Every morning, we send you a free email packed with Austin news, business, and entertainment. Join 16,000+ readers who wake up to Austonia's newsletter.
Local news and fun, every day 6am.
Featured
austonia newsletter
Most viewed
Tesla solar roof customers would be able to earn money for providing excess energy to the Texas power grid. (Tesla)
Tesla is officially able to sell electricity to Texas retail customers after the state of Texas approved a license for Tesla Energy Ventures this month.
The Tesla subsidiary applied with the Public Utility Commission of Texas to sell electricity in August and was approved on Nov. 3. However, according to the Austin Business Journal, it doesn't mean we can expect Tesla to immediately start selling electricity.
The approval comes as conversations around Texas' electric grid capacity are here to stay heading into the winter months. Last year's snowpocalypse in February left thousands without power in snowy, cold weather.
However, during that time, some reports showed Tesla solar panel and home battery owners were able to avoid blackouts. As an energy provider, those Tesla customers could possibly help power the grid by sharing their excess energy with the grid and earning money for it. Tesla owners would be the first to be offered the electricity service.
Bloomberg also previously reported Tesla Energy Ventures plans to build two giant utility-scale batteries near Giga Texas in southeast Travis County and another in Houston.
Tesla would join 120 other companies already in the Texas retail market for energy.
Enjoying Austonia? Signup for our newsletter to get daily Austin news, straight to your morning inbox!
- Texas grid vulnerable to blackouts during severe winter weather, even with new preparations, ERCOT estimates show - austonia ›
- Giga Texas on track to start production of Model Y by year's end - austonia ›
- Tesla's Cyberquads out of stock ahead of holidays - austonia ›
- Elon Musk named Time's Person of the Year - austonia ›
- New facility Project Cathode coming near Giga Texas, filings show - austonia ›
Popular
(Moriah Wilson/Instagram)
Austin police have charged Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, a local cyclist, for the murder of Moriah "Mo" Wilson.
Wilson, a rising star in the gravel and mountain bike community, was found dead with gunshot wounds inside an East Austin home on the night of May 11 when she was in town for the weekend Gravel Locos race in Hico, Texas.
Police believe Wilson was having a relationship with a man Armstrong was also in a relationship with. The man, another gravel cyclist, Colin Strickland, has since issued a statement on the murder.
In his statement, he said he had a brief romantic relationship with Wilson in October 2021 before he resumed his relationship with Armstrong, but that he remained friends with Wilson. "There is no way to adequately express the regret and torture I feel about my proximity to this horrible crime. I am sorry, and I simply cannot make sense of this unfathomable tragedy.
NEW: Austin professional cyclist Colin Strickland has just released a statement about the murder of cyclist Moriah Wilson, clarifying his relationship with her and expressing “torture about my proximity to this horrible crime.” pic.twitter.com/KnIna3mWrE
— Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) May 20, 2022
Wilson, a 25-year-old Vermont native living in Colorado, had won a slew of races becoming a fan favorite. She had just become a full-time racer this year.
Anyone with information on this crime can contact Austin police at 512-974-TIPS or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 512-472-8477.
- Star biker Moriah Wilson found dead in Austin home - austonia ›
- Man killed in north Austin shooting - austonia ›
- 1996 Californian cold case: Murder suspect arrested in Austin ... ›
Kelly said the planned homeless housing hotel suffered months of damage. (Mackenzie Kelly)
Austin has added 24-hour security to the city-owned Pecan Gardens property, which will be converted into supportive housing for people exiting homelessness, after the former hotel was found with months of damage and vandalism May 5.
The building, which was broken into and stripped of copper and had people illegally sleeping inside of it, has been secured, Kelly said in a Friday press conference. Kelly said the city confirmed a measure to implement 24-hour security, including updates every 60 days until the property opens up as supportive housing.
"We cannot let this happen to any vacant city-owned property ever again," Kelly said. "This blatant act of disregard and criminal behavior will not be tolerated in our community."
The city bought the former hotel in August 2021 for $9.5 million with plans to renovate the property into a 78-unit supportive housing property. Those 55 or older that are experiencing chronic homelessness can qualify to live at the site once it is completed in late 2022-early 2023.
While the council was set to discuss a $4 million deal with Family Eldercare to begin converting the property Thursday, Kelly pulled the item for a later executive session due to security concerns. But the council did approve an item to authorize city leaders to begin negotiating other renovation contracts.
"I want to thank my colleagues for pumping the brakes on this contract and realizing that we owe the community not only an apology, but reassurance that the protection of the assets the city owns is vital to the success of achieving our intended goals," Kelly said.
When the building was found vandalized May 5, Kelly, who presides over the district containing the property, said damage included:
- Damage spanning all three floors of the building and is in nearly every room.
- The entire hotel was stripped of copper.
- Destroyed washers, dryers, air conditioners and electrical wiring.
- People sleeping at the hotel without permission.
On Tuesday, Austin’s Homeless Strategy Officer Dianna Gray apologized and said there was no security due to a delay in processing the request.
- City Council approves purchase of Northwest Austin hotel for ... ›
- Austinites weigh in on city's homeless hotel housing strategy ... ›
- Officer apologizes after break-in at homeless hotel vandalized ... ›
