Dear Esteemed Friends of Power Across Texas,
As we all begin to look towards 2016, we wanted to take a moment to share some important news with you.
The Power Across Texas (PAT) Board of Directors has recently voted to wind up the organization, effective the end of 2015, as it launches a separate and independent initiative: the Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute (TEPRI). TEPRI will formally launch to the public in early 2016. Its mission as a research institute is to acquire and share actionable data that helps meet the needs of the energy poor in Texas. TEPRI has its roots in one of PAT’s signature programs that in 2013 brought together academia, industry and government to address access to electricity in the colonias of South Texas. As a culmination of its mission, the PAT Board looks forward to spinning out TEPRI, a new and separate non-profit with its own board, mission and staff.
During the past 8 years, Power Across Texas has impacted people in the following ways:
- Granted $103,500 in scholarship awards to 43 graduate student leaders from 12 public universities in Texas who worked with faculty supervisors and industry to develop commercially viable solutions to current energy challenges in Texas
- Awarded a Texas Workforce Commission grant of $625,000 for which PAT developed a learning-based virtual world for teens and tweens that explores the math and science of energy
- Coalesced a Research Advisory Council (RAC) comprised of 30 experts from 15 private and public universities and research institutes in Texas, and nationally renowned action groups
- Provided intimate settings to learn and interact with over 26 impactful policy and industry leaders representing Texas and the United States
- Developed 300 thoughtful white papers and/or blog posts to inform Texas elected officials and relevant stakeholders about key energy and power issues affecting the State
- Introduced dynamic industry thought leaders to a network of 600 PAT followers through virtual videos
In closing, we want to express a heartfelt thank you for being a valued supporter of Power Across Texas! We certainly appreciated the opportunity to learn and work together, as well as to benefit from your collaboration in pursuing our mission to “advance the understanding and conversation on issues critical to the energy industry.”
We wish you a prosperous 2016 and we look forward to continuing to work together albeit in new ways!
Sincerely,
Power Across Texas Board of Directors
