Reducing Emissions Using Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

• Background
• Useful Documents
• Useful Links
• Contact

Background

Accurate quantification of emission reductions from EE/RE measures is challenging due to the complex nature of the electrical grid system. At any given time, it is impossible to determine exactly where on the electrical grid electricity comes from for any certain electrical user. In the past, the TCEQ has specifically included reductions of nitrogen oxides (NO_X) from EE/RE measures in the SIP as explained below. The current guidance issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2004 for claiming emission reductions from EE/RE presents additional challenges for taking direct credit for EE/RE measures, particularly in areas that have a NO_X cap and trade program. Furthermore, the EPA guidance requires a number of additional commitments from states claiming reductions from EE/RE measures. Given some of the uncertainties associated with ensuring that reductions from EE/RE measures meet the EPA’s criteria (quantifiable, permanent, enforceable, and surplus) and current guidance, in more recent SIP revisions the TCEQ has accounted for EE/RE measures in the Weight of Evidence of the SIP rather than claiming direct creditable reductions. The TCEQ and the EPA continue to discuss the best ways to account for EE/RE measures in future SIP revisions.

Houston–Galveston–Brazoria (HGB) area: In the December 2002 HGB SIP revision, a methodology was developed with the support of the EPA and the Texas A&M Energy Systems Laboratory to estimate NO_X reductions resulting from EE/RE measures. The EPA’s Emissions and Generation Resource Integrated Database was used to spatially allocate the energy reductions in each of the eight HGB counties to electric generating units (EGU) located in those counties or outside the HGB area. However, this methodology does not address the complication created from the NO_X Mass Emissions Cap and Trade (MECT) program in the HGB area.

San Antonio area: The November 2004 San Antonio Early Action Compact included 0.06 tons per day (tpd) of NO_X reductions in 2007 from energy-efficiency projects as a result of Senate Bill (SB) 5 (2001) and SB 7 (1999).

Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) area: The DFW 5 Percent Increment of Progress SIP revision in April 2005 included NO_X emission reductions of 0.72 tpd in 2007 from EE/RE projects in the DFW eight-hour ozone nonattainment area. The reductions were calculated based on electricity and natural gas usage reductions from implementation of the May 1, 2001, Texas Building Energy Performance Standards to single and multi-family residences in 2003. These reductions also include less energy use because of energy efficiency measures implemented by local governments and utilities as reported to the Public Utility Commission and State Energy Conservation Office.

Return to top

Useful Documents

The following documents are available in PDF (Help with PDF).

Return to top

Useful Links

• Online Reporting Form for Political Subdivisions under SB5  — SB5 requires political subdivisions in 41 counties to establish a goal to reduce the electric consumption by five percent each year for five years, beginning January 1, 2002, and to report progress toward that goal to the SECO annually.
• Texas A&M Energy Systems Lab Calculator, IC3 Energy code compliance software based on the Texas Building Energy Performance Standards.
• State Energy Conservation Office Compliance with SB5 Web page—General information about complying with SB5 
• Texas Energy Partnership—Resource for energy efficiency and renewable energy information Texas 
• Senate Bill 5, 77th Legislative Session Full text of enrolled version of SB5 
• The Energy Systems Laboratory—The Energy Systems Laboratory is a division of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station and a member of the Texas A&M University System. 

Return to top

Contact

Bob Gifford
Air Quality Planning Section
512-239-3149

Return to top