Energy & Environment

While Texas Lawmakers Target Renewables, The State’s ‘Thermal Fleet’ Threatens Grid Stability Yet Again

Posted on · The state’s grid operator warned of a possible energy emergency on the grid Tuesday. It said slightly warmer-than-expected weather was part of the problem, but it was really the fact that coal, gas and nuclear power were offline all at once.

Houston Matters

Why Texas Should Rethink its Energy Grid

Posted on · The Texas Renewable Energy Industry Alliance is a non-profit that promotes the clean energy industry in Texas. This week (Nov. 11-13), the group is hosting GridNEXT, a conference focusing on how clean energy sources can integrate into the current distribution system. To learn more about why we need to rethink the grid — and how […]

News

The Big If: Switching Texas Electricity Off Fossil Fuel

Posted on · Texas officials say they'll be suing to stop new pollution rules announced last week by President Obama because they allege the rules will increase the cost of electricity and hurt the economy. The "Clean Power Plan" is meant to reduce the burning of coal to make electricity and instead encourage "green" alternatives. But is that possible anytime soon?

Houston Matters

Making Homes and Businesses in Houston Greener

Posted on · The EPA recently indicated which corporations, businesses, and municipalities across the nation use the most “green” energy. The City of Houston placed in the top ten, and was number one among municipalities in its usage of green power (measured in kilowatt hours). On this edition of Houston Matters, we discuss what that actually means, the […]

Houston Matters

What Keeps Solar Energy from Taking Off in Texas?

Posted on · Each Tuesday of this month, Houston Matters will explore efforts here in Greater Houston to pursue alternative, renewable forms of energy, those that might someday dramatically reduce carbon emissions. In future weeks, we’ll explore wind energy, hydrogen, and biofuels. We start today with solar energy. We discuss efforts to expand the use of solar energy […]