Executive Director
Pecan Street Project
3925 West Braker Lane
Austin
TXUSA
78759
Biographical Sketch: Brewster McCracken is Executive Director of Pecan Street Project Inc., a clean energy/smart
grid research and development organization headquartered at the University of Texas. In
collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Pecan Street is developing and
implementing smart grid and clean energy technologies and business models.
Mr. McCracken was the lead author of Pecan Streetʼs successful federal stimulus application.
Pecan Streetʼs stimulus project, funded under the Department of Energyʼs Smart Grid
Demonstration Project fund, is developing an advanced Energy Internet at the 711-acre Mueller
mixed-use development in Austin.
Brewster was elected to two terms on the Austin City Council (elected at large), and he served
as the Councilʼs Mayor Pro Tem. Through his elected position, he also served as a board
member for Austin Energy, the nationʼs fourth largest municipally owned utility.
In 2008, he led the creation of the Pecan Street Project. In 2007, he made Austin Energy the
first utility in the nation to open its grid for emerging clean energy companies to beta test their
technologies.
Mr. McCracken was the national development co-chair for the Congress for the New Urbanismʼs
2008 Congress, and he is a founding member and board member of the CNU Austin-San
Antonio chapter. He is the lead author of Austinʼs Urban Design Standards and Mixed Use
Ordinance. He was named a national nominee for the American Planning Associationʼs
Distinguished Leadership Award for an Elected Official for his efforts.
Brewster first became interested in clean energy at the age of 14, when he built a solar water
heater in his parentʼs garage and entered it in the Corpus Christi Alternative Energy Fair.
Corpus Christi never held another alternative energy fair, but Brewster carried his passion for
clean energy throughout his career and to the Austin City Council.
A native of Corpus Christi, Brewster grew up surfing and playing guitar and baseball. He
graduated with honors from Princeton University and the University of Texas School of Law. He
also holds a masterʼs degree from the LBJ School. The Writersʼ League of Texas selected his
first novel as a finalist in its annual manuscript competition.