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Hello CELC members,
This past weekend I joined the Annual Caddo Cypress Basin Master Naturalist Earth Day Flotilla, a fleet of boats on a water body. We kayaked on a beautiful morning on one of three paddling trails that leave from Uncertain, TX, on the shores of Caddo Lake, in northeast Texas. Caddo Lake is one of the best examples of a mature bald cypress forest in the southern United States. This is a rural region with most of its economy supported by tourism. Our set-up with a teardrop trailer and kayaks on our way home was an easy conversation starter. When we stopped at a gas station another customer at the pump asked us about the trailer. He was curious about the electrical system and how many watts were needed to support the unit. He then went on to tell us we should look into using solar panels. We had a good conversation there at the pump on his solar system he was going use while he is out deer hunting. As cited in a study released by Powering Texas and Conservative Texans for Energy Innovation, Texas rural counties realize dramatic financial benefits from renewable energy projects. Texas currently ranks #4 nationally in installed solar capacity, and the solar industry has created over 10,200 jobs in the state. I think there will be many more conversations in rural Texas over the gas pump about renewal energy.
All the best,
Shaun Auckland
sauckland@eepartnership.org
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In This Newsletter:
- CELC Events
- Local Government Policy
- SPEER News and Events
- Member and Partner News
- Job Opportunities
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City Efficiency Leadership Council Updates
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CELC and North Central Council of Governments Roundtable
Building Codes Focus
Join us for peer-to-peer collaboration on city energy efficiency and resilience!
SPEER and North Central Council of Governments will be hosting this roundtable. The CELC is a collaborative of cities, school districts, and other public entities across the state, engaged in sharing opportunities for partnership and resource exchange to expand the adoption of energy management best practices.
In this meeting, we will discuss:
•. Efforts to Assist Entities in Updating Building Codes
Regional Code Advisory Boards
• Efforts to increase awareness and understanding of Solar-Ready code provisions through the development of a Solar-Ready Opinion Statement
• International Code Council (ICC) EV-Ready Building Code Guidance Document
Date: May 4th
Time: 10:00- 11:30 am
Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Zwt__003SByGKptnKqqGaw
CELC Webinar- PACE a Funding Mechanism for Energy Efficiency
WHAT IS PACE? Property Assessed Clean Energy (TX-PACE) is a proven financial tool that incentivizes Texas property owners to upgrade facility infrastructure with little or no capital outlay. Approved by State legislation and established by local governments, TX-PACE programs enable owners to lower their operating costs and use the savings to pay for eligible water conservation, energy efficiency, resiliency, and distributed generation projects.
In this webinar, we will discuss:
• Advantages of PACE
• Participant Criteria
• Examples of Past PACE Projects
Speaker: Dub Taylor, Texas PACE Authority
Date: 5/25 Thursday
Time: 2:00 pm
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hOo2dtY-SQS_Ak3fgO-AVg
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If you are aware of upcoming policy discussions or actions in your area and would like to share them in this newsletter, please send information to our State & Local Policy Manager, Noah, at noaks@eepartnership.org.
Recent and Upcoming Local Government Policy Actions:
Austin: On March 21, 2022 the Austin City Council approved issuance of a capacity-based incentive to Riverbend Church for the installation of a solar electric system. For more information see the the Austin City Council website.
Fort Worth: On March 26, 2022 the Fort Worth City Council will consider adoption of resolutions relating to the City’s Clean Fleet Policy, electronic vehicle charging stations, acceptance of Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity Grant Program funding for the USDOT. For more information see the City of Forth Worth City Council Agenda page.
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SPEER News and Up-coming Events
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Air Quality Awareness Week: May 2-6, 2022
Join Air Central Texas and others to "Be Air Aware & Prepared" as we celebrate Air Quality Awareness Week (AQAW) 2022. Hop over to their website for a recap of 2019's interview with Texas State Senator Eckhardt as she discusses the importance of protecting air quality in Central Texas. The goal is to promote events that increase air quality awareness and encourage people to check the Air Quality Index (AQI) daily
Daily featured topics include:
You can learn more and get involved with the Environmental Protection Agency's AQAW toolkit.
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Texas Energy Services Coalition Chapter Meeting- In Person
The Texas Energy Services Coalition is hosting its first in-person event with a presentation by Sharc Energy and Happy Hour.
Date: May 4th
Time: 2:30 pm -4:30 pm
Location: Cowboy’s Club Ford Field, Frisco Texas
Register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSds7d6AbrqSEop-XVzhoCXfcJ2dqTSfNREYiw8S8FVaW_dfGA/viewform
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Powered for Good is a research initiative that aims to provide a better quality of life to low-income communities in Texas that are unnecessarily paying high energy costs. The goal of Powered For Good is to design and help deliver clean, affordable, 100% renewable electricity offerings for low income households in Texas's Competitive Retail Areas, where households can choose their electricity provider.
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What is the City Efficiency Leadership Council?
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The council is a cooperative of city leaders and officials throughout Texas and Oklahoma, furthering the adoption of energy management best practices in the public sector. Our peer-to-peer network is open to employees of any public entity, including city and county governments, public school districts, and other publicly funded entities. For more information, check out our website.
Questions or interested in getting involved with the City Efficiency Leadership Council? Get in touch!
512-279-0765 or cities@eepartnership.org |
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The City Efficiency Leadership Council is a partnership of:
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