Valet on Demand

Parking in Austin is about to get easier and cheaper with new on-demand valet service

Luxe valet service mobile app phone screen 2015

Luxe launches in Austin on July 29.

Parking in downtown Austin is a huge pain, and nearly impossible these days, but an innovative new service aims to make your next trip a breeze.

Luxe, launching in Austin this week, offers a simple solution to parking woes. The mobile app, which already serves major cities like Los Angeles and New York, connects frustrated drivers with a network of local valets that will park and return your car in record time.

The service is simple. First, tell Luxe where you're located. A certified driver will pick up your car and take it to a secure parking area or garage. When you're ready to drive again, your car will be returned safely within 15 minutes of your request.

The San Francisco-based company promises an affordable alternative to parking garages or other services. "Luxe’s competitive rates either match or are less expensive than typical parking fees," says the company. The app charges $4 an hour with a maximum fee of $16. The overnight rate is a reasonable $10. Luxe also offers monthly parking packages for Austinites, starting at $249. Other perks for Luxe users include car washing and refueling services for an additional fee.

Luxe launches in Austin on Wednesday, July 29. The valet service is available in downtown Austin and the Rainey Street District but plans to expand to other parts of the city in the future. Download the Luxe app for free on your Apple or Android device.

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Power Up

$1.4 billion Texas project to match 446,000 cars in clean energy yearly

Photo courtesy of SMECI

The San Miguel Electric Cooperative has received a major investment for clean energy.

The United States Department of Agriculture recently announced that San Miguel Electric Cooperative Inc., located in Christine, Texas, in Atascosa County, just outside of San Antonio, will transition its operations to produce 600 megawatts of energy using solar panels and a battery energy storage system (BESS).

The project is expected to reduce climate pollution by 1.8 tons annually, the equivalent to removing 446,000 cars from the road each year, says USDA.

The project with the San Miguel Electric Cooperative plans to use the more than $1.4 billion investment to procure 600 megawatts of renewable energy through solar voltaic panels and a battery energy storage system to power 47 counties across rural South Texas. The clean project also hopes to support as many as 600 jobs.

This is part of the more than $4.37 billion in clean energy investments through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Empowering Rural America (New ERA) Program, which has rural electric cooperatives supporting the economy via job creation, lowering electricity costs for businesses and families, and reducing climate pollution. The New ERA was made possible by President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which was the largest investment in rural electrification since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act into law in 1936.

San Miguel plans to convert its operations to a 400-megawatt solar generation facility and 200-megawatt battery storage facility, and the transition should be complete by 2027. Currently, San Miguel produces 391 megawatts of electricity through a contract with South Texas Electric Cooperative (STEC).

“USDA is committed to enhancing the quality of life and improving air and water in our rural communities,” Secretary Tom Vilsack says in a news release. “The Inflation Reduction Act’s historic investments enable USDA to partner with rural electric cooperatives to strengthen America’s energy security and lower electricity bills for hardworking families, farmers and small business owners.”

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This story originally appeared on our sister site, EnergyCapitalHTX.com.

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