The next time Houston gets hit by a Category 4 hurricane, we might not be out of power for weeks on end, thanks to a $1.3 million grant from the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO).

The funding will go to purchase 25 mobile solar-powered generators for city use in case of emergency. The generators can be used to refrigerate medicine, recharge batteries or power emergency communications systems. When we're not in crisis, they'll provide supplemental energy to fire stations around the city.

"The City of Houston is committed to achieving a sustainable solar-powered infrastructure," Mayor Annise Parker said. "Hurricane Ike's two-week power outage sent a clear message about the need for alternative technologies to help us get through a similar situation in the future. These generators are scheduled to be operational by the 2011 hurricane season."

Think $1.3 million is a lot of money? SECO might not; they're expected to receive $290,193,168 in stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Now we've just got to harness our wind capacity and we're on track to being the greenest red state in the union.