From Texas Public Radio:Â OCI Solar Power thought of an idea that leaders there say is sheer genius. They’ve put sheep to work on the grounds of a solar farm on the far northeast side to keep the grass cut. As solar panels soak up plenty of hot Texas sunshine, there’s plenty landscaping work to […]
It’s a sweltering Texas summer day in late June, and here at the Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 race track in Austin, the stands are empty. Just last fall, they were filled with fans witnessing the deafening roar of cars going upward of 200 miles an hour. But if you were to listen closely […]
The next time you’re pumping gas on a hot, sticky summer day, watching the numbers tick upward as you fill the tank with fuel that can sometimes run $4 per gallon, you may be surprised to learn that the person cruising past in an electric car is not only avoiding stopping at the pump entirely—they’re […]
From the Texas Tribune:Â 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 […]
Texans can now choose to get their power from 100 percent Texas-drilled natural gas.  Through a new option from Direct Energy, a retail electric provider, customers can pay a little more — about six dollars extra a month on the average homeowner’s bill* — to get their power just from Texas gas. In Texas, Direct Energy serves cities […]
While state officials and representatives from the energy industry met at a conference to talk about the future of Texas renewables, environmental groups filed a petition charging the state’s Public Utility Commission with dragging its feet on solar and geothermal energy. At the heart of the petition is a question that’s come up before: whether […]
Though the military’s energy initiatives aren’t new (the Army’s plan “Net Zero” facilities, like the one at Fort Hood, were signed off on in 2005), progress made over the past several years has been easing over into the private sector. Last week, the Texas Coalition of Water, Energy, and Economic Security (TCWEES) hosted a legislative briefing […]
How’s this for a mouthful: Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Plans and Programs. It’s basically a complicated way of saying the Defense Department official in charge of figuring out how the military uses and deploys energy in the field. That is Sharon Burke’s position, and in a recent speech at the University of […]
While some private solar companies are making headlines for their spectacular failures, and fracking has led to an extended stay for fossil fuels, is it too soon to write off renewables? Maybe not. For one thing, the military is investing in green projects. Big Time. As Kate Galbraith reports today for the Texas Tribune and […]
Americans will likely take their views on energy issues to the voting booth this November, according to a new national poll by The University of Texas.
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