(Originally published by the Texas Association of Business)
Austin, TX - June 12th, 2023 - U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm met with utility and industry leaders at the Texas Association of Business in Austin. TAB was proud to co-host this energy roundtable with Opportunity Austin.
Mayor Kirk Watson discussed the local support for clean and renewable energy initiatives. He applauded Secretary Granholm for being on the cutting edge of job creation in the industry, particularly throughout her time as Michigan Governor. The Secretary thanked Mayor Watson and underlined the importance of partnering with both industry leaders and local entities to help make clean energy affordable and accessible for everyone.
Secretary Granholm asked Glenn Hamer about the business community’s sentiment on clean energy in Texas. Glenn shared TAB’s support for all-the-above energy strategies, from world-renowned oil and gas generation to wind, solar, carbon capture, hydrogen and geothermal. TAB published a study on the Economic Benefits of Renewable Energy in Rural Texas. Renewables are a large and growing source of tax payments and revenue for many landowners across the state. As the Energy Capital of the World, Texas has the regulatory framework and workforce to embrace all forms of energy.
Secretary Granholm asked utility and industry leaders about the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which devotes $370 billion for energy security. That funding translates to grants and tax credits to help lower consumer energy costs, promote clean energy manufacturing and storage, as well as to make electric vehicles more accessible.
Roundtable participants included CenterPoint Energy VP for Energy Solutions and Business Services, Elizabeth Brock; CeLLink Global VP of Operations, Robb Misso; Yotta Energy CFO, Jonathon Blackburn; Austin Technology Incubator Executive-In-Residence, Becky Taylor; Austin Energy Utility Strategist for Electric Vehicles & Emerging Technologies, Cameron Freberg; Stealth Power COO, Shannon Sentell; and Freedom Solar CEO, Brett Biggart. TAB Board Member, Clay Pope, and several others attended the conversation. TAB thanks Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives Executive Director, Drew Scheberle, and Opportunity Austin’s Stacy Smitt for organizing the event.
