“The Texas state legislature is expected to soon approve one of the largest subsidy programs for solar-power in the U.S.

“Long a leader in oil and natural gas-based energy, Texas embraced wind power years ago and generates more electricity from wind than any other state. Building on that, the state senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved $500 million over five years for a rebate program to encourage solar-power installations, while a senate committee advanced a bill that would mandate a roughly 60% increase in electricity derived from renewable sources other than wind.”

Full article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124042738382344591.html

“Superconductor specialist Zenergy Power said on Monday it had been contracted by Con Edison to build and test a “Smart Grid” device to improve the stability and reliability of New York City’s electrical system.

“The equipment, known as a Fault Current Limiter (FCL), instantly detects and absorbs spikes in power that, left unmanaged, could damage electrical equipment or trigger power outages.”

Full article: http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssUtilitiesElectric/idUSBNG43277720090420