Texas has been enduring extreme summer heat since the end of June. The news hasn’t been entirely negative, as the state has shown notable resiliency under the extreme conditions, and an unlikely source has helped reduce the effect on residents.

Although Texas has plenty of sunshine, solar power has only recently become a significant source of electricity. During this recent heatwave, it has helped keep air conditioners, and the grid, running smoothly.

Temperatures in Texas have soared well past 100°F, reaching as high as 119°F in some places. The dangerous heat has put extra demand on the state’s electric utilities and the grid.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is the Independent System Operator responsible for managing most of the state’s grid. According to ERCOT data, peak demand has been breaking records during this extreme weather, at or above 80 gigawatts (GW).

Meanwhile, solar power has provided a significant amount of the electricity needed to meet this demand. Also according to ERCOT, electricity generated from solar has reached a peak level of about 13 GW, or 16% of peak demand.

That’s a notable percentage for a state that has long been associated with fossil fuels—oil in particular—and more recently, with wind power as the preferred source of renewable energy.

According to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the ERCOT region in Texas is experiencing “strong growth in resources and forecasted demand.” NERC notes that the region has added over 4 GW of new solar photovoltaic nameplate capacity to its grid in the past year.

Wind continues to provide a large share of power for Texas, with peaks during the recent heatwave reaching 20 GW. Combined solar and wind are providing up to 25 GW of peak production. Solar and wind typically do not peak at the same time of day in Texas, so their numbers for peak output complement each other.

Texas continues to bake under a persistent heat wave, but the state is managing. ERCOT continues to report sufficient reserves that provide “enough power for current demand.”

The lack of interruptions during this current extreme weather event is a stark contrast to the winter of 2021 when blackouts left more than 5 million residents without power.