SPEER, CAPCOG explain importance of energy reporting

CAPCOG and the South-Central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource (SPEER) are hosting a virtual workshop from 10 a.m. to noon on December 9 to educate local governments about a state mandate that requires them to report their electricity usage and set a five  percent consumption reduction goal. Completing the report can help local governments improve air quality by noting where facilities can implement energy savings. The workshop will benefit cities, counties, state universities, and independent school districts.

“The Local Government Energy Reporting Requirement shows cities and counties their energy consumption and illustrates areas where electricity consumption could be reduced,” said Christiane Heggelund, CAPCOG regional planning and services program specialist. “If you lower consumption, you lower air pollution levels caused by power plants.”

The workshop seeks to encourage entities to complete the report and learn where they can reduce energy usage by implementing energy efficiency projects. The report helps document needed facility improvements and can support seeking energy related grant or loan funding. Featured speakers will be from the State Energy Conservation Office, SPEER, CAPCOG and the city of Pflugerville, which completed the 2020 reporting requirement. While the requirement is set by the Texas Health and Safety Code to improve air quality until at least 2026, not completing the report has no penalties. However, its completion is required from governments in the Austin-Rock Round-Georgetown Metropolitan Statistical Area.