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New podcast launches to shine light on changing energy landscape in Texas

The podcast, called Phases and Stages: The Texas Energy Story , will be hosted by Andy Uhler, who will visit a different Texas location every month to analyze the evolving energy landscape of the state. Photo via Getty Images

The University of Texas at Austin's Energy Institute is premiering a Texas-focused energy transition podcast next month.

The podcast, called Phases and Stages: The Texas Energy Story— a nod to Willie Nelson's 17th studio album, is an hour-long, story-format podcast hosted by Andy Uhler, an Austin-based journalism fellow at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy & University of Texas Energy Institute and former KUT Radio reporter.

In the first season, which premieres Wednesday, September 25, Uhler will visit a different Texas location every month to analyze the evolving energy landscape of the state.

"Today, Texas leads the nation in combined wind and solar production and will soon be home to a Gulf Coast hub promising to expand the clean hydrogen industry," reads UT's website. "New energy ventures are proliferating across the state as entrepreneurs seize the opportunity to leverage Texas’ energy infrastructure and expertise to bring promising new innovations to market. Even oil and gas companies are expanding into nontraditional sectors, as advanced technologies open up new possibilities."

UT estimates that nearly 1.4 million Texans are directly or indirectly supported by the oil and gas sector. The podcast sets out to examine questions about how new energy expansion in the Lone Star State will effect the lives of Texans, as well as how the local economies and job markets are expected to evolve.

"Traveling the state to gather first-hand accounts beyond the oil rig and the boardroom, award-winning public radio correspondent Andy Uhler speaks with farmers, school teachers, community members, and everyone in between to get a sense of what the energy transition means for Texans and their communities," the website continues.

The UT Energy Institute will host a launch event for Phases and Stages with Uhler on Wednesday, September 25, 5 to 7 pm, to celebrate the show's series premiere as part of EnergizeUT.

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A View From HETI

Thanks to a new partnership, Engie North America plans to add 'precycling' provisions to power purchase agreements on projects in the Midwest. Photo via Getting Images.

Houston-based Engie North America has partnered with Arizona-based Solarcycle to recycle 1 million solar panels on forthcoming projects with a goal of achieving project circularity.

The collaboration allows Engie to incorporate "precycling" provisions into power purchase agreements made on 375 megawatts worth of projects in the Midwest, which are expected to be completed in the next few years, according to a news release from Engie.

Engie will use Solarcycle's advanced tracking capabilities to ensure that every panel on the selected projects is recycled once it reaches its end of life, and that the recovered materials are returned to the supply chain.

Additionally, all construction waste and system components for the selected projects will be recycled "to the maximum degree possible," according to Engie.

“We are delighted to bring this innovative approach to life. Our collaboration with Solarcycle demonstrates the shared commitment we have to the long-term sustainability of our industry,” Caroline Mead, SVP power marketing at ENGIE North America, said in the release.

Solarcyle, which repairs, refurbishes, reuses and recycles solar power systems, estimates that the collaboration and new provisions will help divert 48 million pounds of material from landfills and avoid 33,000 tons of carbon emissions.

“ENGIE’s precycling provision sets a new precedent for the utility-scale solar industry by proving that circular economy principles can be achieved without complex regulatory intervention and in a way that doesn’t require an up-front payment," Jesse Simons, co-founder and chief commercial officer at SOLARCYCLE, added in the release. "We’re happy to work creatively with leaders like ENGIE to support their commitment to circularity, domestic energy, and sustainability.”

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