Renewable energy is helping to keep electricity costs from skyrocketing in Texas as the state sweats beneath a heat dome, Axios' Kate Marino writes.

The big picture: With multiple locations in Texas setting monthly and all-time temperature highs last week, air conditioners have been humming relentlessly.

• Meanwhile, Texas' renewable energy production also climbed to new highs amid outages from a large number of fossil fuel plants.

Why it matters: As states across the U.S. take steps to decarbonize, renewable power's role and reliability are being closely watched in Texas. The Lone Star State has the second-largest renewable capacity in the country (after California) — and is prone to extreme temperatures that can strain the grid.

• So far this year, Texas' renewables have passed the test.

By the numbers: Power prices have climbed from the typical cost of around $30 per megawatt hour — but they've mostly stayed below $50 throughout the week, says Doug Lewin, author of the Texas Energy and Power Newsletter and a consultant who pushes for clean energy adoption.

Two key stats: Renewables reduced wholesale electricity costs in Texas by $11 billion in 2022, according to a recent paper authored by Joshua Rhodes, a research scientist at the University of Texas.

• Transmission congestion cost Texans nearly $3 billion last year.

What we're watching: Summer's just getting started. Keep an eye on our Texas grid as the heat wave continues.

Despite renewable energy's performance, the industry remains a boogeyman in the halls of the Texas Capitol.

The big picture: In this year's regular legislative session, renewable power projects were stricken from a rewrite of the state's biggest incentive program, which aims to bring large businesses to the state.

The irony: As governors, George W. Bush and Rick Perry, both Republicans, helped jump-start wind energy production in Texas.

• Bush signed a wide-ranging 1999 electricity deregulation bill that mandated energy providers get a certain amount of power from renewables.
• Perry backed 2005 legislation that led to the construction of transmission lines to bear wind energy from West Texas to the more populated parts of the state.

Between the lines: The conservative think tank Texas Public Policy Foundation, bankrolled by oilmen such as vice chairman Tim Dunn, has in recent years engaged in an all-out blitz against renewable energy.

Flashback: In the immediate wake of the devastating 2021 winter storm that left hundreds of Texans dead, Gov. Greg Abbott, a guest at TPPF events, criticized wind and solar generation as unreliable — even though all types of energy production had faltered, leading to the massive outages.

• Abbott vowed earlier this year to exclude renewable energy from any renewal of the major economic incentive program.

Yes, but: The wind and solar industries dodged heavier permitting requirements when a Senate bill they opposed failed to make it to the House floor.

What we're watching: Whether the exclusion of renewables from the incentive program actually slows down the industry.

🔍 A Houston man whose mother reported him missing for nearly eight years had been living at home all along, police allege. (Houston Chronicle)

⚾️ Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was officially placed on the 10-day injury list after injuring his oblique during batting practice this week. (Chron)

💸 The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to block student debt relief for millions of Americans is hurting Houstonians. (Houston Landing)

Hurricane forecasters at Colorado State University upped their predictions for the number of tropical cyclones this season.

Driving the news: CSU meteorologists issued their upgraded outlook Thursday and are now predicting an above-average season.

• Back in April, the university's hurricane researchers predicted a below-average season thanks to the El Niño weather pattern.

Typically, El Niño years see fewer tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic due to an increase in upper-level winds that can tear storms apart.

Yes, but: Record warm temperatures across the Atlantic Ocean mean storms will have more fuel to form.

By the numbers: CSU forecasters now predict 18 named storms, nine of them hurricanes and four of them major hurricanes of Category 3 intensity or greater.

• That's more than the seasonal average number of storms (14), hurricanes (seven) and major hurricanes (three) that formed from 1991 to 2020.

Go deeper: NOAA predicts 12 to 17 named storms will form, of which five to nine will become hurricanes and one to four will be major storms.

What to do: Be sure to check out our hurricane prep tips for Houstonians before a storm is in the Gulf.

💼 Check out who's hiring now.

1. Game Presentation Manager at Houston Rockets.
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Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

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We're launching our Sweet Times series with the iconic El Bolillo Bakery.

• In Sweet Times, we'll share our experiences trying new desserts, snacks and drinks.

Details: El Bolillo will transport you to Mexico with its traditional self-serve panaderia layout.

• There are dozens of fresh baked goodies to choose from, including conchas, flan, tres leches, and fresh bolillo and tortillas.

Context: The bakery opened its first location 25 years ago and has three locations: in the Heights, Gulfgate and Pasadena.

• The chain is expected to expand to Mission Bend and Fountain View, per the Houston Chronicle.

Shafaq's experience: I grabbed an array of pan dulce, and all of the sweet breads were fluffy and the perfect amount of sweet.

• The tres leches and flan were dense and delectable.

Cost: Treats ranged from 50 cents to $3.

If you go: Open daily from 6am to 10pm at the Heights and Pasadena locations and from 7am to 10pm at the Gulfgate location.

📭 Know a dessert or drink we should try? Hit reply and tell us.