Texas
A Row Erupts Over Texas’ Bold Bitcoin Battery Plan
Fred Thiel, CEO of Marathon Digital, claims that crypto miners taking part in demand response schemes have helped to stave off blackouts in Texas this 12 months. Mining services acted “like a capacitor,” he says, echoing the battery metaphor, permitting the grid to stay on an excellent keel.
Enthusiasm for the plan from Abbott and different crypto lovers has been punctured by teachers who declare even the fundamental premise is flawed. The thought of utilizing enormous crypto mines to regulate vitality demand relies on “misunderstandings and misrepresentations of the grid and the way it operates,” says Adrian Shelley, an vitality coverage knowledgeable and department director of shopper advocacy group Public Citizen. Though crypto mines are distinctive of their capacity to modify off at quick discover (not like a manufacturing unit, which can take hours to close down), Shelley says the case for putting the additional pressure on the grid within the first place is filled with holes. Abbott’s workplace didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Shelley argues it “doesn’t make sense” to pay miners for assuaging the pressure they themselves are placing on the grid. As well as, a lot of the miners’ buying energy gained instantly from the grid is more likely to lower when demand spikes, as mining is not worthwhile below these situations as a result of rise in vitality costs.
Hirs says there are tens of millions of shoppers already linked to the grid that might fortunately shut off their energy in change for monetary compensation, with out including extra pressure to the grid or inflicting a worth enhance. Below the instruction of the Public Utility Fee of Texas, the state utilities regulator, ERCOT launched a pilot program earlier this month to analyze how common individuals may help help grid reliability—however Hirs says this could have occurred years in the past.
The flood of crypto miners arriving in Texas has additionally attracted the eye of lawmakers. In a letter addressed to ERCOT, a gaggle of US politicians headed by US senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) expressed fears that crypto mining will “add to the stress on the state’s energy grid.” Shelley shares the identical concern: “There’s no approach the grid may deal with all that demand,” he says.
In its response to the letter, ERCOT defined it won’t enable new mining services to energy up if there’s a threat of destabilizing the grid. However the operator additionally mentioned it’s not within the enterprise of predicting the influence of mining on the worth of vitality for shoppers.
Doug Lewin, president of Stoic Vitality, a Texas-based vitality consultancy, is apprehensive a few completely different downside: What occurs if miners determine to not swap off their machines? Whereas the worth of bitcoin sits at $17,000 per coin (down 63 % this 12 months), miners stand to revenue by shutting down. But when the worth have been to rise, a tipping level can be reached whereby persevering with to mine turns into the extra profitable choice.
Some mining corporations, like Marathon, are contractually obligated to close down when demand spikes. But when others select to not, they might be competing with shopper demand and rising the chance of a blackout, says Lewin, who argues regulation is required to mitigate this worst case situation.
Bratcher of the Texas Blockchain Council says he expects ERCOT to ask all miners to signal agreements demanding they halt their operations if energy reserves fall under 3GW. However within the meantime, he claims, the worth of bitcoin must rise by ten instances to ensure that the revenue motive to break down.
Regardless of objections—and questionable logic—below Governor Abbott, the message is evident: “Texas is open for crypto business.” And regardless of headwinds, Bratcher says the mining trade in Texas remains to be rising and ERCOT intends to forge forward with plans to carry extra services onto the grid. However as winter begins to chew, the Bitcoin battery experiment may quickly get the final word stress take a look at. Shelley says the “horrifying” scale of Abbott’s plans could have the other of the specified impact, rising the possibility that Texas leads to the darkish as soon as once more.
GAINESVILLE, Texas (KXII) – Medal of Honor week continued in Gainesville on Thursday with the grand opening of the new Medal of Honor Museum at North Central Texas College (NCTC).
“Let this museum stand as a lasting tribute,” Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson said, speaking to the large crowd and the recipients. “May it inspire future generations to love this country, to serve your neighbors, and to live with the same values that you upheld.”
Leaders from across the region and the state came to salute this major milestone.
“More than 100,000 students, citizens, and visitors will walk through NCTC’s campus each year,” Rep. Brandon Gill said. “That’s 100,000 lives touched, taught, and transformed, and they’ll all remember that the Medal of Honor isn’t given, it’s earned.”
A statement echoed by Sen. Brent Hagenbuch (R-Texas).
“There’s only a precious few that were called and answered the call to the level of warranting a Congressional Medal of Honor, and I so appreciate you all,” he said. “It’s a great, great honor to meet you, and I hope you can see how much we appreciate you.”
Medal of Honor recipient James Taylor said this museum was in the works for over two decades.
“We had a dream about this,” he said. “This here means so much to me, and all the friends that I’ve met down there over 23 years, I can’t replace them and I think about them every day.”
NCTC Chancellor Dr. Brent Wallace said the emotion in the air on Thursday was powerful.
“I’ve seen a lot of tears today,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of the family, especially of our recipients, that are brought to tears seeing their loved one’s memorabilia displayed in a beautiful facility.”
The museum won’t officially open to the public for a few more weeks, but those in attendance got a sneak peek.
“It’s just fantastic that the population of Gainesville and the surrounding area, you’ve got to come, this is the jewel, it is precious and it’s wonderful,” Taylor said.
And for the younger generations, he had a simple piece of advice.
“Live your dream,” he said. “Set your goals, never quit, and never give up.”
A full list of times and events still to come this week is as follows:
- Friday, 10 a.m. — Tree Dedication at Homegrown Hero Walking Trail
- Friday, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. — Ticketed Banquet at the Gainesville Civic Center
- Saturday, 10 a.m. — Medal of Honor Parade through Downtown Gainesville
- Saturday, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Book Signing at the Gainesville Civic Center
Copyright 2025 KXII. All rights reserved.
SAN ANTONIO – After years of fighting the release of the A-F Accountability grades, Texas Public School districts will get their results for the 2022-2023 school year.
A decision by a 15th Court of Appeals judge called for the release of the grades.
The grades will be made available to school districts on April 17 and to the public on April 24, 2025.
To check the grades, click here.
Ruben De Los Santos with Futuro San Antonio, a local nonprofit, said it’s important for families to look at the grades, find out how their child is doing and compare that to how their child’s school scored.
“The A-F rating is not a perfect thing,” De Los Santos said. “But it’s definitely not something that we should see as the only thing that I’m judging my school by. But it definitely helps tell a story about what’s going on in my children’s school and whether or not it’s working for my family or not. ”
De Los Santos said it’s also important to remember that the data is not current. The results for the 2024 A-F Accountability grades are still held up in court.
Read more:
Copyright 2025 by KSAT – All rights reserved.
HOUSTON – Texas Southern University (TSU) is on lockdown as Houston Police investigate a nearby shooting.
The TSU Police Department says the shooting happened in the area of Ennis and Rosewood, nearby but not on campus.
Homicide detectives are en route to the 2900 block of Rosewood St. near Ennis St. after a man was found fatally shot inside a vehicle about 2:30 pm.
Witnesses reported seeing two male suspects fleeing the scene on foot. A search is ongoing. Please avoid the area.#hounews
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) April 9, 2025
HPD confirms a man was found fatally shot in a vehicle in the 2900 block of Rosewood.
Police are searching for the suspects, last seen heading south towards the TSU campus.
One of the suspects is described as thin with short dreadlocks wearing a white T-shirt and dark colored shorts and a white backpack.
The second suspect is described as a heavyset Black male with dreadlocks last seen with a white shirt and a black backpack.
The campus is currently on lockdown and students are told to stay indoors.
Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
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