energy efficiency

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March 29, Maria Richards, Geothermal Lab coordinator at SMU Dallas (and collaborators from SMU, TCU and the University of Utah) for an op-ed advocating that geothermal energy — affordable and widely available in Texas — ought to become a bigger part of the Texas energy portfolio. Published in the Austin American-Statesman: http://bit.ly/3rDWRXG

It is easy to look back at the recent Texas cold snap and identify the fixes needed in the energy grid. The oil and gas industry will also play a role in addressing the financial impact from COVID-19. Thus, the question becomes: How can we diversify our Texas energy portfolio while providing affordable and reliable heat, electricity and cooling?

One answer: Tap the Texas geothermal resources.

Continue reading “Got geothermal? Texas does and ought to tap the resource”

Feb. 24, Eva Csaky, executive director of the SMU Dallas Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity, for a piece advocating for better energy efficiency in Texas to avoid circumstance such as the severe weather that devastated the electrical power grid. Published in the Houston Chronicle (print) with the heading Energy efficiency is the forgotten fuel to prepare Texas for climate extremes: https://bit.ly/3nrxObB or http://bit.ly/3uwf1gk

During the historic winter storm that nearly toppled the Texas grid, Texans were asked to conserve energy in the hope of avoiding blackouts. Quickly it became apparent that they were being asked to do the impossible. Indoor temperatures rapidly dropped into the 30s and 40s as outages hit, and during the periods in which heat was on, temperatures barely climbed into the 50s in many homes. Calls for residents to “conserve energy” proved to be paradoxical considering that many of the buildings lack sufficient insulation and other necessary features to do so.

Continue reading “Energy efficiency is the forgotten fuel to prepare Texas for climate extremes”