Energy Management and Renewable Energy Newsletter

News and Updates:

Local Partnership Drives Research on Biogas
State of Renewable Energy in North Central Texas
McDonald's and Wells Fargo Make Major Renewable Energy Purchases
Texas' Newest, and Largest, Installed Solar Project Has Been Completed
No-Cost Technical Assistance to Cities Interested in Achieving SolSmart Designation
USDA Grant: REAP Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance Program
USDA Grant: REAP Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements
U.S. Department of Energy Announces $128 Million in New Projects to Advance Solar Technologies
New Master's Program Prepares Students to Energize the World
How Cities Are Turning Food Into Fuel

Events:

Webinar: Portfolio Manager 101 - December 3
Webinar: ENERGY STAR and Green Building Rating Systems - December 3
Webinar: How Buildings of all Shapes and Sizes are Becoming Zero Energy Users - December 3
Webinar: Every Drop Counts - Assessing and Evaluating Water Efficiency in Capital Improvement Projects - December 4
Webinar: Value Added: Measuring the Health Benefits of Energy Efficiency and Renewables - December 5
TEMA Accredited Texas Energy Manager (ATEM) Review Session and Exam - December 5th and 6th
Webinar: Portfolio Manager 201 - December 10
Webinar: Electric Vehicles: The Utility Connection - December 11
Webinar: Portfolio Manager 301 - December 12
Webinar: Leveraging COG Programs and Funding to Support Energy Management for Your Members - January 22
ERCOT Market Summit - February 25-27

Local Partnership Drives Research on Biogas

The University of Texas at Arlington, the North Central Texas Council of Governments, and the City of Dallas are partnering to develop vehicle fuel of the future: renewable natural gas or electricity generated from food waste and yard waste. The project, titled "Food & Flora Waste to Fleet Fuel: Development and Application of the F4 Framework," is being funded by the Center for Transportation Equity, Decisions & Dollars, supported by USDOT. The project will help cities determine the feasibility of using existing anaerobic digesters at wastewater treatment plants, which currently process sludge, to also convert food and yard waste into biogas. Stay tuned to hear more about this partnership in the future.

State of Renewable Energy in North Central Texas

Curious about the state of renewable energy in the North Central Texas region? Here are some quick facts!

Solar:

Across Texas, 10 municipalities have received the SolSmart designation and 6 of those are right here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
North Texas boasts nearly 20,000 (behind the meter) distributed solar installations. That is nearly a third of the statewide total!
Between 2008 and 2015, the number of residential rooftop installations grew from only 6 to more than 4,500.

Electric Vehicles:

Dallas-Fort Worth has the second largest National Drive Electric Week event in the country. This year saw over 500 people register and over 180 Electric Vehicles (EVs) on display.
North Texas leads the whole state in EV registration with more than a third (37.58%) of registered EVs coming from the North Central Texas region.
EVs registered in North Central Texas grew from 104 in 2011 to over 13,000 in 2019!
Electric utilities in the DFW area are actively engaged in supporting electric vehicle adoption.

McDonald's and Wells Fargo Make Major Renewable Energy Purchases

McDonald’s recently signed a 'virtual' power purchase agreement (PPA) for enough wind and solar power to run 2,500 of its restaurants, in the latest major entry to the US corporate renewable energy segment. The fast-food chain’s PPA for output from the Aviator Wind West wind farm in Texas sees it joining the likes of Facebook in major corporation's quest to support wind and solar projects as a step towards addressing climate change. The deal is a ‘virtual’ PPA, which means the power is generated elsewhere but counts towards the buyer’s own decarbonisation goals.

Wells Fargo also recently announced a 10-year structured renewable energy agreement with Reliant, an NRG Energy company. The agreement is the bank’s largest contract to date in support of its corporate strategy to advance the development of new sources of renewable energy in order to meet its electricity needs. The new agreement will provide approximately 62,000 megawatt-hours of solar energy annually to approximately 400 Wells Fargo properties from a new utility-scale solar facility in Texas. To read more about Wells Fargo's energy purchase, click here.

No-Cost Technical Assistance to Cities Interested in Achieving SolSmart Designation
The North Central Texas Council of Government (NCTCOG) wants to connect communities interested in becoming SolSmart designate with free technical assistance! SolSmart has created a team of national experts who evaluate programs and practices impacting solar markets to identify high-prospect opportunities for improvements and help communities across the country. All cities, counties and regional organizations are eligible to become designated and receive no-cost assistance. For program details and to request a free consultation with the SolSmart team, check out their website or contact NCTCOG.

USDA Grant: REAP Energy Audit and Renewable Energy
Development Assistance Program

This program is designed to assist rural small businesses and agricultural producers by conducting and promoting energy audits and providing Renewable Energy Development Assistance (REDA).

Who may apply for this program?

State and local governments.
Federally-recognized tribes.
A land-grant college or university or other institutions of higher education.
Rural electric cooperatives.
Public power entities.
An instrumentality of a state, tribal or local government.
A Resource Conservation & Development Council (as defined in 16 USC §3451).

The application deadline is January 31, 2020. To apply or learn more, click here.

USDA Grant: REAP Renewable Energy Systems and Energy
Efficiency Improvements

The Rural Energy for America Program will provide funds to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to install renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements. The Rural Energy for America Program is designed to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs and consumption and help meet the nations critical energy needs. The grants are awarded on a competitive basis.

Eligible Applicants and Additional Information on Eligibility:
Eligible applicants are agricultural producers and rural small businesses. All agricultural producers, including farmers and ranchers, who gain 50% or more of their gross income from the agricultural operations are eligible. Small businesses that are located in a rural area can also apply. Rural electric cooperatives may also be eligible to apply. Additional Information on Eligibility: Project - The project must be to conduct a feasibility study for a renewable energy system. Eligible technologies include: projects that produce energy from wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, hydro power and hydrogen-based sources. All projects must be located in a rural area and must be owned by the applicant. Legal authority and responsibility - Each applicant must have, or obtain, the legal authority necessary to carry out the purpose of the grant.

The application deadline is September 30, 2020. To apply or learn more, click here.

New Master's Program Prepares Students
to Energize the World

A partnership between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the University of Colorado at Boulder has led to a new masters degree program in Next-Generation Power and Energy Systems. Rapid energy sector changes are creating new opportunities for students who want to help build the electric power grid of the future. As the grid increasingly integrates variable renewable energy sources—such as wind, solar, and electric vehicles—industry demand for professionals who can help mitigate the impacts of variability and uncertainty in power generation systems is growing. Instructors from CU Boulder’s faculty and NREL research programs will teach courses designed to help students learn about grid modernization-related challenges the laboratory is addressing, such as renewable energy source integration, cybersecurity, and the potential of autonomous energy grids. Applications are due December 2019 for classes starting Fall semester of 2020. To learn more, visit the CU Next-Generation Power and Energy Systems graduate program website.

How Cities Are Turning Food Into Fuel

Every year Americans throw away more than 80 million pounds of food, and more than three-quarters of that ends up in landfills. Once in the landfill, it takes up more room than any other kind of waste and produces greenhouse gases equivalent to 3.4 million vehicles. A growing number of municipalities around the country from Brooklyn, NY to Los Angeles, CA are looking for ways to turn this previously untapped resource into usable energy in the form of bio-gas. These efforts are being driven both by legislation and public demand to limit the size of landfills and reduce carbon footprints. Read the full article on Politico.

Whitepaper: Local Government Energy Reporting Requirements in Texas

As the largest energy consumer in the United States, Texas’ demand for power is growing faster than any other state and continues to rise as the population grows. In fact, Texas’ demand for power continues to grow faster than any other state in the U.S. To mitigate the potential emissions impacts and demand on the grid, Texas has passed legislation targeting local governments to reduce their energy consumption. However, even with legislation in place, many local governments are not meeting their reporting obligations. This whitepaper produced by NCTCOG outlines energy efficiency measures and requirements that institutes of higher education, state agencies and political subdivisions in non-attainment or near non-attainment counties are subject to complying with.

Read the whitepaper here.

Case Study: The City of Lewisville's Energy Consumption Reduction

Since the 1980’s, the City of Lewisville’s population has been experiencing rapid growth and is now home to approximately 100,000 residents. This rapid growth has led city leaders to pursue energy conservation strategies that will achieve a sustainable community. In July 2014, Lewisville adopted a strategic plan, the Lewisville 2025 Plan. This strategic plan guides the development of Lewisville up until 2025 and provides a foundation of themes, priorities and actions that support the city’s policies and goals. During the development of the plan, nine citywide priorities were identified in visioning workshops throughout the community. One of those nine priorities is sustainability. Supported by this document, the Lewisville 2025 Plan, city staff are continuously taking steps to promote energy conservation through energy policies and actions.

Read more about their efforts in this case study produced by NCTCOG here.

Case Study: Development of an Energy Management Plan for
Tarrant Regional Water District

Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) is one of the largest raw water transmission systems in North Central Texas, serving 11 counties and providing water to more than 2.1 million people. TRWD has more than 100 facilities, ranging from large office buildings and reservoir spillways to guard lights. As a large raw water provider, TRWD is a huge energy consumer, annually using between 150,000,000 kWh to 550,000,000 kWh. TRWD’s water transmission system which, consists of pump stations, interconnect valves, balancing reservoirs, pipelines, cathodic protection systems and chemical feed systems, is responsible for consuming 90% of the energy footprint in the service area. As a result, energy management has been an essential part of TRWD’s best practices for many decades. In late 2018, TRWD began formalizing the long-standing best management practices into an energy management program. This case study produced by NCTCOG briefly examines TRWD’s Draft Energy Management Plan, energy management applications and software, and the lessons learned during the Energy Management Plan development process.

Read the case study here.

Energy Star Webinar: ENERGY STAR and Green Building Rating Systems

During this session, attendees will learn how to use EPA tools and resources to help meet requirements for the following green building rating systems:

U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) v4
Green Globes
Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) Certified Sustainable Properties (CSP)
BOMA BEST

Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Time: 2:00 - 3:00 pm CST
Register online here

Webinar: How Buildings of all Shapes and Sizes are Becoming Zero Energy Users
From affordable student housing to high-infill offices, a rapidly accelerating building trend is the proliferation of zero energy buildings. Embracing "deep" energy efficiency, these projects prioritize efficiency and add on-site renewable generation to achieve net zero energy use over the year. Come hear about the financial, technological, and design process innovations that make these projects a reality today.

Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Time: 2:00 - 3:00 pm CST
Register online here

Energy Star Webinar: Every Drop Counts - Assessing and Evaluating Water Efficiency in Capital Improvement Projects
Achieving significant water savings can often require going beyond the low-hanging fruit. Find out how to take the information collected during a facility water assessment to evaluate and prioritize larger-scale projects to maximizing water, energy, and cost savings. Get the information you need to include water efficiency in capital improvements through equipment retrofits and replacements during a renovation or when designing a new facility or space.

Date: Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Time: 12:00 - 1:00 pm EST
Register online here

Webinar: Value Added: Measuring the Health Benefits of Energy
Efficiency and Renewables

The health benefits of reducing criteria pollutants have been quantified in numerous studies, however, putting a value on how energy efficiency and renewable energy reduce these pollutants and provide health benefits has been more technically challenging. As a result, most cost-effectiveness analyses leave it out, and energy planning typically values the benefits at zero.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has produced a new tool, Estimating the Health Benefits per-Kilowatt Hour of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, that has the potential to change this status quo. It demonstrates that the health benefits gained from installing wind and solar may exceed the cost of new clean energy resources, and confirms that energy efficiency continues to prove its worth as the "first fuel."

Join this webinar discussion to learn more about this innovative new tool and ways in which policymakers can ensure that this public-health value is reflected in energy planning, resource acquisition, utility dispatch and electric rate design. The presentation will be followed by ample opportunity for questions.

Date: Thursday, December 5, 2019
Time: 1:00 pm CST
Register online here

TEMA Accredited Texas Energy Manager (ATEM) Review Session and Exam

This is an exam for the Accredited Texas Energy Manager (ATEM) credential. An Accredited Texas Energy Manager is one who efficiently manages and optimizes the performance of facilities and systems related to building operations. These individuals reduce energy consumption through cost effective approaches. The ATEM has gained increased recognition in Texas within companies looking to decrease their use of resources and improve their sustainability footprint. Take your career to the next level by signing up for their online course, review session and exam below. A revamped online course is now available to prepare you for the exam at your own pace. TEMA membership not required to sit for the exam but does provide discounts on the training materials and test fees. The ATEM curriculum and exam have been revised, as of 2019. Registration and payment required before being allowed to sit for the exam. This exam can ONLY be taken if the ATEM class has been taken and completed.

Review: December 5, 2019 - Rockwall ISD
Exam: December 6, 2019 - DCCCD North Lake Campus

Register for the ATEM Online Courses here.
Register for the Review and Exam here.

Webinar: Electric Vehicles: The Utility Connection
This webinar will highlight the ways utilities and governments can work together to make electric vehicles and charging more reliable, accessible, affordable, and environmentally beneficial. It will feature speakers from the Smart Electric Power Alliance, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, and Seattle City Light. Here is a sneak peak at the agenda:

Introduction: Andrea Denny and Jessica Daniels, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
A Comprehensive Look at Electric Vehicle Managed Charging: Erika Myers, Smart Electric Power Alliance
Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Transportation Electrification Efforts: Hanna Terwilliger, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
Seattle's Transportation Electrification Action Plan: Andrea DeWees and Emeka Anyanwu, Seattle City Light

Date: Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Time: 1:00-2:30 pm CST
Register online here

Webinar: Leveraging COG Programs and Funding to Support Energy Management for Your Members

Created by the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) just for other Council of Governments (COGs) - this webinar will showcase how to leverage existing COG programs that already have complementary energy management related elements to help drive energy efficiency and management initiatives for members in your region. NCTCOG will share with other COGs their experience on working with energy management programs and provide recommendations on programs that can help facilitate leveraging funds that are already available to you. Example program areas include: solid waste, emergency preparedness, air quality, transportation, and weatherization programs.

Date: January 22, 2020
Time: 10:00 am CST
Registration: Coming soon!

ERCOT Market Summit

The ERCOT Market Summit will examine new market rules and economic drivers, while bringing policy-makers together with utility, solar, wind, IPP, finance, and trading executives to explore potential solutions and opportunities. They will examine the possible impacts of an anticipated upsurge in solar capacity not only on power prices but also resource adequacy, as well as how the changing generation mix will drive opportunities for storage and DERs to meet market needs.

Date: February 25-27, 2020
Location: Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol - Austin, TX
Register here