Energy research organization Pecan Street Inc. launched Texas’ first grid-tied vehicle-to-grid (V2G) testing center at its lab in Austin, Texas, turning electric vehicles into a dispatchable load shaving tool for the municipally-owned electric utility, Austin Energy. The V2G testing center is part of Austin SHINES, an Austin Energy project that is testing…
Plastic packaging is one of the worst environmental crises our planet faces today. Many forms of plastic packaging are single-use and difficult to recycle or are not eligible for recycling in many places. While single-use plastics are falling out of favor in many western countries, some of the world’s largest…
Batteries have long been a persistent headache for recyclers. They’re fire hazards, hard and expensive to break apart and their worth keeps dropping as cheaper ones evolve with fewer valuable materials. But one Iowa State University researcher has developed a technology that could someday make recyclers’ jobs easier and more…
One large worry that many green energy fanatics have about solar panels is what happens to them after they get decommissioned? Sure, solar power is a great source of renewable energy, but what do we do after a panel is at the end of its warranty, cracked, or damaged? Resell…
2018 is over, and a new year of energy evolution is upon us. The past year laid a robust foundation for growth in 2019. It ended with six states and territories, including two of the three largest state economies, committing to 100 percent clean electricity. The solar industry weathered the much-feared…
LucidEnergy is using gravity to help Portland generate electricity. How? The company has patented spherical turbines which allow water to pass through them. These turbines then generate clean electricity that goes to the electric grid. When people think of hydropower, many think of structures such as dams. The qualms with…
Remember when Austin had a plastic bag ban? Remember when it got overturned by the Texas Supreme Court?Today, we have a little update for you. State Representative Gina Hinojosa (who represents part of Austin in the state Legislature) just filed a bill that would allow Austin to reinstate its bag ban. A little…
Office of Sustainability staff sat down with Tom Gleason, Senior Planner at Austin Resource Recovery, to learn more about the organics diversion component of the Universal Recycling Ordinance. The URO requires all food establishments to provide employees with on-site access to strategies to keep food and other organic materials from…
