Houston Business Journal: ConnectGen plans expansion to Texas solar farm
Dec. 10 — The company has already gotten tax incentives for the base project, and it’s looking to do the same for the expansion.
— Houston Business Journal
Austin American-Statesman: Judge rules against Texas Railroad Commission over May emergency orders
Dec. 10 — Public Citizen, a government watchdog group, and two Texas landowners filed a lawsuit over the orders in July, arguing that the Texas Railroad Commission used the coronavirus pandemic as cover to relax regulations and waive fees related to the storage of crude oil.
— Austin American-Statesman
Houston Chronicle: Public Utility Commission executive director resigns
Dec. 9 — Public Utility Commission Executive Director John Paul Urban III has resigned, effective immediately, the agency said Wednesday.
— Houston Chronicle
S&P Global: CenterPoint gas utilities sale could draw diverse suitors, analysts say
Dec. 9 — CenterPoint executives expected to announce a buyer by the second quarter of 2021, expressing confidence in their ability to offload assets with more than 520,000 customers, 17,000 miles of gas main and $700 million in combined rate base. The sale is a critical part of financing CenterPoint’s turnaround strategy, which revolves around investing heavily in the company’s electric power business.
— S&P Global
Wall Street Journal: How an Energy Startup’s Plan to Disrupt the Power Grid Got Disrupted
Dec. 8 — Bloom Energy Corp. became a hot startup more than a decade ago by promising to upset the utility industry with devices that could power the nation’s buildings. Today, it’s a reminder of how a rapidly changing industry can foil even the most driven entrepreneurs.
— Wall Street Journal
Solar Power World: Navisun, TurningPoint Energy bringing community solar to North Texas
Dec. 9 — Navisun, a solar independent power producer, will finance, build, own and operate the Erath Solar project. This will be the third project for Navisun and TPE.
— Solar Power World
Houston Chronicle: New leadership, multi-level sales approach for Griddy
Dec. 8 — Griddy, the California startup that opened the door for Texas consumers to buy electricity on the wholesale market, has announced a new management team, an infusion of capital and a multilevel marketing plan to sell power to consumers.
— Houston Chronicle
The Hill: Most states are below their greenhouse gas reduction goals
Dec. 8 — The findings come at a crucial time for climate change policy in the U.S., particularly on the federal level. President Trump’s executive order removing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement became official on Nov. 4, and his administration has rolled back other key environmental protections. At the same time, President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to rejoin the Paris Agreement, but Kiely notes that local and state governments still play a larger role in reducing emissions.
— The Hill
San Antonio Business Journal: South Texas Drilling Permit Roundup — Houston independent sets eyes on Karnes County
Dec. 8 — Verdun Oil’s interest in Karnes County is not singular—could the Eagle Ford’s most productive county be on the rebound?
— San Antonio Business Journal
Texas Observer: Solar Energy is Hitting a Growth Spurt. So Is The Disinformation Around It.
Dec. 7 — Anti-renewable energy campaigns are nothing new in the Lone Star State. A new wave of disinformation could spell trouble for the state’s fledgling solar industry.
— Texas Observer
The Odessa-American (Press Release): Apex Clean Energy Expands Partnership with McDonald’s
Dec. 7 — The newly announced PPAs build on the restaurant company’s previous purchase of 220 MW from Apex-developed Aviator Wind West, located in Coke County, Texas. Aviator Wind, owned by Consumers Energy, Kansai Electric, and Ares Management Corporation’s Infrastructure and Power, commenced operations in September 2020.
— The Odessa-American
Texas Standard: From Fracking To Renewables, What Texans Can Expect From Biden Energy Policy
Dec. 7 — Fracking isn’t likely to go away because of limits to the president’s power, but Joe Biden can still make some changes through executive action.
— Texas Standard
Tyler Morning-Telegram (Press Release): Griddy Announces New Leadership And Financing Agreement With Macquarie Energy
Dec. 7 — Griddy Energy, the pioneer of direct-to-consumer wholesale electricity in Texas, appoints Michael Fallquist as Chief Executive Officer, Christian McArthur as Chief Operating Officer and Roop Bhullar as Chief Financial Officer and enters into an agreement with Macquarie Energy, a subsidiary of the Macquarie Group, to provide a wholesale supply facility and investment capital to support Griddy’s growth and market expansion.
— Tyler Morning Telegraph
Houston Chronicle (Commentary): There is a great future in hydrogen for Texas
Dec. 7 — Once we can produce so-called green hydrogen, the new energy source could solve the biggest challenge presented by wind and solar energy.
— Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle (Commentary): Biden should ignore activists, build coalition to mitigate climate change
Dec. 4 — Left-wing activists are already showing their anti-market tendencies, piling pressure on President-elect Joe Biden to use obscure agencies to impose strident regulations rather than make room for innovation in solving the climate crisis.
— Houston Chronicle
Beaumont Enterprise: Rayburn-area residents oppose oil and gas waste site
Dec. 4 — The growing group of around 50 residents under the banner “Friends of Lake Sam Rayburn” are awaiting the results of a Nov. 9 hearing with the Texas Railroad Commission to see if they can be added as a party in the permitting process for the project.