Energy Management and Renewable Energy Newsletter

News and Updates:

City of Dallas Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan Comment Period Closing March 3

HARC Combined Heat and Power Free Technical Assistance
Smithville Approves 1-Megawatt Solar Farm
Denmark's Largest Energy Company Proposes a $361 Million Wind Farm in Zapata and Jim Hogg Counties
NREL Releases New State and Local Energy Data
The Alliance for a Sustainable Future Has Released its Annual Sustainability Survey
DOI BOR WaterSMART Grants: Small Scale Water Efficiency Projects – $75 thousand
EPA OAR Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) National Grants – $44 million
DOE GFO Solar Energy Technologies Office Fiscal Year 2020 Funding Program Department of Energy - $125.5 million
DOI BOR WaterSMART Grants: Water and Energy Efficiency for FY21 – $1.5 million

Events:

2020 North Texas Climate Change Symposium - March 3
SolSmart 101 Webinar - March 3
DOE Webinar: Building Value: Energy Efficiency's Impact on Financial Performance - March 3
Continuity of Operations Vital for Waste Water Plants - March 4
Energy Service Coalition Texas Chapter Member Meeting - March 4
City Efficiency Leadership Council Spring 2020 Roundtable - March 5
New Mobility Mindsets: Shared Mobility and Personal Micromobility - March 12
NCTCOG & TEESI Webinar: How to Read Your Municipal Utility Bills - March 26
LEED Green Associate Training - March 30
PACENation Summit - March 30 - April 1
Texas Water 2020 - March 31 - April 3
Gulf Coast Water Conservation Symposium - April 21
2020 Texas Energy Managers Association Conference - April 22 - 24
Earthx2020 - April 17 - 26
North Texas Building Professional Institute - May 11 - 14
DOE Better Buildings, Better Plants Summit - June 8 - 10

City of Dallas Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan Comment Period Closing March 3

The City of Dallas’ public comment period on it’s Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) will close March 3. The City of Dallas has undergone and extensive public outreach process to develop the draft CECAP that includes multiple strategies and actions related to energy, water, waste, ecosystems, mobility, and more. To submit public comments visit this link.

DOE Southcentral Combined Heat and Power TAP

The Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) in The Woodlands, Texas has been awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to assist public and private entities considering Combined Heat and Power (CHP). The DOE Technical Assistance Partnerships (TAP) program promotes CHP technology solutions for the industrial and manufacturing sector, critical infrastructure, institutions, commercial facilities, and utilities seeking to reap the many benefits of CHP. Primary candidates include facilities such as wastewater treatment plants, food processing, data centers, higher education, manufacturing, chemicals and refining, as well as oil and gas operations.

HARC is providing no-cost technical assistance to a range of entities through the CHP TAP program. If you are interested in CHP at your site, please fill out this short survey to see if CHP may be a good fit for your facility.

For more information click here.

Smithville Approves 1-Megawatt Solar Farm

This month, a 1 MW solar farm will begin construction in the city of Smithville, Texas (SolSmart Bronze). The project will help power the Smithville Municipal Airport and is expected to save the city nearly $350,000 on electricity costs over 25 years. Much of the savings will come from eliminating the need to purchase costly energy from the state’s power grid during peak usage months - June, July, August and September - and cutting out the grid’s transmission fees. According to the article in the Statesman, the city is to begin construction of 4,212 ground-mounted solar panels in March with an estimated December completion date.

Denmark's Largest Energy Company Proposes a $361 Million Wind Farm in Zapata and Jim Hogg Counties

According to San Antonio Business Journal, Danish company Orsted could start construction on a 100-turbine, 300-megawatt farm by the end of this year, according to documents posted on the Texas Comptroller's website by Chicago company Lincoln Clean Energy LLC.

Orsted has signed tax incentive agreements for its Vaquero Wind Project with Jim Hogg and Zapata counties involving 10-year tax abatements of 100% and 76%, respectively, that will save the company $29 million over 10 years. Meanwhile, the company has agreed to make payments in lieu of taxes totaling more than $4 million to Jim Hogg County based on the capacity of megawatt generation installed. Additionally, in Zapata County, it has agreed to make $50,000 contributions each to five causes annually over 10 years — or $2.5 million overall.

The farm will sit on land that is being used for ranching. The company said it has entered into agreements with local landowners but could back out of them if the tax incentives aren't approved. Lincoln joins two other companies that have proposed building farms in the Rio Grande Valley at a total cost of $1 billion. If all are built, far South Texas could have six new wind farms by the end of 2021.

NREL Releases New State and Local Energy Data

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, has released a suite of new interactive datasets delivering detailed information on building and transportation energy estimated for each U.S. city and county. These new resources are available online and are meant to inform more data-driven energy decision making at the local level.
At the moment the datasets include:

- Renewable procurement options: an aggregated dataset meant to help cities and counties and utility customers within those jurisdictions understand the options that may be available to them to procure renewable electricity or renewable energy credits and meet energy goals. RE-POD also provides information on municipal franchise agreements, including expiration dates for agreements in 3,500 municipalities.

- Energy consumption and expenditures: provides modeled electricity and natural gas consumption and expenditures for each U.S. city and county using analytic processes published. The approaches integrated a variety of raw datasets. In addition, gasoline and diesel usage estimates are also provided based on on-road vehicle miles traveled within jurisdictional boundaries.

- Transportation data: provides data on vehicle registration by fuel type and vintage, showing the changes in adoption of vehicles of different fuel types. The data is annual for 2000 to 2016 and grouped by decade prior to 2000.

- Commercial building stock: provides modeled data on building type, vintage, and area for each U.S. city and county.

- Residential building stock: provides modeled data on housing type and housing energy expenditures for each U.S. census tract, city, county, and state.

The Alliance for a Sustainable Future Has Released its Annual Sustainability Survey

The Alliance for a Sustainable Future released the results of its annual sustainability survey of Mayors, showing the types of climate action occurring in the United States. Many cities have expanded climate initiatives, supported public electric-vehicle charging stations, and created energy efficiency policies. The Alliance also released case studies showcasing how cities and utilities are collaborating on clean energy programs.

Key Findings are:
- Climate Impacts are Affecting Cities and they are Responding:

• 96% of cities are feeling the impacts of a changing climate.

• 60% of cities have launched or significantly expanded a climate initiatives.

- Cities are Promoting Transportation Solutions:

• One third of city fleet vehicles are alternative fuel vehicles.

• Nearly 60 % of city governments have green vehicle purchasing policies.

• 61% of cities support public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations

• Bike-share and scooter-share services.

- Cities are Taking on Building Efficiency:

• Two-thirds of cities have energy efficiency policies for municipal buildings.

• 71% of cities conduct routine energy audits for city buildings.

• 29% of cities support or require energy benchmarking.

- Partnerships Remain a Vital Strategy for Climate Action:

• 90% or more of cities are partnering or interested in partnering with other local governments.

• More than 87% of cities are partnering or interested in partnering with businesses.

• Cities rate highest their utility partnerships for energy efficiency.

The entire survey and case studies may be accessed here.

Department of Interior WaterSMART Grants: Small Scale Water Efficiency Projects – $75 thousand

This Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects Funding Opportunity Announcement supports Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects that have been prioritized through planning efforts led by the applicant. These projects are generally in the final design stage, environmental and cultural resources compliance have been initiated or already completed, and the non-Federal funding, necessary permits, and other required approvals have been secured.

Through Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects, the Bureau Reclamation provides assistance to states, tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, and other entities with water or power delivery authority to undertake small-scale water efficiency projects that have been prioritized through planning efforts led by the applicant. These projects conserve and use water more efficiently; mitigate conflict risk in areas at a high risk of future water conflict; and accomplish other benefits that contribute to water supply reliability in the western United States.

For more information and to apply click here.

EPA OAR Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) National Grants – $44 million

EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OAR) is soliciting applications nationwide for projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions. Eligible diesel vehicles, engines and equipment may include buses, Class 5 – Class 8 heavy-duty highway vehicles, marine engines, locomotives and non-road engines, equipment or vehicles such as those used in construction, handling of cargo, agriculture, mining or energy production.

Eligible diesel emissions reduction solutions include verified retrofit technologies such as exhaust after-treatment technologies, engine upgrades, and cleaner fuels and additives, verified idle reduction technologies, verified aerodynamic technologies, verified low rolling resistance tires, certified engine replacements and conversions, and certified vehicle or equipment replacement.

For more information and to apply click here.

DOE GFO Solar Energy Technologies Office Fiscal Year 2020 Funding - $125.5 million

This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is being issued by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO). SETO supports solar energy research and development (R&D) in three technology areas—photovoltaics (PV), concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP), and systems integration—with the goal of improving the affordability, reliability, and performance of solar technologies on the grid. This section describes the overall goals of the Solar Energy Technologies Office Fiscal Year 2020 (SETO 2020) funding program and the types of projects being solicited for funding support through this FOA. The SETO 2020 funding program seeks to advance R&D of solar technologies that reduce the cost of solar, increase the competitiveness of American manufacturing and businesses, and improve the reliability of the grid. These projects will advance R&D in PV, CSP, and energy management technologies, while also working to improve cybersecurity, expand solar to new applications like agricultural solar, integrate solar and storage, and utilize artificial intelligence to address research challenges.

For more information and to apply click here.

Department of Interior WaterSMART Grants: Water and Energy Efficiency for FY21 – $1.5 million

The objective of this Funding Opportunity Announcement is to invite states, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, and other organizations with water or power delivery authority to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing with the Bureau of Reclamation on projects that seek to conserve and use water more efficiently; increase the production of hydropower; mitigate conflict risk in areas at a high risk of future water conflict; enable farmers to make additional on-farm improvements in the future, including improvements that may be eligible for Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) funding; and accomplish other benefits that contribute to water supply reliability in the western United States.

For more information and to apply click here.

EPA's State Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Projection Tools Have Been Updated and Expanded

EPA's State Inventory and Projection Tool is an interactive spreadsheet model designed to help states develop greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories and was developed to lessen the time it takes to develop an inventory (collecting data, identifying emission factors, etc.). The tool has two components: the state inventory tool and the projection tool.

The Projection Tool and the accompanying Energy Consumption Projection Tool have also been significantly expanded. Most notably, users can now create a simple forecast of all emissions starting at 2018 through 2050 based on historical emissions from the 1990-2017 time frame.

The updated tools are available here.

New Low-income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) Tool

Developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Low-income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) Tool was updated with new features and capabilities based on stakeholder feedback.The LEAD Tool is designed to help states, communities and other stakeholders create better energy strategies and programs by improving their understanding of low income housing and energy characteristics.

2020 North Texas Climate Change Symposium

The 3rd Annual North Texas Climate Change Symposium provides a unique opportunity to learn how climate change is affecting Texans and what North Texans can do to address this concern. Opportunities to participate in discussions about equitable climate action planning and how Dallas' Comprehensive Environmental & Climate Action Plan (CECAP) is addressing environmental justice concerns in Dallas communities will be available.

Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: The Hall of State, 3939 Grand Ave, Dallas, TX 75210
RSVP here

SolSmart 101 Webinar

SolSmart is a United States Department of Energy funded program assisting local governments across the country to cut red tape and reduce the barriers to solar. This webinar provides information on the SolSmart program, including the types of communities that have received designation from the program, areas where the program provides technical assistance, and the designation/review process.

Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Register online here

DOE Webinar: Building Value: Energy Efficiency's Impact on Financial Performance

This webinar will present a range of research – empirical, quantitative, and market-based – on the effects of energy efficiency and green building measures on the financial performance of commercial real estate. Academic and financial experts will share their findings on what high-performance building features mean for commercial mortgages and overall value. .

Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CST
Register online here

Continuity of Operations Vital for Waste Water Plants - How Combined Heat and Power (CHP) can Maintain Operations at WWTPs

Wastewater treatment plants everywhere are increasingly concerned with power resilience for continuity of operations during outages that can occur with storm events or other causes. The drive improve efficiency and reduce cost is ever-present. Combined Heat and Power (CHP) offers both power resilience for confident emergency preparedness and energy efficiency essential for reducing energy costs. CHP, also known as cogeneration, provides both electric power and thermal energy (heat) from a single on-site source, such as a turbine or reciprocating engine. The recovered waste heat is used to provide additional services to wastewater facilities, such as heat for digesters and sludge drying.

Date: Wednsday, March 4, 2020

Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CST
Register online here

New Low-income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) Tool Features Webinar

Learn about LEAD and its new features and capabilities in a live demonstration webinar. New features and capabilities include:
• Search Capability: a more robust search box for all data in the LEAD Tool allowing for users to easily see names of different geographies and switch between maps.
• Customized Geographies: ability to select and combine geographic areas (state, county and census tracts) into one customized group so users can see the totals for their customized geographies (e.g., specific service territories).
• County Line Visibility: County outlines have been added to the census tract map view, so users can more readily see to which county census tracts belong.

Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Time: 2:00 PM EST
Register online here

Energy Services Coalition - Texas Chapter Meeting

The Energy Services Coalition (ESC) is a national network of public, private, and non-profit sector experts engaged in promoting the adoption of energy efficiency and building upgrades through energy savings performance contracting (ESPC).
The ESC Texas Chapter is co-chaired by the State Energy Conservation Office and is composed of representatives of energy service companies, state agencies, non-profit energy efficiency organizations, and public sector representatives.

Join the next Chapter meeting to engage in conversation about the future potential of ESPCs.

Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM CST
Location: NCTCOG - Centerpoint III, Metroplex Conference Room, 600 Six Flags Drive, Arlington, TX 76011
Register online here

City Efficiency Leadership Council Spring 2020 Roundtable - North Texas

SPEER, in collaboration with the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) and Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), invites you to become part of the City Efficiency Leadership Council (CELC). The Council supports public sector energy efficiency initiatives through peer-to-peer resource sharing and ideas generation. Whether you are just getting started with efficiency or have recently completed a project, CELC's bi-annual regional roundtables are an opportunity to grow your professional network, gain technical expertise, and find inspiration for your next energy efficiency project!

Date: Thursday, March 5, 2020

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM CST
Location: TRWD Fort Worth Campus Administration Building, 800 E. Northside Drive, Fort Worth TX 76102
Register online here

New Mobility Mindsets: Shared Mobility and Personal Micromobility Webinar

Electric vehicles are only part of what many believe is a changing transportation landscape. Other emerging trends that are sparking innovation and investment include shared mobility and personal micromobility services. Researchers are still learning under which conditions these changes can be good for the environment. This webinar will highlight potential approaches to reducing emissions via mobility options.

Agenda:
• Andrea Denny and Jessica Daniels - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Brian Holland - Shared-Use Mobility Center
• Janna Smith and Anita Tang - Los Angeles, California Bureau of Transportation Technology
• Karina Ricks - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Department of Mobility and Infrastructure

Date: Thursday, March 12, 2020

Time: 3:00 PM EST
Register online here

NCTCOG & TEESI Webinar: How to Read Your Municipal Utility Bills

The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) in collaboration with Texas Energy Engineering Services, Inc. (TEESI) is hosting a webinar for local governments interested in learning how to accurately read their municipal utility bills. This webinar will walk through a typical monthly electricity, natural gas, and water bill and provide a brief overview of the state mandated Local Government Energy Report due to the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) each year. Additionally, attendees will learn how to take their monthly utility data and input it into ENERGYSTAR Portfolio Manager as an effective energy benchmarking tool.

Date: Thursday, March 26, 2020

Time: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EST
Register online here

LEED Green Associate Training

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Available for virtually all building project types, from new construction to interior fit-outs and operation & maintenance, LEED provides a framework that project teams can apply to create healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement.

The LEED Green associate is the only professional designation to show employers and clients you have certified knowledge in the field. This course is instructed by a USGBC Faculty member and is the most effective way to pass the certification.

Date: March 30, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM CST
Location: UT-Arlington, Nedderman Hall, Room 111, Arlington, TX
Register online here

Texas Water 2020

Coordinated and sponsored by the Texas American Water Works Association (TAWWA) and the Water Environment Association of Texas (WEAT), Texas Water is the largest regional water conference in the United States. For those working in the water and wastewater industry, Texas Water 2020 is a great opportunity to collaborate with a broad range of industry administrators, operators, engineers, and manufacturers. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in many of the technical sessions and special events and network with fellow industry peers and friends.

Date: March 31 - April 3, 2020
Location: Fort Worth Convention Center - Fort Worth, TX
Register online here

PACENation Summit
PACENation is the national nonprofit association that advocates for PACE financing.

This year's summit offers several new features, including 7 collaborative workshops, 15+ expert panels, continuing legal education courses, and an awards ceremony. For the first time, the summit agenda also includes workshops and panel discussions specifically designed for public officials and commercial property owners.

Date: March 30 - April 1, 2020
Location: Columbus, OH

Earthx2020

Earthx is the world's largest environmental exposition, conference and film festival for sharing the latest initiatives, discoveries, research, and innovations. EarthxConference, April 23-26, is a series of conferences that convenes experts from the fields of energy, transportation, law, education, city planning and more. The conference goals are to educate, promote and instigate activities that sustain environmental initiatives with a substantial, positive impact on all living things on our planet. EarthxFilm, April 17-26, will showcase films and emerging media that explore conservation, climate change and environment while honoring the heroes working to protect our planet.

Date: April 17 - 26, 2020
Location: Fair Park - Dallas, TX
Register online here

9th Annual Gulf Coast Water Conservation Symposium

The Gulf Coast Water Conservation Symposium provides water utilities and other organizations interested in water management and conservation with the information needed to implement successful water conservation programs, effectively engage customers, and plan for the future. For the past eight years, water professionals from the Gulf Coast region have come together to learn the latest in water conservation practices and implementation. This year’s symposium is focused on case studies and tools to help attendees identify challenges and solutions for successfully managing water as an integrated resource.

Date: Friday, April 21, 2020
Time: 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM CST
Location: United Way of Greater Houston, 50 Waugh Drive, Houston, TX 77007
Register online here

North Texas Building Professional Institute

Building Professional Institute (BPI) will hold its annual four day program offering continuing education in the areas of: Re-certification for Plumbing Inspectors, International Plumbing & Mechanical Code, Texas Accessibility, Architecture/Green Building, Code Enforcement, Electrical, Engineering, Environmental Health, Fire Prevention, International Building Code, Energy Code, International Residential Code, Permit Tech, Plan Review, Planning, Residential Construction & Inspection, and Special Topics on Human Trafficking, SIPS, Containers for Commercial Applications, and Building Code.

Date: May 11 - 14, 2020
Location: Irving, TX
Register online here

Better Buildings, Better Plants Summit

This annual event for Better Buildings, Better Plants Partners and other key stakeholders will provide the opportunity for professionals to explore emerging technologies and share innovative strategies in energy and water efficiency. Attendees will take part in interactive sessions with industry experts and market leaders as well as multiple opportunities to network with peers. The 2020 Better Buildings, Better Plants Summit will take place June 8-10, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia.

Date: June 8 - 10, 2020

Location: Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, VA
Register online here