The Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute (TEPRI) is an advocacy group funded by energy and solar companies in Texas that promotes the expansion of weather-dependent solar and wind energy within the state.

The organization was founded in 2015 and claims to promote energy efficiency policies in order to save energy costs for low-income Texans. The organization mainly supports the expansion of solar energy within Texas, stating that solar makes up only 4 percent of the state’s electricity generation whereas the state is the largest generator of wind energy. The member companies that fund the organization include Big Sun Solar, Sunrun, and TXU Energy. ^{1 2} The group is also funded by the environmentalist Energy Foundation. ³

TEPRI also supports a concept it calls “energy equity,” stating that the organization supports a transition away from traditional energy sources but that “past energy transitions have too often maintained social dynamics that resulted in social, economic, and health disadvantages for low-income communities and communities of color.” ⁴

Background

The Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute (TEPRI) was founded in 2015 and is funded by electric companies as well as home and commercial solar-energy companies. The group supports the advancement of various policies that expand the use and government subsidization of weather-dependent energy sources. The group supports the “deployment of energy efficiency measures, clean distributed generation and storage, electric vehicles, and other advanced energy technologies” claiming that such policies will “reduce energy burdens and increase resilience in low-income communities.” ⁵

Energy Equity

TEPRI also supports a concept it calls “energy equity,” stating that the organization supports a transition away from traditional energy sources but that “past energy transitions have too often maintained social dynamics that resulted in social, economic, and health disadvantages for low-income communities and communities of color.” ⁶

Policy Stances

The Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute (TEPRI) supports a variety of left-of-center energy policies and programs. The group supports the expansion of low-income subsidies for weather-dependent electricity sources including solar energy and supports the expansion and subsidies for electric vehicle purchases and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. ⁷

TEPRI also supports the expansion of federal Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds for residential solar installations, leading a campaign alongside the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), Frontier Energy, Texas Solar Energy Society, AEP Texas, the Austin Area Urban League, and the Community Services Agency of South Texas. ⁸

Members

Members of the Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute (TEPRI) include AEP Texas, Austin Energy, Big Sun Solar, El Paso Electric, CPS Energy, Dentons, EnerChoice, Klein Energy, Oncor, Phase Health, Smart Electric Power Alliance, SunRun, the Texas Association of Community Action Agencies, Texas Gas Services, Trinity River Community Solar Services, and TXU Energy. ⁹

The group’s research has been funded by the Energy Foundation, an environmentalist grantmaking organization. ¹⁰

Leadership

Margo Weisz is the executive director of the Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute (TEPRI). Weisz previously served on the TEPRI board of directors and helped launch the organization. She is also a partner at consulting firm City Lights Group. Weisz was previously the founder and CEO at PeopleFund, an investment fund for “small businesses and social ventures.” She also was chairwoman for the Austin Mayor’s Small Business Task Force, and a member of the “Mayor’s Task Force on Institutional Racism in Finance.” She has  taught courses at the University of Texas. ¹¹

1. “Our Members.” TEPRI. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://tepri.org/our-members/
2. “Our Work.” TEPRI. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://tepri.org/our-work/
3. “Energy Opportunities Coalition 2021 Report.” TEPRI. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://tepri.org/2021/11/energy-opportunities-coalition-2021-report-2/
4. “Our Work.” TEPRI. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://tepri.org/our-work/
5. “Our Work.” TEPRI. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://tepri.org/our-work/
6. “Our Work.” TEPRI. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://tepri.org/our-work/
7. “Energy Opportunities Coalition 2021 Report.” TEPRI. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://tepri.org/2021/11/energy-opportunities-coalition-2021-report-2/
8. “TEPRI 2023 Outlook.” TEPRI. Accessed April 21, 2023.  https://tepri.org/2023/01/tepri-2023-outlook/
9.  “Our Members.” TEPRI. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://tepri.org/our-members/
10. “Energy Opportunities Coalition 2021 Report.” TEPRI. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://tepri.org/2021/11/energy-opportunities-coalition-2021-report-2/
11. “Margo Weisz.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed April 21, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/margo-weisz-5b98537/