Texas Energy Lab
We are dedicated to covering sustainability and innovation across the Lone Star State. Listen to interviews with Texas business and community leaders who are using 21st-century tools to reduce their environmental footprint and improve their profitability. Contact us at txenergylab@gmail.com for more information.
Episodes
A season one finale host roundtable! Kyle Frazier, Tim Duffy, and Sherren Harter gather in our Austin studio for a recap of the inaugural season of Texas Energy Lab. We recount our favorite episodes, share what we've learned over the past year, and discuss what the future may hold for energy, sustainability, and season two.
Matt Whelan, founding principal of Red Leaf Properties, specializes in bringing a community's vision to life. He is behind some of the most recognizable neighborhoods and urban mixed use developments in Austin, including Spanish Oaks, Mueller, and the transformation of Highland Mall with Austin Community College. Sustainability is core to his approach on every project.
Jason Wills, CMO and former SVP of On-Campus Development at American Campus Communities, on why students are leading the way on sustainability, how ACC went on from its first project at Dobie Center near UT Austin to become a national sustainable leader with dozens of LEED projects from Hawai'I to the Northeast, and what the future may hold for sustainable student housing.
Caitlin Smith, Manager of Government and Regulatory Affairs at Invenergy, explains how the company is investing in Texas, building new sustainable energy projects, creating jobs, and collaborating with stakeholders to create growth.
Sam Sen and Bryan Stewart oversee value added smart home services and renewable energy options for TXU Energy, one of the largest electricity providers in the state of Texas. They sit down with hosts Kyle Frazier and Tim Duffy to share details about TXU's bundled home services, iThermostat product, wind and solar energy plans, and Alexa skill for customer service, as well as what the future of smart homes and renewable ene...
Texas outdoorsman Todd Davidson, Ph.D., wants to solve big challenges, from the defense industry to entrepreneurial ventures to his current role at the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin and the Webber Energy Group. He explains the important role of electric vehicles in addressing climate change, how transportation and electricity are linked, and how decarbonizing the industrial sector is our next big ch...
Listen to this special episode to find out what Nimue (9), Preston (9), Sierra (9), Reed (6), and Weston (4) think about energy, sustainability, and what the future holds. These leaders of tomorrow share their thoughts about solar power, water conservation, electric vehicles, and robots.
Callie Taylor is the Economic Development Director for Clean Technologies at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. She joins hosts Kyle Frazier and Tim Duffy to explain why Austin is a clean tech hub, share Austin's secret to attracting businesses, and show us how Opportunity Austin 4.0 is creating a better future for the region.
John Pitts, Jr., lobbyist at Texas Star Alliance, represents Texas Solar Power Association (TSPA) at the state legislature. He joins hosts Kyle Frazier and Tim Duffy to share the story of his career in public policy, give us the inside story on the Texas legislative process, and consider the future of energy policy in the Lone Star State.
Native Texan Joshua Rhodes, Ph.D., is a Research Analyst at the Webber Energy Group and The University of Texas at Austin Energy Institute. Hosts Kyle Frazier and Tim Duffy chat with him about how electricity supply and demand can be better controlled to bring more wind and solar power onto the grid, address climate change, and lower energy costs for all consumers.
Mike Haggerty has spent almost 30 years helping to grow Thundercloud Subs into an iconic Austin sandwich shop chain that numbers 30 stores, along with co-founders John Meddaugh and Andy Cotton. He joins hosts Kyle Frazier and Tim Duffy to talk about the secrets to Thundercloud's success, their sustainability efforts including solar power and zero waste compliance, and how they give back to the community through the annual ...
The Honorable Drew Springer, Texas House of Representatives, joins us from Muenster in far North Texas to talk about the impact of renewable energy on rural communities in the geographically sprawling Texas House District 68 that he represents. He discusses macro issues like agricultural economics and job creation as well as personal insights such as the view from the top of a wind turbine nacelle and the light pollution f...
Michael Sauder explains how he came to own all six Texas Woodcraft franchises in his second career as an entrepreneur, and he shares his perspective on building a sustainable future with solar power.
Eliminating drought. Saving lives. An innovative atmospheric water generator uses less energy (and can be solar powered) to synthesize fresh water from the air. Retired Army Ranger Moses West, CEO of Paladin Water Technology and founder of Water Rescue Foundation, tells us how his patented technology is changing lives in Puerto Rico and elsewhere.
How do we ensure a healthy and sustainable economic future for Austin? Leigh Christie, Senior Vice President of Global Technology and Innovation at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, talks to us about bringing businesses to Texas and keeping them in the Austin region, attracting international investors, spotlighting diversity among our industries, and addressing the local topics that will most affect our city's future...
Can 2 lines of code clean our electric grid? Katie Ryan, Director of Partnerships at WattTime, explains how choice and automation can increase the use of renewable energy, improve energy efficiency, and reduce emissions. This non-profit provides insights to homeowners, companies, and utilities about their energy usage and uses automated emissions reduction technology to optimize smart devices for both environmental impact ...
Austin-based landscape architect Brian Ott, cofounder of Nudge Design, explains how our perspective on landscape architecture is evolving in urban environments, the connection between our health and the outdoors, and the importance of water management in modern landscape design. He also shares details about two of his commercial landscape architecture firm's projects in downtown Austin: The Grove at Shoal Creek, a mixed-us...
SolarSno is the first off-grid solar-powered shaved ice food trailer in Austin. Founder and owner Thomas Myers joins hosts McKay Proctor and Sherren Harter to explain how his background as an entrepreneur and U.S. Marine prepared him to start SolarSno, how sustainability differentiates his small business to customers and makes it more profitable, and what the future holds.
If you love dogs and have an eye for design, you don’t want to miss Barkitecture! Daniel Campos is a board member and eight-year barkitect who tells us how everyone can enjoy this fun, oh-so-Austin, annual event that raises money for Bastrop Animal Rescue, Emancipet, and PALS (a Meals on Wheels Central Texas program). He also talks about some favorite designs from past years and the latest trends in sustainability and gree...
In our second episode with Paul Hobby of Genesis Park LP, we continue our conversation about energy in Texas. Paul talks with Kyle Frazier, Sherren Harter, and Bret Biggart about the tradeoffs of the various Texas electricity market structures, the future of Texas energy prices, the effect of low natural gas prices on wind and solar power adoption, and how he would approach a business investment in the solar power industry...
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