoma State University electrical engineering professor told News 9 Oklahoma would be wise to better diversify its energy portfolio.

The state should invest in advanced energy storage technology, he said.

This would allow the state to have more power in reserve. 

The battery technology is brand new and just now coming to market, according to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

“What you are seeing in California is they are really pushing energy technology. It can improve the reliability of the grid,” said OSU professor Hamidreza Nazaripouya.

The technology is expensive, but more states may be willing to invest now.

Like Texas, which is the only U.S. state with its own power grid. That grid failed this week.

As of Thursday morning, half a million Texans were still without power during record shattering cold.