In this newsletter:

DOE Releases 2023 Energy & Employment Report
New Blog: Without Efficiency, Texas is Heating Up
Registration & Sponsorships Open: SPEER's Annual Industry Workshop
New Members!
Webinar: Plug Loads Management for Commercial Buildings
Green Energy Career Opportunities: Oklahoma
IEA Conference: 45 Govts Endorse Goal of Doubling Global Energy Efficiency
What We're Reading

Released: 2023 Energy & Employment Report

The U.S Department of Energy (DOE) just released its 2023 Energy & Employment Report, and we must admit, it's an exciting one for us! Clean energy jobs increased in every state and grew 3.9% nationally from 2021-2022, outpacing overall U.S. employment. While energy efficiency grew more slowly than other areas it still remains one of the largest energy sectors; employing over 2.2 million workers. Here are some key stats from the report:

In SPEER's region: Texas ranked second for adding the most clean energy jobs 5,198 (+5.5%) while the state added the most energy jobs overall (50,197). Oklahoma ranked in the top 3 states with the highest percentage growth in energy efficiency (+5.4%)
Jobs in battery electric vehicles increased by 28,366 (+27%): 17x faster than the increase in gasoline & diesel vehicle employment
Clean energy electricity technologies, such as solar and wind, accounted for roughly 87% of net new electric power generation jobs, adding 22,279 jobs (+3.6%).

Read the report to see how energy employment in the nation continues to expand and how your region compares.

New Blog

SPEER's Annual Policy + Industry Workshop

Austin, Texas | Archer Hotel

September 14-15, 2023

Have you registered for our September Industry + Policy Workshop? Don't wait! We will cover the changing energy landscape in our region and across the country and while the agenda is still growing (see below!) we'll dive into all things energy & energy efficiency: The importance of building codes, grid resilience, heat pumps, DERs, federal funding, and much more.

Cost:

SPEER members are free

Non-member $129

Book your room through our room block now.

Thursday, September 14

10:00-12:00 TECCC Meeting & Board

1:00-1:45 Welcome + Headline Sponsor

1:45-2:30 Local Government Energy Needs: Statewide Survey Assessment Results

Darien Clary, Austin ISD
Steve Stelzer, City of Houston

2:30-2:45 Break

2:45-3:45 Federal Funding

Crystal Perkins, Department of Energy

3:45-4:30 Gas Efficiency

Jasmine King-Bush, One Gas

4:30-5:00 Texas PACE Authority (TPA) 10-Year Anniversary: Successes

Charlene Heydinger, TPA

5:00-7:00 Reception (Sponsored by TX PACE Authority) + Networking Dinners

Friday, September 15

8:00-8:45 Breakfast

8:30 Kick Off + Welcome

Interim Chair Jackson, PUCT

8:45-9:30 Equity + Weatherization

TEPRI
TDHCA: TX Department of Housing and Community Affairs

9:30-10:15 Utility Panel

Lark Lee, Tetra Tech
Frontier Energy

10:15-10:30 Coffee Break

10:30-11:15 Energy Codes: Recent trends in the adoption of the 2021 IECC across TX, OK, and the US

Randy Plumlee, SPEER
Jason Vandever, NAIMA

11:15-12:15 Energy Efficiency in Oklahoma: Overview of current energy programs

Kylah McNabb, Vesta Strategic Solutions, LLC
Amanda Marcott-Thottunkal, Oklahoma Department of Commerce

12:15- 1:00 Lunch

1:00-2:00 88th Texas Legislative Session Recap: Successes and Takeaways

Noah Oaks, SPEER

SPONSORSHIPS

Happy Hour Sponsor

Watt Sponsor

BIG thank you to our sponsors: Texas PACE Authority and Cascade Energy!!

We invite you to consider becoming a sponsor as well. Through this support your organization will be demonstrating your dedication to environmental stewardship. Benefit from increased brand visibility while helping us create a greener and more energy-efficient future. These sponsorships offer a unique opportunity to align your brand with cutting-edge technologies and solutions that reduce energy consumption. Want to stand out as a forward-thinking organization committed to sustainability? Become a SPEER sponsor today.

Welcome New SPEER Members!

New Braunfels Utility is enhancing the quality of its community through capital improvement projects by laying the infrastructure for a resilient future.

Metro Code is a woman-owned organization that provides municipalities throughout Texas with development infrastructure, plan review, building inspections, energy testing, green, and TAS services.

Webinar: Plug loads management for commercial buildings

Plug and process loads refer to energy used by equipment plugged into an outlet and according to the DOE, these loads consume about 47% of primary energy in U.S. commercial buildings. In minimally code-compliant office buildings, plug loads may account for up to 25% of total energy consumption. But plug loads may account for more than 50% of the total energy consumption in highly-efficient buildings. This presentation will focus on the lessons learned by HARC optimizing and managing its plug load consumption to minimize costs and decarbonize building operations.

Speaker: Carlos Gamarra, Sr. Research Scientist in Clean Energy Technology at the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC)

Date: July 11, 9 AM Central

Career Opportunities in Oklahoma:

Virtual listening session on Green energy: Renewables and Sustainability

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce (ODOC) will host a virtual listening session on green energy career opportunities and workforce (renewable & sustainable energy) currently and over the next 5 to 10 years. This session will be held on July 18 from 10:30 am - noon Central.

The purpose of this listening session is to:

Gather baseline data to establish recruitment and retention needs
Understand the Green Energy industry projected job growth in Oklahoma and the demand for these careers over the next 5-10 years
Identify Oklahoma businesses interested in partnering with ODOC to form paid Green Energy or related industry apprenticeships
Identify the appropriate position terminology, job titles, and job tasks found in Oklahoma

ODOC seeks industry input from the following types of individuals working in support of or directly for Green Energy areas:

Human Resource Staff
Business Owners Producing Green Energy Components or Complete Products
Government Employees Impacted by Green Energy Employment in Oklahoma
Workforce Development Staff
Vocational Education or Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors
Employment Agency Staff
Vocational and Four-Year College Educational Representatives
Industry Recruiters
Other Individuals Working in Support of Green Energy Sector Employment

To prepare for this meeting, please complete these questions online and bring any replies to the virtual meeting for discussion. The questions may be completed regardless of attendance by calling Greg Gaden, ODOC Energy Programs Planner at 405-632-9314.

IEA Conference:

45 Governments endorse Goal of Doubling Global Energy Efficiency

Recently the International Energy Agency (IEA) held its 8th Global Conference on Energy Efficiency and brought together global energy and climate leaders in France with a new IEA analysis presented showing that the world needs to double progress on efficiency between now and 2030 as part of efforts to improve energy security and affordability while reaching out goals of limiting emission and global warming.

Following the conference 45 governments from around the world have endorsed this goal of doubling the average global rate of energy efficiency (EE) improvements by the end of the decade highlighting the critical role that EE can play in improving living standards and energy security.

Strengthening energy efficiency policy implementation can provide the following benefits among many more: