There’s an old saying that it’s difficult to make predictions, especially about the future. But for the near future, University of Texas at Austin professor Michael Webber recently put together what he thinks will be the big stories in the year ahead for energy and the environment. At the annual Webber Energy Group research symposium […]

A Conversation with Michael Webber We’ve arrived in the dog days of summer in Texas, when air conditioners across the state stretch our power supplies thin. It’s also dry: the state is in a third year of drought, with reservoir levels at 63 percent full overall, down significantly from a year ago. In short, Texas […]

Perhaps it’s a reflection of the integral role that energy plays in American life, but energy has also played a big role in Hollywood — from the oilfields in ‘Giant’ to a nuclear time machine in ‘Back to the Future’. A new television show premiering tonight takes a closer look at the connection. Associate Professor […]

From the Texas Tribune:  During his State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Obama doubled down on his vision for renewable energy, calling for more wind and solar power. In Texas, the Legislature is less enthusiastic. As the session progresses, renewable energy advocates are bracing to defend critical policies that have helped Texas become […]

Even before the president’s State of the Union Address was over last night, some environmental and renewable energy groups were sending out congratulatory emails. “We thank President Obama for his leadership” read one from the Solar Energy Industries Association. The speech outlined “clean energy solutions”  said the group Environment Texas. And while some observed that […]

Some of these potential policies have big implications for the massive energy industry (and aging coal power plants) in Texas.

If you’re a fan of the wide-eyed Doc Brown in Back to the Future or the type who’s curious how many megawatts it took to blow up Alderaan in Star Wars, you’ll want to check out a special show airing on public television in Austin tonight, Energy at the Movies. Michael Webber, who leads the […]

A graduate student at the University of Texas has come up with a model that may help Texas overcome both its water and electricity problems in one fell swoop.

While the show is an affectionate look at the past, it may actually tell us something about the future of energy and the best way to adapt to it.