Back in 2008, TEES, Xtreme Power, Webb County, and the College of Architecture’s Colonias Program (then under the Center for Housing and Urban Development (CHUD)), partnered to provide 12 homes in colonia La Presa with power using a micro grid. A micro grid is a small network of electricity users with a local source of supply, that provides electricity to a limited area.
The project was funded by the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO). The project utilized bio-fuel generators, solar panels, wind turbines, and cargo trailers with load bank of batteries.
After the project ended, the equipment was relocated to TEEX in San Antonio where the Colonias Program moved their headquarters to in 2011. After an internal transfer of the equipment from TEES to the Colonias Program, we set out to put the equipment back to use. Dr. Leo G. Cigarroa High School in Laredo, Texas was initially involved with developing and building the electricity-generating wind turbine with the original project and they happened to have a need for portable electricity.
The softball team at Cigarroa has access to a new facility off campus, but adjacent to the campus is a baseball field that they use for practice. This site unfortunately does not have electricity which is necessary to power the batting cages.
Through a long term loan of this equipment to Laredo ISD Career & Technical Education, students will be able to refurbish the equipment to serve the need for portable electricity. Along with the loan of the trailers, HVAC training equipment, and surplus medical training equipment was provided to Cigarroa’s HVAC class, and HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America).
If you would like to get involved with this or other projects of the Colonias Program, please send an email to colonias@arch.tamu.edu.    

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Mario Guel
Mario is a Master of Jursiprudence student at the Texas A&M Law School - San Antonio Center