|
Happy Earth Month!
This month is full of cities and local governments hosting Earth Day events across Texas and Oklahoma. Thank you to all the CELC members dedicated to educating and inspiring people and organizations to take action toward a more sustainable future worldwide.
A Few Cities with Upcoming Earth Day Events:
|
|
In this newsletter:
- Workshop + Happy Hour: San Antonio
- New CELC Members
- Upcoming CELC Webinar: How to Use Data to Create Stories
- Texas PACE Authority (TPA) Releases 2022 Annual Report
- Events and Webinars
- Grant Opportunities
- Job Postings
| |
Workshop + Happy Hour: San Antonio | |
We're hitting the road and our first stop is San Antonio! Our regional workshops and happy hours will focus on salient energy topics such as efficiency, policies, Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), heat pump incentives, and more. Register and join us for a discussion on the topics that are most important to Texas as we exchange ideas for how to expand energy efficiency to ensure equity and grid reliability. Energy Federation, Inc. (EFI) is generously sponsoring our happy hour so come learn, mingle, and grab a drink! | |
|
Workshop
When: April 13, 2-4 PM
Where: Trinity University (Coates University Center) Tehuacana Room 241
One Trinity Place, San Antonio, Texas 78212
*The Tehuacana Room is located in the Coates Student Center. There is free visitor parking directly across the street in the Alamo Stadium Visitor Parking Lot and in Lot B. Both are within walking distance. Download the map.
Speakers:
- Noah Oaks, SPEER's Policy Manager
- Caryn Denny, National Business Development Director, Energy Federation, Inc.
- Drew Sutter, Senior Program Manager, CLEAResult
| |  |
|
Networking happy hour
When: April 13, 4-6 PM
Where: Bombay Bicycle Club
3506 North Saint Mary's St. San Antonio, TX 78212
There is parking on site. Drinks and apps will be provided.
| |
Farmers Branch has earned its reputation for excellence. It's an oasis of small-town life in the heart of the big-city bustle. They have several energy programs, such as The Texas Power Switch is a group energy buying program that allows residents to join together and benefit from lower electricity rates through volume purchasing. | |
|
The Capital Area Council of Governments coordinates emergency communications to economic development; some things make sense for collaboration at the regional level. Formed in 1970 and one of 24 councils of governments in Texas, CAPCOG, for more than 50 years has served as an advocate, planner, and coordinator on critical regional issues in the 10-county Austin metropolitan area.
Thanks to these organizations and our current members for your support and for creating a more efficient built environment! Visit our CELC page to see all of our members.
| |
Webinar: How to Use Data to Create Stories | |
Register now for our upcoming webinar "How to use Data to Create Stories" to learn how to identify the key elements of data communication and develop a comprehensive story from start to finish. Join our presenter JT Douglas with the City of Denton as he focuses on building efficiency, water conservation, and budgeting and explores the world of data dashboards and how they can be used (at their most simple level) to tell several versions of a story from different perspectives. | |
|
Texas PACE Authority (TPA) Releases 2022 Annual Report | |
|
Since its formation in 2015, Texas PACE Authority (TPA) has facilitated more than $362.3 million in clean energy and water-saving investment in commercial buildings across the state. In 2022 alone TPA facilitated as many energy and water-saving measures as in all previous years combined with project financing ranging from $145,000 - $40 million in urban and rural communities throughout Texas.
83 local governments now have TX-PACE programs to enable their businesses and nonprofits to access TX-PACE financing for property upgrades resulting in energy and water efficiency and onsite generation. These programs increase organization's operating income and improve the built environment in their communities. Read TPA’s 2022 Annual Report.
| |
Upcoming Events + Webinars | |
|
Earthx2023: EarthX Expo is the world’s largest green gathering annually around Earth Day in Dallas, Texas. Our Congress of Conferences highlights a wide range of environmental & sustainability-related topics. Local Government discount code built100
Fair Park, Dallas April 21-23
SPEER energy focus group (metro area participants only): Community-Engagement Assessment of Interest and Resource Needs. April 25th @ 10 AM Central
Workshop: Solar in Your Community, The North Central Texas Council of Governments invites you to attend a free, in-person workshop for large-scale solar development, policy and planning on May 5th, 2023 from 9am-1pm in the Transportation Council room at 616 Six Flags Drive, Centerpoint Two, Arlington, TX 76011. This free, half-day workshop is designed to provide fact-based information to empower public officials, staff, and leaders to make informed decisions about solar policy and development in their communities. May 5th @9:00 am.
| |
The Grid Deployment Office is extending the deadline for 40101(d) Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants by two months until May 31, 2023, at 11:59 pm ET. This extension responds to feedback received to date from States, Tribes, and Territories requesting more time to complete their applications. For more information, please visit: Grid Deployment Office Amends ALRD for Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants to Extend Deadline and Offer Mail-in Submittal Option | Department of Energy
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, with DOE total funding of $550,000,000, will release new information, including informational webinars about the grant application process, vouchers option, and the DOE technical assistance available to support eligible entities.
Non-Competitive Grant Opportunity (Check this out Texas and Oklahoma) to support the development and implementation of Climate Plans. The Inflation Reduction Act appropriates $5 billion to EPA to support efforts by states, U.S. territories, municipalities, air pollution control agencies, tribes, and groups thereof to develop and implement plans to reduce GHGs. This guidance focuses on the $250 million program for planning grants, which EPA will award as cooperative agreements through a non-competitive process.
Buildings UP aims to build capacity to rapidly and equitably transform U.S. buildings. Teams will submit innovative concepts to leverage the billions of dollars available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), utility rebate programs, and many other funding sources, capitalizing on this once-in-a-generation opportunity to equitably transform a wide variety of buildings across diverse geographies.
| | | | |
