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NCTCOG Energy Management & Renewable Energy Newsletter
February 2021
 

Hello , featured in this issue:

Featured Resources:
  • SLOPE Offers New Data and Functionality to Inform Data-Driven Energy Planning
  • International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) Webinar: Simplifying clean energy planning and permitting with NREL’s SLOPE and SolarAPP+

News and Updates:
  • Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Fleet Recognition Awards and 2020 Annual Fleet Survey
  • Solar Projects in Navarro County Start Construction
  • Department of Energy Presentation to Water Resources Council on Sustainable Wastewater Infrastructure of the Future Initiative (SWIFt)
  • 2021 Clean Diesel Call For Partners (CFP) – Due February 12, 2021
  • Center for Climate and Energy Solution Publishes "Climate Policy Priorities" for the New Administration and Congress
  • Latest SolSmart Criteria  and Program Guide Released
  • Energy Data Management Guide
  • Multi-Year Program Plan for Wind Energy Research Released
  • Explore the Renewable Energy Resource Hub
  • Department of Energy Selects Seven State and Local Governments to Establish “Proving Grounds” for Advanced Building Technologies
  • Biden Executive Orders Set Federal Role in Clean Energy and Climate Change Mitigation
 
Events:
  • Tarrant County Economic Development Opportunities with Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)
  • Green School Summit for School Leaders
  • North Central Texas Food Waste to Renewable Natural Gas (FW2RNG) Regional Stakeholder Meeting
  • Energy Department Tasks and Energy Management Policy
  • PACE for Industrial Energy, Water and Environmental Project
  • Building Operator Certification Informational Webcast
  • Foundations of Energy Savings Performance Contracting
  • Clean Energy Group Webinars
  • CELC Webinar: DOE's Sustainable Wastewater Infrastructure of the Future (SWIFt) Initiative
  • Leveling the SLOPE: Helping State and Local Governments Reach Their Energy Goals
  • Better Buildings, Better Plants
 
NCTCOG Energy Management and Renewable Energy Resources

Featured Resources

SLOPE Offers New Data and Functionality to Inform Data-Driven Energy Planning

The State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE) Platform enables data-driven state and local energy planning and decision making by integrating dozens of distinct sources of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and (coming in 2021) sustainable transportation data into an easy-to-access online platform. To better inform decision making, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) enhanced SLOPE with new data, including the introduction of city-level data, and a redesigned site.

Click Here to Read More: NREL.gov
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) Webinar: Simplifying clean energy planning and permitting with NREL’s SLOPE and SolarAPP+

Join the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to learn about two platforms to support your clean energy planning and permitting. The newly updated State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE) platform delivers maps, charts, and data on efficiency, renewables, and (coming soon) sustainable transportation opportunities and potential for your jurisdiction.

Date: Tuesday, February 9, 2021
Time: 11:00 am CST
Registration: Here

News & Updates

 
Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Fleet Recognition Awards and 2020 Annual Fleet Survey

The Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Coalition Fleet Recognition Awards celebrated 22 public-sector fleets for their efforts to reduce petroleum use and improve air quality in North Texas. The winners included eight Gold Level, six Silver Level and eight Bronze Level recipients.

The cities of Euless and Southlake, and Dallas Area Rapid Transit brought home the Gold for the second year in a row. Joining these repeat winners were first-time Gold recipients the cities of Carrollton, Dallas, Denton and Lewisville, as well as Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The winners of Silver recognition were the cities of Bedford, Coppell, Irving and Mesquite, and Denton and Prosper independent school districts. The following were recognized with Bronze status: Arlington, Addison, Frisco, Flower Mound, North Richland Hills and Watauga, along with Tarrant County and Trinity Metro. Arlington, Bedford and Frisco were first-time clean fleet honorees.

This year’s winners were instrumental in helping the region reduce:
• 26,029,278 gallons of gasoline equivalent
• 840,208 pounds of ozone-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx)
• 72,094 tons of greenhouse gas emissions

Want to be recognized for your fleet accomplishments? Well, the 2020 Annual Fleet Survey is here!

Your fleet information is critical in helping DFW Clean Cities reach our regional transportation energy reduction goal by beating last year’s reduction of 26 million gasoline gallons equivalents and help get North Texas recognized on a national level!
Solar Projects in Navarro County Start Construction

Lightsource BP has completed a $380m financing deal on two solar projects located in Navarro County, Texas. The 163MW Elm Branch and 153MW Briar Creek solar projects have already started construction and commercial operation is expected to begin in late 2021. The two projects are expected to offset greenhouse gas emissions by 370,000 metric tons annually.

Click Here to Read More: EnergyLiveNews.com
Department of Energy Presentation to Water Resources Council on Sustainable Wastewater Infrastructure of the Future Initiative (SWIFt)

On January 13, 2021, the Department of Energy (DOE) provided a presentation on the Sustainable Wastewater Infrastructure of the Future Initiative (SWIFt) to the NCTCOG Water Resources Council. DOE representatives covered the SWIFt 1.0 program outcomes, emphasizing that the participating plants during the first round achieved an average energy intensity reduction of 8.1% and a total energy reduction over the baseline of 8.1%. The goals of the Phase 2 (SWIFt 2.0) are to engage 100 facilities in a voluntary partnership to achieve 5% short-term and 25% long-term facility-wide energy savings, in addition to working with 25 facilities to implement at least one next-generation technology. A link to the presentation can be found here.

If your organization is interested in learning more about this opportunity to receive no-cost assistance from DOE for your wastewater treatment plant or water treatment plant facility, please contact NCTCOG staff. NCTCOG is currently soliciting interested parties in the North Central Texas region who might be willing to participate in a regional cohort to receive this assistance.

SPEER has planned a webinar on this topic for utilities interested in learning more about this opportunity. Details on the March 11, 2021 webinar are provided in the Events section of this newsletter.
2021 Clean Diesel Call For Partners (CFP) – Due February 12, 2021

North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) is conducting a 2021 Clean Diesel Call for Partners (CFP) to seek projects to be a part of a grant proposal to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the 2021 Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) National Grants. This grant proposal is for projects that reduce emissions from heavy-duty diesel vehicles and equipment and improve public health. To be included in the NCTCOG proposal, vehicles/equipment must operate within the 10-county NCTCOG nonattainment region.

Letter of commitment and application must be received in-hand no later than 5 p.m. Central Standard Time, on Friday, February 12, 2021, to attention AQGrants-DERA 2021, North Central Texas Council of Governments, 616 Six Flags Drive, Arlington, Texas 76011.

Click Here to Read More: NCTCOG.org

Center for Climate and Energy Solution Publishes "Climate Policy Priorities" for the New Administration and Congress

The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions has worked closely with leading companies to assess policy options for decarbonizing the U.S. economy. Drawing on these discussions, this policy brief recommends a comprehensive set of policy priorities to drive climate innovation, reduce emissions, strengthen climate resilience, remedy inequities and, in many cases, support the post-pandemic economic recovery. Taken together, these steps would establish the essential foundations of an ambitious, just, durable, bipartisan climate policy putting the United States on the path toward carbon neutrality.

Click Here to Read More: C2ES.org

Latest SolSmart Criteria  and Program Guide Released

The SolSmart program's criteria provides an actionable framework for communities to become "solar-ready." On January 4th, SolSmart released their updated, improved, and streamlined criteria. SolSmart criteria now spans five categories with 75 actions, also known as credits, that reflect the most up-to-date national best practices for advancing solar at the local level. SolSmart have streamlined the criteria to ensure the most relevant and effective actions are included, improved the language and point values, and added several new credits.

The Program Guide equips communities with the tools to take action and reach SolSmart designation more efficiently. The new Program Guide provides a plethora of guidance and resources for SolSmart credits under each of the five categories: Permitting and Inspection; Planning and Zoning; Government Operations; Community Engagement; and Market Development. The guide includes case studies from communities that have successfully taken these actions, along with templates, resources, and white papers associated with each credit.

Read More Here: SolSmart.org
Energy Data Management Guide

Developed by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Energy Data Management Guide provides states, local governments, and K-12 school districts with a step-by-step approach to establish a robust and sustainable energy data management program. By following the guide's seven steps, public-sector organizations can reduce energy use, save taxpayer dollars, and improve the efficiency of operations.

Click Here to Read More: Energy.gov

Multi-Year Program Plan for Wind Energy Research Released

The U.S. Department of Energy's Wind Energy Technologies Office has published its Multi-Year Program Plan, which outlines the Office’s research priorities and plans through the year 2025. With the objectives of reducing the cost of wind energy, enabling the integration of substantial amounts of wind energy into the evolving national energy system, and creating siting and environmental solutions to reduce environmental impacts, the Plan provides insight into DOE’s wind energy research priorities, and will guide planning and execution of future research and development activities. It is organized in six sections: offshore wind, land-based wind, distributed wind, systems integration, modeling and analysis, and crosscutting initiatives.

Click Here to Learn More: Energy.gov

Explore the Renewable Energy Resource Hub
As more and more partners are exploring how to integrate renewable energy into their energy success story, the Department of Energy's Better Building Solutions Center created the Renewable Energy Resource Hub. Whether you have a plan or are just getting started, this is your one-stop-shop for dozens of tools, resources, and best practices to help you evaluate the viability of renewables for your organization and overcome common barriers to implementation.

Click Here to Read More: Energy.gov
Department of Energy Selects Seven State and Local Governments to Establish “Proving Grounds” for Advanced Building Technologies

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) selected two state energy offices, four local governments, and a State Judicial Council to install and evaluate promising building technologies and systems in commercial and multi-family buildings.
DOE expects these installations to significantly improve building energy efficiency, demand flexibility, and building-to-grid capabilities. Governments in California, Kansas, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin were competitively selected to partner with the DOE Building Technologies Office’s Commercial Buildings Integration Program and the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office’s State Energy Program to demonstrate how new technologies and operational improvements perform when integrated into real-world commercial and multi-family buildings.

Click Here to Read More: Energy.gov

Biden Executive Orders Set Federal Role in Clean Energy and Climate Change Mitigation

President Joe Biden signed a set of executive orders on January 27th, ordering federal agencies to procure carbon-free energy and electric vehicles, spur commercialization of clean energy technologies, accelerate clean energy generation and transmission projects and ensure that disadvantaged communities get a fair share of the ensuing economic and environmental benefits.

Read more here: Greentechmedia.com
 

Upcoming Events

Tarrant County Economic Development Opportunities with Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)

Hear from Tarrant County, Texas economic development experts, who will provide updates on economic activity overviews and PACE project opportunities in Tarrant County and two of it’s vibrant cities. To date, the Tarrant County PACE program has facilitated more than $24 million in new energy and water saving investment for businesses and nonprofits in the County.

Date: Thursday, February 4, 2021
Time: 10:00 am CST
Registration: Here

Green School Summit for School Leaders

Join school and district leaders from around the globe to share strategies for leading toward greener, healthier, and inspiring schools that engage students in meaningful experiences that drive achievement across the board. At this summit, learn from and connect with other leaders from school and school districts, exploring the lessons we have learned from this year of disruptions. Experts will share research and evaluation, and district and school leaders will share practical steps to continue to leverage sustainability in our efforts to innovate for 22nd century learning.

Date: February  4 and 5, 2021
Time: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm CST
Registration: Here

North Central Texas Food Waste to Renewable Natural Gas (FW2RNG) Regional Stakeholder Meeting

The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) has scheduled the second Regional Stakeholder discussion focused on Organic Waste, Anaerobic Digestion, and Renewable Natural Gas. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency notified NCTCOG that the agency will receive grant funds to conduct a regional study evaluating organic waste collection networks and opportunities to use food waste, biosolids, and other organics as feedstock for anaerobic digesters.

Date: February  16, 2021
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm CST
Registration: Here

Energy Department Tasks and Energy Management Policy

This course, and the subsequent courses built around developing a complete Energy Master Plan, is required for the MTEM certification. A final practicum will assess the individual's knowledge, understanding and competency. By the time an individual completes the full training and passes the practicum, they will have a solid master plan for their organization and acquire the MTEM certification.

Module I
Date: February 17 and 18, 2021
Time: 12:30 - 2:30pm CST
Registration: Here


Module II
Date: March 10 and 11, 2021
Time: TBD
Registration: Here
PACE for Industrial Energy, Water and Environmental Project

How can you improve plant efficiency, reduce operating costs and attain ESG objectives without competing for internal capital? Texas PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing enables industrial site owners to obtain affordable, long-term financing covering up to 100 percent of the cost for energy efficiency, water conservation and on-site generation technologies. PACE secures private, cash-flow-positive financing for terms that match the projected useful life of the improvements, resulting in savings that exceed the amount of the repayment.

Date: Thursday, February 18, 2021
Time: 2:00 pm CST
Registration: Here

Building Operator Certification Informational Webcast

Efficient building operation and maintenance measures cost about 20 times less and achieve roughly the same energy savings as implementing energy efficiency upgrades. Investing in training of building operators can return similar results. With more than 35,700 professionals trained and 20,000 graduates of the BOC program over the last 20 years you can trust that this program will give you the skills and tools needed to enhance your energy efficient building operations, project planning, and improved decision making.

Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Time: 10:30 am CST
Registration: Here

Foundations of Energy Savings Performance Contracting

Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC) offers states, localities, public infrastructure, and institutional facilities an opportunity to finance energy efficiency investments by leveraging the energy, water and operational cost savings that projects achieve over time. This foundational training course, offered at two separate times, will cover the basics of ESPC financing for energy efficiency. Focus will be given to how state governments can facilitate these investments, and how facility managers can begin the process of enhancing their facility’s energy performance through ESPC.


Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Time: 2:00 pm CST
Registration: Here
Clean Energy Group Webinars

This webinar will focus on REopt Lite’s new combined heat and power (CHP) capabilities. The new CHP module allows users to evaluate the economic and resilience benefits of four types of combined heat and power prime movers (reciprocating engines, microturbines, combustion turbines, and fuel cells) as well as chilled water storage, hot water storage, and absorption chillers. These technologies can be evaluated on their own or in combination with solar PV, wind, and battery storage to assess the benefits of hybrid CHP systems.

Date: Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Time: 1:00 pm CST
Registration: Here

CELC Webinar: DOE's Sustainable Wastewater Infrastructure of the Future (SWIFt) Initiative

Building off of the Better Buildings Accelerator of the same name, Phase II of the Sustainable Wastewater Infrastructure of the Future (SWIFt) Initiative brings wastewater facilities together with Department of Energy experts to work towards both short-term and long-term energy savings. Attendees will learn about the types of technical assistance available through SWIFt 2.0, including energy data management, technology integration, and project financing and about the target goals for participants.

Date: Tuesday, March 11, 2021
Time: 9:00 am CST
Registration: Here

Leveling the SLOPE: Helping State and Local Governments Reach Their Energy Goals

For many state and local governments establishing energy and environmental goals, the ability to make data-driven decisions about cost-effective opportunities is hindered by the data itself. Dispersed, unintegrated, and sometimes inaccessible data makes data-driven energy planning too expensive or time-intensive to pursue, preventing them from achieving their goals. To address this issue, DOE developed the State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE) Platform, an online tool that integrates dozens of distinct sources of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable transportation data and analysis into an easy-to-access platform. This webinar will demonstrate SLOPE’s functionality and provide examples of SLOPE’s application in assisting state and local energy planning.

Date: Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Time: 2:00 pm CST
Registration: Here

Better Buildings, Better Plants

The U.S. Department of Energy's next Better Buildings, Better Plants Summit will be May 17-20, 2021. Check out the Agenda At-a-Glance for a high-level, early look at this virtual event and stay tuned; registration is opening soon.


Date: May 17 -20, 2021
Learn More: Here



For questions or additional information on any of these items, please contact:
Tamara Cook
Senior Program Manager of Environment and Development
tcook@nctcog.org
817-695-9221

 
View additional events and training opportunities at www.nctcog.org/envir/events
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