October
13, 2008
Some
news and events listings are targeted for specific areas of
energy efficiency or renewable energy and can be found on
the following news pages:
Alternative
Fuels
Renewable
Energy
Sustainable Building
Design
Industrial Energy Efficiency
Building Codes and Standards
Jump
to: SECO Events |
Texas Energy News | Texas
Energy Events | National
& International News
SECO
Events
Free Energy Efficiency Worshops for Public Facilities
SECO
and the Energy Services Coalition (ESC) will host free workshops
throughout Texas to provide informational and technical assistance
to all public entities. See workshop
schedule.
Topics discussed include:
• Energy efficient facility operations
• Indoor air quality
• Facility operation and maintenance
• Energy Accounting
• Financing Options
• Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC)
• Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (SB12)
• Texas Energy Efficiency and Conservation Bill (HB
3693)
Workshop Registration Form: https://www3.cpa.state.tx.us/register.nsf/PE_Registration?OpenForm
Residential
Energy Code Workshops
Various
locations throughout Texas
February - November 2008
The
State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), in cooperation
with the Energy Systems Laboratory of the Texas A &
M University and the Texas Association of Builders, is funding
a series of residential energy code workshops in various cities
throughout the state of Texas to help disseminate the needed
information about building science technology. This
training is part of the education and outreach effort of SECO'
s energy codes and standards program, and is based on the
2003 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The 77th
Texas Legislature established uniform residential building
and energy codes in Texas in 2001. After more than six
years providing training on the minimum energy code requirements
of the IECC, SECO established the Texas
Healthy Homes program (THH), as part of the Texas
State Energy Plan to the U.S. Department of Energy.
HB
3693 and SB 12 Rules
The State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) has published
rules on House Bill (HB) 3693 and Senate Bill (SB) 12 for
persons who have an interest in the adoption of energy codes
to have an opportunity to comment on newly published editions
of the International Energy Conservation Code and the International
Residential Code. The
code manuals can be purchased at the International
Code Council web site.
SECO
Wins Innovative Renewable Energy Project Award
September 25, 2007. The Interstate Renewable Energy
Council (IREC)
awarded five Innovation Awards and six Special Recognition
Awards at its annual meeting on September 24 in Long Beach,
California. The Texas State Energy Conservation
Office (SECO) won an innovation award for its Texas
Solar for Schools Project. The Lower Colorado River Authority
(LCRA) contracted with SECO to install fourteen 1-kilowatt
photovoltaic systems on eleven schools, one LCRA environmental
learning center and one utility office in a city with a large
school district student population. The PV systems were installed
primarily for demonstration and education purposes to allow
students to see the equipment up close and to view and monitor
its output online. The learning center will also have a 2.4
kW wind turbine installed to demonstrate wind energy technologies
as part of its curriculum. Most installations are in rural
Texas communities where students had never actually seen a
photovoltaic system, and some were unaware photovoltaic technology
actually existed.
SECO
Sponsors New Energy Education Consortium of Colleges
The Texas Renewable Energy for Education Consortium (TREEC)
is a newly formed consortium of colleges collaborating to
share ideals and development efforts to support the evolving
and emerging technologies of renewable and sustainable energy
as they commercialize in Texas. TREEC will combine the efforts
of six colleges to educate technicians who can support these
technologies and to educate the general public through publications,
demonstrations, presentations, workshops and seminars.
SECO
Wins 2007 Mega Energy Saver Award August
2007
The Texas Engineering Experiment Station and the Energy Systems
Laboratory (ESL) presented a newly created Mega-Energy Saver
Award as a special recognition to 5 recipients who have saved
more than $1 million each in utility costs while working with
ESL in enhanced building operations, Continuous Commissioning(r)
and energy efficiency improvement programs. The five honorees
are: Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO); Alamo
Community College District; Texas Health and Human Services
Commission; U.S. Army Medical Command at Ft. Sam Houston;
and Texas A&M University. Working with the Energy Systems
Laboratory for monitoring energy efficiency improvements,
the State Energy Conservation Office’s LoanSTAR Program
has provided loans that resulted in utility savings of more
than $250 million.
Cities
Earn Awards for Energy, Air Quality Efforts
The Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) named four
Texas cities as award winners for their achievements in energy
efficiency and air quality improvement. The cities of Dallas,
Galveston, Bedford and Bellaire each received awards from
the State Energy Conservation Office and the Texas Energy
Partnership. The Texas Energy Partnership is a program of
the State Energy Conservation Office. Each of the four cities
was recognized for their overall electricity consumption reduction
and either energy conservation or air quality projects they
implemented. As an example, the City of Dallas reduced its
overall energy use by incorporating lighting upgrades and
solar panels, and installation of new heating and air conditioning
systems and automated building controls. Traffic lights were
also refitted with energy-saving light emitting diodes, a
geothermal heat pump was installed and old roofs were fitted
with additional insulation.
Texas
State Technical College Initiates Fuel Cell Curriculum
Texas has instituted the Fuel Cell Curriculum Project at Texas
State Technical College to qualify graduates for entry-level
positions at fuel cell companies. Texas also now has a new
nonprofit organization that will promote on-site energy technologies
that provide integrated power, heat, and cooling to hospitals
and essential facilities.
Energy
Education Curriculum — Ongoing Workshops
The Energy Education Curriculum Program goal is to increase
Texas teachers' awareness of alternative energy in their communities
and to improve their understanding of the nature and extent
of energy and its resources, energy conservation and efficiency,
the economic and environmental effects of energy use, and
alternative energy technologies. The program works to
lay the foundation for environmental stewardship in teachers
and students though critical-thinking and problem-solving
investigations in Texas Education Agency approved workshops.
See the workshop
schedule.
SECO
Organizes Texas Chapter of the Energy Services Coalition (ESC)
SECO has organized a Texas Chapter of the Energy Services
Coalition (ESC). The Texas chapter is part of the national
ESC, which is a strategic partner of the U.S. Department of
Energy's Rebuild America Program. ESC is a nonprofit organization
composed of public and private experts who work with state
and local governments to increase energy efficiency and building
upgrades through energy savings performance contracting. ESC-Texas
will focus its initial efforts on local governments and school
districts. Many of Texas' larger cities and school districts
are located in areas that the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency lists as nonattainment or nearly nonattainment for
air quality. As a result, Texas has a demand-side program
that utility generators must participate in, which could lead
to incentives for local governments and school districts to
seek efficiency retrofits.
Austin
Community College (ACC) Solar Energy Installer Training
SECO and Austin Community College (ACC) Workforce Development
Center offers the North American Board of Certified Energy
Practitioners (NABCEP) Entry Level Certificate Program for
one year. The course began in the spring of 2006 and will
be repeated in the fall of 2006. ACC has elected to designate
Renewable Energy as a new course schedule selection. For additional
information, see the ACC
Course Schedule and
these videos
of ACC students working on PV panel installations.
Austin
Community College (ACC) Advanced Solar Photovoltaic Installer
The State Energy Conservation Office and the Texas Workforce
Commission have contributed grants of more than $370,000 to
develop ACC's program. An advanced course in the proper design
and installation of NEC code-compliant solar photovoltaic
(PV) systems for use on residential and commercial buildings.
Course includes: sizing of solar electric systems; specification
of system components; and sizing of DC/AC wiring. Prepares
students for the North American Board of Certified Energy
Practitioners (NABCEP) Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System Installer
certification exam after meeting all of the experience requirements.
This course is designed for those involved in the solar industry
or a related field and is intended for licensed electricians,
contractors, or those with a strong understanding of solar
electric systems and electrical principles. See the Course
Syllabus, videos
of ACC students working on PV panel installations, an Austin
American Statesman article.
Texas
Energy Events
HB
3693 and SB 12 Rules
The State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) has published
rules on House Bill (HB) 3693 and Senate Bill (SB) 12 for
persons who have an interest in the adoption of energy codes
to have an opportunity to comment on newly published editions
of the International Energy Conservation Code and the International
Residential Code. The
code manuals can be purchased at the International
Code Council web site.
Residential
Energy Code Workshops
Various
locations throughout Texas
February - November 2008
The
State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), in cooperation
with the Energy Systems Laboratory of the Texas A &
M University and the Texas Association of Builders, is funding
a series of residential energy code workshops in various cities
throughout the state of Texas to help disseminate the needed
information about building science technology. This
training is part of the education and outreach effort of SECO'
s energy codes and standards program, and is based on the
2003 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The 77th
Texas Legislature established uniform residential building
and energy codes in Texas in 2001. After more than six
years providing training on the minimum energy code requirements
of the IECC, SECO established the Texas
Healthy Homes program (THH), as part of the Texas
State Energy Plan to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Renewable
Energy Education in Texas - Universities and Organizations
This is a list of Texas universities and organizations that
offer programs involving renewable energy.
Sustainable
Building Coalition Activities
The Sustainable Building Coalition in Austin, Texas, is a
network of individuals interested in sustainable and ecological
building, design and development. The Sustainable Building
Coalition provides educational services through programs,
site visits, media, exhibits, video showings, and special
events. Members frequently conduct workshops on various aspects
of the built environment and its design. SBC encourages members
as well as specialists to share their wisdom with one another.
The SBC holds regular meetings and events.
Renewable
Energy Roundup and Green Living Fair
Market Square
Fredericksburg, Texas
September 26-28, 2008
The
Roundup is in its 9th year and continuing to grow. Come share
knowledge and learn about these topics: Solar
- Wind - Geothermal - Water Use & Reuse - Energy Conservation
- Rainwater Harvesting - Green & Sustainable Building
- Organic Growing - Alternative Transportation - Straw
Bale Construction - Exhibits - Free Guest Speakers - Natural
Food - Family Activities.
Renewable
Energy Workshop
UT Thompson Center
Austin, Texas
October 23, 2008
This 'not for profit' workshop, is presented as a public service
to the utility industry and customers as a forum to exchange
information, study related issues and explore areas of common
interest.Discussions
will center on new technology and the outlook for renewable
energy. Participation will include engineers, managers and
specialists, users and manufacturers of renewable energy products
-- including electric utilities, commercial and residential
customers, regulatory bodies, and academia.
The cost is $75 for early
registration (by October 10th) and $85 thereafter. Please
note that a certificate of attendance will be provided to
each participant to be used toward PDH requirements for PE
license renewal. The
attached workshop brochure includes a registration form.
Call Mehrdad Vatani at (512) 505-7149 if you have
any questions.
The
Energy Solutions Conference
OMNI Houston Hotel
Houston, Texas
November 6-7, 2008
Learn about smart solutions being developed
today by refiners, automakers, fuel producers, governments,
and capital markets to balance the tight supply & demand
situation with sustainability requirements. Join high-profile,
international speakers and delegates as they gather in Houston,
Texas, the Energy Capital of the World, for timely discussions
on the developments and challenges facing the global energy
industry.
Texas Renewables 2008
OMNI Austin Hotel Southpark
Austin, Texas
November 9-11, 2008
This conference is offered annually by the Texas Renewable
Energy Industries Association. The agenda for this year's
Texas Renewables 2008 conference is already being developed.
The pricing, agenda, accommodations and other details
will be posted later in the year and members and exhibitors
will be able to register online or via regular mail. Until
additional details are announced, please save the dates and
plan to join us in November in Austin.
Texas
Energy News
CLEAN TX Forum:
Energy Storage
The
CLEAN TX Forum
is holding an Energy Storage event on September 24, 2008 at
the Austin City Hall, Austin, Texas. This event will address
the impact of energy storage technology for tomorrow’s
clean energy future. Clean Energy Topics will include: Technical
limitations to new energy storage, Improve energy efficiencies
in the electricity delivery, Government and Private financing
for research and commercialization, and questions on large
and small energy storage technologies.
All-Electric
Vehicle Incentives for Austin Energy Electric Customers
This is a Central Texas Clean Cities and Austin Energy website.
Applicants may receive the following incentives: $500 for
all-electric cars, $250 for all-electric scooters, $150 for
all-electric motorcycles and select scooters, and $100 for
all-electric bicycles. Funding is limited and offered on a
first-come, first-served basis. Current incentive valid for
the life of program (April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2010) or until
program funds are expended, whichever occurs first. Incentive
application must be submitted within sixty (60) days of vehicle
purchase.
Solar
Cars Race Begins in Plano, ends in Canada
July
2008
The solar car competition is a 2,400-mile road trip that starts
July 12 in Plano, Texas, and ends July 22 in Calgary, Alberta.
NABD
Provides Funding for Texas Biodiesel Project July
2008
This is a Biodiesel Magazine article. Global
Alternative Fuels LLC recently announced a $20 million loan
agreement with North American Development Bank (NABD) to fund
a biodiesel plant in El Paso, Texas. The biodiesel produced
from the facility will be sold to Western Refining in El Paso,
Texas, which will be blended with petroleum diesel for sale
in the region.
Emissions-Free
Waste Management Coming to Killeen June 2008
The City of Kileen has donated 40 acres of land to ZEROS
(Zero-emissions Energy Recycling Oxidation System) to build
a zero waste emissions-free power plant near the Williamson
County landfill. The plant was designed at Texas A&M University.
ZEROS will use leading edge technology to convert solid waste
from the land fill into electricity and other useable byproducts.
The plant will use an oxygenated system to convert as much
as 300,000 tons of garbage annually into electricity with
zero emissions. Killeen was chosen because it met the criteria
to provide the waste as fuel. In return, the company has agreed
to sell back to the city at a reduced rate byproducts such
as diesel fuel, gasoline and clean water which can be used
to irrigate dry areas and be recycled into municipal water
systems. The estimated cost of $250 million to $300 million
will be provided by private investors. The plant is expected
to create 200 jobs in Killeen while reducing the city's landfill
waste treatment costs from $20 to $24 per ton to $10 per ton.
The processing plant won’t begin to be fired for at
least another three years.
Austin
Moves Toward Greener Fleet June
2008
The City of Austin is trying to make its fleet of more than
4,400 vehicles carbon neutral by 2020.
Cool
House Tour May
2008
Tour some of Austin's coolest homes on Sunday, June 22, from
noon to 6:00p.m. These homes feature excellent energy efficient
and environmentally friendly designs, construction, landscaping
and solar PV systems. The tour includes 4- and 5-Star homes
rated by Austin Energy Green Building. Take the opportunity
to view new and remodeled homes, small to large, affordable
to high-end, and all are constructed with a wide variety of
materials. At each home you can meet with key team members
including the home owner, architect or builder, or a Green
Building staff member. A guidebook, which serves as your ticket,
provides maps and highlights green features of each home.
Guidebooks are available after June 1 for $15 each and companion
tickets are $10 per person. Buy guidebooks online at www.txses.org
or at either Austin Central Market location. The 12th Annual
Cool House Tour is co-produced by the Texas Solar Energy Society
(TXSES) and Austin Energy Green Building. All proceeds benefit
TXSES.
Refrigerator
Recycling Hits 10,000 May 2008
The
Austin Energy refrigeration recycling program, the only program,
of its type in Texas and one of less than a dozen nationwide,
will recycle it's 10,000th unit this month. The program pays
Austin Energy residential customers $50 each for up to two
old working refrigerators or freezers. Refrigerators/freezers
15 years old or older can use up to 70% more power than new
energy-efficient models, and even more if located in a hot
garage during summer. Appliances picked up are 98% recycled,
along with the proper disposal of refrigerants. To arrange
for a pickup, simply call 1-800-452-8685.
EPA
Recognizes Austin Energy May 2008
For
the second year in a row, Austin Energy is the recipient of
an ENERGY STAR® Sustained Excellence
Award, presented annually by the EPA. The award recognizes
Austin Energy's continued leadership in energy efficiency
through the Home Performance With ENERGY STAR and Power Partner
programs. Last year, 1,900 Austin home owners participated
in Home Performance With ENERGY STAR and as a result, now
save almost $300,000 in annual energy costs. These participants,
coupled with the more than 10,000 Austinites participating
in Power Partner last year, will collectively reduce peak
electric demand by more than 6 megawatts (MW). Reducing peak
demand helps delay the need for additional power plants, which
helps keep electric rates lower for all of us.
ENERGY STAR sales Tax Holiday May 24-26
May 2008
During Memorial Day weekend, May 24-26, Texas shoppers get
a break from state and local sales taxes when they purchase
certain energy efficient appliances and other household equipment
bearing an Energy Star label. Shoppers are expected
to save about $2.6 million in state and local sales taxes.
Texas
Energy Profile
This Energy Information Administration web site gives current
energy data for the state of Texas.
Texas
Comptroller Releases Report on Energy Resources May
2008
The
Energy Report is a comprehensive evaluation
of the various energy resources available in Texas. It is
a reference tool for anyone seeking for understanding the
current Texas energy environment.
Abilene's
Energy Savings to Finance Building Upgrades
May
2008
The City of Abilene has approved $9 million in lighting, air
conditioning and other improvements to city buildings, enough
to save $12.3 million in energy costs over the next 15 years.
The improvements will be made over the next 18 months and
paid off over 15 years using the resulting cost savings. The
improvements will be made over the next 18 months and paid
off over 15 years using the resulting cost savings.
“Green”
Is New Building Standard In Dallas
April
2008
The Dallas City Council has unanimously adopted a green construction
ordinance which aims to reduce energy and water consumption
in all new houses and commercial buildings constructed in
the city. With this ordinance, Dallas becomes one of the first
major U.S. cities to pass comprehensive building standards
for both residential and commercial construction.
Texas
Continues to Lead Nation in Wind Power April
2008
The American Wind Energy Association's annual ranking of wind
power leadership, released last week, continues to show Texas
leading the states in terms of both total installed wind power
capacity and the amount of new wind power capacity that was
installed last year. In fact, the Sweetwater, Texas, wind
plant more than doubled in capacity to 585 megawatts, pushing
it from fifth to second place in the size rankings, while
the state's Buffalo Gap wind facility expanded to 353 megawatts,
placing it in fifth place for size. The recently completed
364-megawatt Capricorn Ridge wind facility, also in Texas,
landed in fourth place, while last year's 401-megawatt Peetz
Table Wind Energy Center in Colorado is the only non-Texas
wind plant in the top five.
Gov.
Perry Announces Investment in Solar Power Company
April 2008
Governor Perry has announced that the state will invest $1
million in HelioVolt Corp. of Austin for the construction
of a manufacturing facility to test and produce thin-film
solar power cells, which convert sunlight into electricity.
The deal will create nearly 160 jobs and $62 million in capital
investment.
ORCA
Grants $500,000 for Desalination Project April
2008
A pilot project utilizing wind power to desalinate brackish
groundwater in Seminole in West Texas will get a jump-start
thanks to a $500,000 grant from the Office of Rural Community
Affairs (ORCA).
DOE
Designates San Antonia as a Solar America City
March
2008
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced its selection
of 12 cities including San Antonio, Texas, as Solar America
Cities. Each city will receive $200,000 (a total of $2.4 million)
to integrate a variety of solar technologies, such as solar
water heating, solar photovoltaic electric systems, and large-scale
solar thermal electric systems, which are also known as concentrating
solar power. Combined with industry cost sharing and funding
from each city, the total amount invested will be approximately
$12.1 million. In addition to the funding, DOE will also provide
hands-on assistance from technical experts to help cities
integrate solar technologies into their energy planning, zoning,
and facilities; streamline local regulations and practices
that affect solar adoption; provide solar financing options;
and promote solar technology among residents and local businesses
through outreach, curriculum development, and incentive programs.
ACC's
Renewable Energy Program Gets Glowing Reviews
March
2008
An Austin American Statesman article concerning Austin Community
College's two-year renewable energy program that trains workers
in an industry that is moving from powering homes and businesses
with traditional sources to renewable ones.
Texas
State Technical College Awarded Wind Energy Grant
February 2008
Texas State Technical College West Texas has been awarded
a $523,430 grant to develop an online version of its wind
energy certification program. The grant includes scholarship
money for 15 students.
Sweetwater
Mayor Speaks at Berlin Wind Conference February
2008
Sweetwater Mayor Greg Wortham was the keynote speaker at the
Germany-USA wind energy conference this week in Berlin, Germany.
The event was designed to recruit German wind energy companies
to the United States and specifically to Texas.
City
of Austin May Purchase Wind Farm February
2008
Austin Energy, the City of Austin's electric utility, is contemplating
the purchase of its own wind farm to ensure permanent access
to wind power. By the year 2020, Austin Energy plans to provide
30 percent of its energy from renewables.
Move
Over, Oil, There’s Money in Texas Wind
February 2008
This is a New York Times article which includes a
slide show.
Dallas
& Houston Make List of Top Green Power Purchasers
January 2008
The EPA has issued a press release saying that wind power
has propelled the cities of Dallas and Houston onto the Environmental
Protection Agency’s national list of top green power
purchasers. Dallas took the ninth spot on the list by buying
40 percent of its power from wind sources. Houston took the
No. 12 spot by using wind power for 20 percent of its purchased-electricity
needs. According to the EPA, these two purchases equal the
amount of electricity needed to power an estimated 61,000
average American homes each year. Also, Austin and Austin
Independent School District were ranked at number five and
seven on the EPA’s Top 10 local government green power
purchasers.
U.S.
Wind Power Capacity Surged Up 45% in 2007
January
2008
The U.S. wind energy industry installed 5,244 megawatts (MW)
of wind power capacity in 2007, according to the American
Wind Energy Association (AWEA). The rapid growth shatters
all previous records and boosts the total U.S. wind power
capacity by 45% in only one year. Texas leads the states in
terms of new wind power capacity installed in 2007, with 1,618
MW of new capacity, further cementing the state's lead in
total installed wind power capacity.
San
Antonio to Build First CNG Refueling Station
January
2008
Clean Energy has been awarded the contract by the City of
San Antonio to design, build and operate the city's first
compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling station, which will
initially fuel 15 refuse trucks and is expected to expand
to fuel 30 refuse trucks by next year. This move will make
the city's CNG refuse fleet the largest in Texas.
Texas
Mayors Call for Use of Florescent Lights November
2007
Five Texas Mayors will call on Texans to switch to compact
florescent lights to reduce energy use in the Lone Star state.
The five mayors will officially introduce the "state bulb"
of Texas from the front steps of San Antonio City Hall, according
to a press release from the city of Dallas.
Texas
Shatters National Record for Wind Power Installations
November
2007
Dallas
Going Green with New Building Program
November 2007
The Dallas City Council recently adopted a resolution to create
a building program that emphasizes energy efficiency and resource
conservation.
Green
Building is Catching on in San Antonio
November
2007
TAMU
Wins the Solar Decathlon Student Choice Award October
2007
The American Institute of Architecture Students and The American
Institute of Architects' Committee on the Environment ) announced
their selection of Texas A&M University as the winner
of the inaugural Student Choice Award as part of the Solar
Decathlon national competition which took place October 12-19,
2007, in Washington, DC.
Solar
Decathlon Awards October 2007
The team from the Technische Universität Darmstadt in
Germany won first place overall in the Solar Decathlon on
October 19th. The German team finished with 1,025 points out
of a total of 1,200, followed by University of Maryland with
1,000 points and Santa Clara University with 980 points. Texas
A&M University won the appliances contest by best meeting
the requirements to run a variety of appliances, as well as
a television and a computer. The University of Texas at Austin
was one of five teams that earned the full 100 points in the
hot water contest, which required the teams to produce 15
gallons of solar-heated water in 10 minutes or less.
Austin
School District Purchases Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Bus October 2007
The Austin Independent School District (AISD) is the first
in Texas to purchase a plug-in hybrid electric school bus.
Austin Energy and the Clean School Bus Program of Central
Texas helped with the $210,000 purchase. The bus will be delivered
to Garcia Middle School on November 7, 2007. The AISD is one
of 19 school districts in the United States to use a new diesel-electric
hybrid school bus. The new bus will have 40 percent higher
fuel efficiency than the current buses. The technology allows
the bus to be plugged in when it is parked overnight.
Texas
Land Office Expands Natural Gas Grant Program
October 2007
A $5 million grant program that encourages cities, counties,
school districts and other public entities to switch fleet
vehicles from diesel to clean-burning natural gas is expanding
into 14 additional Texas counties. New to the program are
counties in the Austin, San Antonio, Tyler and Longview areas.
They join 20 counties in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Beaumont-Port
Arthur and Houston-Galveston areas eligible for state grants
to help cover the cost of replacing diesel fleet vehicles
with natural gas-powered vehicles.
Texas
A&M Schools to Buy Renewable Entergy October
2007
Eight schools in the Texas A&M University System are part
of a four-year deal that should prevent more than 35 million
pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere.
The university system will purchase a record amount of renewable
energy from TXU Energy. Fifteen percent of the energy generated,
according to the contract with TXU, must come from "wind energy,"
as opposed to more environmentally challenging coal and other
plants. It's the largest higher education renewable contract
in Texas, according to the Environmental Protection Agency
Green Power Partnership Program.
Texas
Awards First Off Shore Competitive Wind Leases in the United
States October 2007
The Texas General Land Office (GLO) has become the first U.S.
entity to award competitive leases for offshore wind power
plants. Last week, the GLO offered four off shore tracts of
land for lease for future wind development. The four tracts
are geographically dispersed along the length of the Texas
coast.
New
Texas Law Requires 5 Percent Energy Savings Per Year
October 2007
A new Texas law requires school districts and other public
agencies to adopt a goal of cutting their electricity use
by 5 percent a year for six years.
SECO
Wins Innovative Renewable Energy Project Award
September
2007
The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC)
awarded five Innovation Awards and six special recognition
awards at its annual meeting. The Texas State
Energy Conservation Office (SECO) won an innovation
award for its Texas Solar for Schools Project. The Lower Colorado
River Authority (LCRA) contracted with SECO to install fourteen
1-kilowatt photovoltaic systems on eleven schools, one LCRA
environmental learning center and one utility office in a
city with a large school district student population. The
PV systems were installed primarily for demonstration and
education purposes to allow students to see the equipment
up close and to view and monitor its output online.
Texas
Off Shore Wind Energy Lease Sale September
2007
Texas will hold the nation's first competitive lease
sale for the rights to develop offshore wind-power facilities
in the Gulf of Mexico. Four offshore tracts totaling 73,098
acres will be leased for wind power as part of a regular oil
and gas lease sale.
2007
Mega Energy Saver Awards August 2007
The Texas Engineering Experiment Station and the Energy Systems
Laboratory (ESL) presented a Mega-Energy Saver Award to 5
recipients who have saved more than $1 million each in utility
costs while working with ESL in enhanced building operations,
continuous commissioning and energy efficiency improvement
programs. The five honorees are: Texas State Energy Conservation
Office (SECO); Alamo Community College District; Texas Health
and Human Services Commission; U.S. Army Medical Command at
Ft. Sam Houston; and Texas A&M University. Working with
ESL for monitoring energy efficiency improvements, SECO ’s
LoanSTAR Program has provided loans that resulted in utility
savings of more than $250 million.
Rice
University to Build Houston's Greenest Building
August
2007
Rice University has received $30 million to support its residential
college system, which recently unveiled plans to create one
of the most environmentally sustainable buildings ever built
in Houston. Designed with features like motion detectors that
shut off lights in unoccupied rooms and retention of storm
water runoff for irrigation, the residential college will
be the first at Rice and among the first buildings in Houston
to receive gold-level certification from the U.S. Green Building
Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards
program.
Texas
Biogas Plant Uses Dairy Cow Manure to Make Methane August
2007
A manure-to-gas digester in Texas is creating methane from
dairy cow manure. The methane is purified, compressed, and
fed into a natural gas pipeline that carries it to Austin,
Texas. There, the Lower Colorado River Authority uses the
methane as fuel to produce electricity.
Applied
Materials Turns on Solar Array in Austin, Texas
August
2007
U.S. Rep Lloyd Doggett and Austin city council member Lee
Leffingwell have flipped the switch on Austin's largest business
solar array. It took only five minutes for the solar panels
to begin generating energy. That power was then added to the
electrical grid.
PUC
Approves Sites for Construction of Wind Power Lines
July 2007
The Public Utility Commission of Texas has designated eight
sites for the construction of new power lines to carry wind-generated
electricity to consumers. The decision directs the Electric
Reliability Council of Texas, which operates the state's electric
grid, to plan for power lines that could deliver at least
10,000 more megawatts of renewable power by 2012, which is
enough to power nearly 3 million homes. The lines could end
up delivering as much as 25,000 megawatts of wind energy,
depending on how many wind farms are built. Also see this
TXU,
Shell to Harvest Panhandle's Wind Energy
July
2007
TXU's generating subsidiary and Shell Wind Energy plan a huge
Panhandle wind farm that could include the use of compressed
air to generate electricity when there's not enough wind to
spin the big turbines.
Wind
Behind Houston's New Power Plan July 2007
A contract negotiated by Houston officials would ensure that
a third of the city's power would be generated by wind turbines.
Governor
Perry Rolls Out Texas' Bioenergy Strategy
July
2007
Texas Governor Rick Perry announced the Texas Bioenergy
Strategy, and awarded a $5 million Texas Emerging Technology
Fund grant to Texas A&M University for research and biofuel
advancements. In a four year project, Texas A&M University
and the Chevron Corroboration are partnering on research efforts
to find ways to speed up harvesting of cellulose crops and
turning them into biofuels. The Governor said that Texas will
focus on creating biofuels through cellulosic feedstock such
as switchgrass, wood chips and corn stems - rather than from
corn crops, which are a staple for the Texas cattle industry.
Solar
Power Could Add 123,000 New Jobs in Texas by 2020
July
2007
Development of the solar energy industry in Texas would have
a significant economic impact for consumers, the environment
and workers, according to a study released by the IC2 Institute
at the University of Texas at Austin:
Texas
Leads in Renewable Fuel Production
June
2007
A University of Tennessee Department of Agricultural Economics
study released last fall shows that Texas will top all states
in renewable fuel production and will reap significant economic
benefits in the process.
High
Schoolers, Texas A&M Engineers Set Up Turbines June
2007
Through a grant from the Texas State Energy Conservation Office
(SECO), volunteer engineers from Texas A&M University
joined forces with nearly four dozen engineering students
at United ISD and Laredo ISD magnet schools to set up the
state's first student-made wind turbine in Texas. Students
and their mentors took two months to construct the one-kilowatt
turbine. It was designed to light the marquee sign at the
entrance to the Cigarroa High School in Laredo. The wind energy
created will be converted into electric energy and stored
in batteries. The students are currently working on an instructional
video that teaches the simple tasks necessary to build a wind
turbine. The grant will fund four turbines over two years.
Austin
Wins 2007 Solar America City Award June
2007
DOE will make available nearly $2.5 million to 13 cities,
including Austin, to increase the use of solar power across
the country.
Texas
Wins National Wind Energy Project June
2007
Texas will be home to one of two large-scale wind turbine
research and testing facilities in a move that will make the
state a key partner in the development of next generation
wind-turbine technology. The Texas wind-turbine and blade-testing
facility will be located just north of Corpus Christi at Ingleside
on the Bay.
Austin's
Applied Materials Bets on Solar Power June
2007
Applied Materials will build the largest solar array in Austin
with a plan to mount solar power panels on poles along U.S.
290 East at its Northeast Austin manufacturing site.
SECO
Sponsors New Energy Education Consortium of Colleges
May 2007
The Texas Renewable Energy for Education Consortium (TREEC)
is a newly formed consortium of colleges collaborating to
share ideals and development efforts to support the evolving
and emerging technologies of renewable and sustainable energy
as they commercialize in Texas. TREEC will combine the efforts
of six colleges to educate technicians who can support these
technologies and to educate the general public through publications,
demonstrations, presentations, workshops and seminars.
Texas
to Provide Two-Thirds of U.S. Wind Growth this Year
May
2007
The installed wind power capacity in the United States is
on track to increase by more than 3,000 megawatts (MW) this
year, with two-thirds of that growth occurring in Texas, according
to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).
Houston
Joins Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program
May
2007
Sixteen of the world's largest cities—including Chicago,
Houston, and New York—have joined in a global effort
to reduce energy consumption in existing buildings. The Energy
Efficiency Building Retrofit Program, a project of the Clinton
Climate Initiative, will draw on $5 billion in financing to
be provided in equal amounts by five banks that will finance
cities and private building owners to undertake energy efficiency
retrofits.
Austin
Energy Maintains U.S. Lead in Green Power Sales
April 2007
The municipal utility for Austin, Texas, sold more than 58
million kilowatt-hours of electricity from renewable sources
in 2006, holding onto its top spot in the United States for
utility sales of green power, according to DOE's National
Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). For the fifth time in
a row, Austin Energy leads the nation for total sales.
New
125-Megawatt Wind Farm Completed in Texas
April 2007
TXU Wholesale and Airtricity has announced that Airtricity
has completed construction of a 125-megawatt (MW) wind farm,
located about 300 miles southwest of Dallas. The facility
is expected to provide power for more than 24,000 homes —
enough to meet the annual energy needs of about 56,000 Texans.
Everything’s
Bigger- and Greener-in Texas April 2007
Big industry has big plans for wind energy transmission in
Texas.
New
Report on Texas Energy Supply & Demand March
2007
A March 2007 analysis found that expanded energy efficiency
policies in Texas could mitigate 17.5 percent of forecasted
electricity consumption by 2023 and offset nearly one-third
of peak summer electricity demand. The report, Potential
for Energy Efficiency, Demand Response, and Onsite Renewable
Energy to Meet Texas's Growing Electricity Demands was
commissioned by Environmental Defense and conducted by researchers
at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).
Victoria
Pumps to Offer Alternative Fuel by Year's End March
2007
As the latest developing Clean Cities region in Texas, Victoria
is on its way to promoting clean alternative fuel. Clean Cities
is a U. S. Department of Energy program that was established
by the Energy Policy Act of 1992.
Denton
Fire Department Goes Green March 2007
The City of Denton plans to get the city’s new $3.4
million fire station certified under the Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED)
rating system. Once certified, it will be one of the first
“green” fire stations in Texas. Additional green
measures include four 5,500-gallon tanks for rainwater storage,
recycled construction materials, natural lighting and a geothermal
well system to heat and cool the building.
First
U.S. Power Plant to Run Exclusively on Biodiesel Opens in
Texas March
2007
A new power plant in Texas is the only one in the United States
to run entirely on biodiesel. On March 5, Biofuels Power Corporation
announced it has begun generating and selling electricity
from its biodiesel power plant in Oak Ridge North, Texas.
Texas
Approves First Biodiesel Additive to Reduce NOx Emissions
March 2007
ORYXE Energy International had received official notification
from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
that the company's biodiesel fuel additive, ORYXE LED for
Biodiesel, has been approved for use in the state.
Texas
Claims the World's Largest Wind Farm
March
2007
When the last phase of the project is complete this month,
the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center will be the largest wind
farm in the world, with a total capacity of 735 megawatts.
Texas
Wind Powers A Big Energy Gamble March
2007
A Wall Street Journal article.
TSTC
Offers First AAS Degree for Wind Energy in Texas February
2007
Texas State Technical College (TSTC) West Texas Sweetwater
campus has added to its curriculum a Wind Energy and Turbine
Technology two year degree program
developed by TSTC faculty in collaboration with program advisory
group members of the wind industry, including Florida Power
and Light (FPL), General Electric, and Texas Tech University.
See
this PFL
Energy article.
Texas
Awards First Geothermal Energy Lease February
2007
Does the coast of Texas hold promise for geothermal energy?
Ormat Technologies, Inc. seems to think so, since the company
has paid $55,645 to lease six tracts of submerged coastal
land totaling more than 11,000 acres. The lease allows Ormat
to explore the potential of the land's geothermal resources
and, if possible, produce geothermal power from the tracts.
Ormat plans to produce power from the hot water associated
with oil and gas wells and reports that says 8,000 similar
wells have been identified in Texas. View the map
of the lease areas.
UT-Permian
Basin to Promote New Energy Technology February
2007
The University of Texas-Permian Basin has received a $12,500
grant from the West Texas Coalition for Innovation and Commercialization.
The funds will be used to promote alternative energy commercialization
in the Permian Basin.
Texas
Companies Plan wind, Gas, Coal Power Plants
February 2007
Several Texas energy companies offered Thursday to build a
string of wind, gas and coal-fired power plants and transmission
lines across the Panhandle that could lessen the state’s
future dependence on coal while supplying enough electricity
for more than a million Texas homes. 800 miles of electric
transmission lines are proposed to connect Panhandle power
producers with customers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Austin
and San Antonio.
Wind
Industry Standards Needed in Texas
February
2007
A Houston Chronicle article.
Wind
Farms Generate Opposition in Some Parts of Texas February
2007
A Houston Chronicle article.
Sweet
Sorghum Good Option for Texas Renewable Energy Crop
February
2007
Texas A&M Extension agronomist Juerg Blumenthal said at
a recent renewable fuels conference in Belton, Texas, that
sweet sorghum is a promising renewable fuels crop for Texas
producers.
BP
Plans to Install 550 MW of Wind Power Includes Texas January
2007
BP announced last week that it expects to begin construction
on five wind power projects in the United States this year.
BP Alternative Energy North America Inc., a BP subsidiary,
will erect a total of 550 megawatts (MW) of wind power in
five projects located in four states: California, Colorado,
North Dakota, and Texas.
Harvested
Sunshine Will Power Texas Vehicles February
2007
In the future, we may be filling up with fuel made from a
nearby mesquite farm, a pond full of algae, or residue from
the last cotton, grain or soybean crop.
Texas
CHP Initiative to Promote Energy Security in Texas
January 2007
A new nonprofit organization will promote on-site energy technologies
that provide integrated power, heat, and cooling to hospitals
and essential facilities in Texas, especially during times
of natural and man-made disasters. The Texas Combined Heat
and Power (CHP) Initiative will champion the use of CHP technologies
as the most reliable, economic, and environmentally friendly
solution to Texas energy security.
Producing
Local Texas Crops for Ethanol Promoted January
2007
Biofuel advocates from Texas A&M and state agricultural
organizations are on tour in Central Texas to get more farmers
on board with providing ethanol-based fuels.
FPL
Energy to Partner with KidWind Project for Texas Classrooms
December 2006
FPL Energy, LLC, announced a partnership with the KidWind
Project to bring the science of wind energy into classrooms
throughout Texas. The goal of the project is to introduce
teachers to the benefits and wonders of wind power through
hands-on science activities so that they will be able to take
what they learn from the workshops into their classrooms to
expose hundreds, if not thousands, of students to wind energy,
the company said. The initial workshops will be held for teachers
in the Abilene, Jim Ned, and Wylie School Districts in early
December.
Cities
Earn Awards for Energy, Air Quality Efforts
November
2006
The Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) recently
named four Texas cities as award winners for their achievements
in energy efficiency and air quality improvement. The cities
of Dallas, Galveston, Bedford and Bellaire each received awards
from the State Energy Conservation Office and the Texas Energy
Partnership. The Texas Energy Partnership is a program of
the State Energy Conservation Office. Each of the four cities
was recognized for their overall electricity consumption reduction
and either energy conservation or air quality projects they
implemented.
Fort
Bliss to Set Solar Power Production World Record
October 2006
Fort Bliss, the U.S. Army base located near El Paso, has launched
a project to build a 1.5-MW solar photovoltaic power power
plant using technology developed by Atira Technology and studied
extensively by the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS).
Austin
Energy's On-Site Plant of the Future October
2006
The most efficient and comprehensive on-site generation plant
available today was dedicated on October 17, 2006, in Austin,
Texas. The Austin Energy 4.3 megawatt (MW) combined heat and
power plant will be capable of providing 100% of the electricity,
heating and air conditioning necessary to operate the new
Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, which
will open in 2007. The plant will use about 20 percent less
fuel than equivalent but separate electric, heating, and cooling
operations. Its carbon emissions will be about 40 percent
lower than power from the electric grid.
Texas
to Invest $10 Billion for Wind Energy October
2006
Texas Governor Rick Perry announced he has collected commitments
from private companies to invest $10 billion in wind energy,
enough to increase generating capacity in the state by 7,000
megawatts (MW) and to to build the transmission facilities
needed to support the state's burgeoning wind power industry.
The state's Public Utility Commission will direct the construction
of the new transmission lines. The investment is contingent
on the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) approving construction
of additional transmission capacity to windy areas of the
state.
Texas
A&M University Awarded $800,000 August
2006
Nine grants totaling $5.7 million have been awarded
by DOE and USDA for research in biobased fuels to accelerate
the development of alternative fuel resources. The awardees
include Texas A&M University. The research will focus
on genomics that will allow woody plant tissues such as switchgrass,
alfalfa, sorghum, wheat, and other grasses to be grown in
large quantities to produce renewable fuels, including ethanol.
Texas
Among First for Hybrid School Buses July
2006
IC Corporation, North America's largest school bus manufacturer,
unveiled its hybrid electric bus last month and in late July
announced that it will provide up to 19 hybrid buses to school
districts in 11 states. The buses combine a V8 diesel engine
with an 80-kilowatt Hybrid Drive System developed by Enova
Systems, Inc.
Texas
is Top Wind Energy Producer! July
2006
Texas is now the top wind producer in the United States, with
a capacity of 2,370 megawatts, enough to power 600,000 average-sized
homes a year, according to a midyear report released Tuesday
by the American Wind Energy Association.
Solar
Car Wins Sixth Consecutive Victory in Race July
2006
The Sundancer, raced by 15 high school students from the Houston
Vocational Center in Houston, Mississippi, won the Dell-Winston
School Solar Car Challenge open division
at Texas Motor Speedway. The Challenge is the largest solar
car competition in the U.S. and is open to teams of high school
students from around the world who design, build and race
cars powered exclusively by solar energy. The Challenge was
established ten years ago to help motivate students in science
and engineering. The event is co-sponsored by SECO.
Texas
Investors and Area Farmers Announce Plans for Ethanol Plant
July 2006
The Central Texas Ag Development Board, which represents farmers
in ten Central Texas counties, will partner with a group of
as yet unidentified investors to form the Blackland Ethanol
Corporation (the corn that will be used grows in Blackland
Prairie). The group plans to build a $60 million to $80 million
alternative fuel plant in central Texas, although a location
hasn't’t been named. The plant is expected to produce
about 50 million gallons of fuel annually with expansion possibilities
of up to 100 million gallons and will initially employ 30-40
people.
H-E-B
Introduces New Alternative Fuel Strategy in Texas
May 2006
H-E-B will start selling E-85 at five of its grocery store
gasoline stations along the Interstate 35 corridor: Schertz,
Buda, Austin, Killeen and Waco. E-85 is a renewable and domestically
produced alternative fuel that is 15 percent gasoline and
85 percent ethanol.
Building
Green is Catching On in Austin May
2006
Green Building: it's a trend that is catching on across America.
And in environmentally conscious Austin, it can be a big deal
when it comes to opening a big box retail store. The new H-E-B
in South Austin is ready to open its doors.
Austin
City Council OKs More Renewable Energy Sources for Austin
Energy April 2006
The Austin City Council approved on Thursday, April 6, two
requests to purchase new power sources that will enable Austin
Energy to double its renewable energy supply and to proceed
with plans to retire the Holly Power Plant next year. One
contract involves the purchase of the annual output of electricity
for the next 20 years from 225 megawatts (MW) of new wind
generators to be built in West Texas. The renewable energy
purchase will give Austin Energy one of the largest green
power supplies of any utility in Texas. Austin Energy has
been ranked #1 in the country four years in a row for the
most renewable energy sales by a utility-sponsored green power
program—outperforming some 600 other programs nationwide.
Austin
Energy Earns Award for Innovative Energy-efficiency Program
March 2006
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) have named Austin Energy as an
ENERGY STAR 2006 Partner of the Year. The award recognizes
Austin Energy's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program
as one of the best in the nation.
Plug-In
Austin: Building a Market for Gas-Optional Hybrids
January 2006
On January 24, Austin spearheaded a nationwide partnership
that will lobby car makers to build a new green vehicle —
plug-in hybrids. In return, partners are prepared to commit
to buying the cars. The Plug-In Partners coalition, which
brings together nearly a dozen cities and dozens of public
utilities, was announced on January 24 in Washington, D.C.
Joining Austin as founding partners are Corpus Christi, Texas
and Arlington, Texas.
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