Georgetown, Texas, is perhaps best known for its antiques and retirees. So what led former Vice President Al Gore and hundreds of renewable energy leaders to converge on this small Central Texas town last month? In 2016, Georgetown became the nation’s largest city to rely on 100% renewable electricity after signing a solar agreement with NRG[1]. In this context, the city provided a fitting backdrop for the GridNext conference organized by the Texas Renewable Energy Industry Alliance (TREIA). Each year, GridNext convenes private, public, and academic sectors to discuss the rise of renewable energy and the implications for the Texas grid.