Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP)

2015

Through the 83rd and 84th Legislatures (2013 and 2015, respectively), the Laboratory’s responsibilities under TERP were kept the same as previous years.

2011

Following the 82nd Legislature, the Laboratory’s responsibilities under TERP increased as new legislatively allocated energy efficiency initiatives were introduced.

2009

The 81st Legislature extended the data of the TERP to 2019 and required the TCEQ to contract with Laboratory to compute emissions reduction from wind and other renewable energy resources for the SIP.

2007

Through SB 12 and HB 3693 during the 80th Legislature, amended Senate Bill 5 to enhance its effectiveness by adding the following additional energy efficiency initiatives:

• Requires the Laboratory to provide written recommendations to the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) about whether or not the energy efficiency provisions of latest published edition of the International Residential Code (IRC) or the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) are equivalent to or better than the energy efficiency and air quality achievable under the editions adopted under the 2001 IRC/IECC. The Laboratory shall make its recommendations no later than six months after publication of new editions at the end of each three-year code development cycle of the International Residential Code and the International Energy Conservation Code
• Requires the Laboratory to consider comments made by persons who have an interest in the adoption of the energy codes in the recommendations made to the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO)
• Requires the Laboratory to develop a standardized report format to be used by providers of home energy ratings, including different report formats for rating newly constructed residences from those for existing residences. The form must be designed to give potential buyers information on a structure’s energy performance, including: insulation, types of windows, heating and cooling equipment, water heating equipment, additional energy conserving features (if any), results of performance measurements of building tightness and forced air distribution, and an overall rating of probable energy efficiency relative to the minimum requirements of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or the energy efficiency chapter of the International Residential Code (IRC), as appropriate
• Encourages the Laboratory to cooperate with an industry organization or trade association to: develop guidelines for home energy ratings: provide training for individuals performing home energy ratings and providers of home energy ratings, and provide a registry of completed ratings for newly constructed residences and residential improvement projects for the purpose of computing the energy savings and emissions reduction benefits of the home energy ratings program
• Requires the Laboratory to include information on the benefits attained from this program in an annual report to the commission (TCEQ)

2005

In the 79th Legislature, through SB 20, HB 2481 and HB 2129, amended Senate Bill 5 to enhance its effectiveness by adding the following additional energy efficiency initiatives:

• Requires 5,880 MW of generating capacity from renewable energy technologies by 2015
• Includes 500 MW from non-wind renewables
• Requires the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) to establish a target of 10,000 megawatts of installed renewable capacity by 2025
• Requires the TCEQ to develop methodology for computing emissions reduction from renewable energy initiatives and the associated credits
• Requires the Laboratory to assist the TCEQ in quantifying emissions reduction credits from energy efficiency and renewable energy programs
• Requires the Texas Environmental Research Consortium (TERC) to contract with the Laboratory to develop and annually calculate creditable emissions reduction from wind and other renewable energy resources for the state’s SIP
• Requires the Laboratory to develop at least three alternative methods for achieving a 15 % greater potential energy savings in residential, commercial and industrial construction

2003

Through HB 1365 and HB 3235 during the 78th Legislature, amended TERP to enhance its effectiveness with additional energy efficiency initiatives:

• Requires TCEQ to conduct outreach to non-attainment and near-non-attainment counties on the benefits of implementing energy efficiency measures as a way to meet the air quality goals under the federal Clean Air Act
• Requires TCEQ to develop a methodology for computing emissions reduction from energy efficiency initiatives
• Authorizes a voluntary Energy-Efficient Building Program at the General Land Office (GLO), in consultation with the Laboratory, for the accreditation of buildings that exceed the state energy code requirements by 15% or more
• Authorizes municipalities to adopt an optional, alternate energy code compliance mechanism through the use of accredited energy efficiency programs determined to be code-compliant by the Laboratory, as well as the US EPA’s Energy Star New Homes program
• Requires the Laboratory to develop and administer a statewide training program for municipal building inspectors seeking to become code-certified inspectors for enforcement of energy codes

2001

The 77th Legislature passed Senate Bill 5 (SB5) and the TERP legislation.

• A diesel emissions reduction incentive program
• A motor vehicle purchase or lease incentive program
• A new technology research and development program
• An energy efficiency grant program
• Building energy performance standards

In 2001, the 77th Legislature passed Senate Bill 5 (SB5) defining the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP).

Objectives

• Ensure that air in Texas meets the Federal Clean Air Act requirements as defined by the EPA
• Reduce Nitrogen Oxides (aka NOx) emissions in non-attainment and near-non-attainment counties through mandatory and voluntary programs, including the implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs (EE/RE)

Elements

• A diesel emissions reduction incentive program
• A motor vehicle purchase or lease incentive program
• A new technology research and development program
• An energy efficiency grant program
• A statewide Texas Building Energy Performance Standard (TBEPS) which defines the building energy code for all residential and commercial buildings
• A goal of 5% per year reduction in electrical consumption for facilities of political subdivisions in non-attainment and near-non-attainment counties from 2002 through 2008

Responsibilities

• Assist communities to evaluate and quantify above code amendments to the International Residential Code (IRC) and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which define the minimum energy efficiency standards for the State of Texas
• Train builders, code inspectors, code officials, manufacturers, homeowners and other interested groups on how to cost effectively implement the energy efficiency standards of the codes
• Develop a self-certification form for builders outside of municipalities
• Evaluate Home Energy Rating Software (HERS) packages. The Laboratory will evaluate HERS offerings and assist in defining changes required for the State of Texas
• Report annually to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) the energy savings (and resultant emissions reduction) from implementation of building energy codes and to identify the municipalities and counties whose codes are more or less stringent than the un-amended code
• Participate in an annual evaluation by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) of the emission reductions resulting from utility-sponsored programs established under Senate Bill 5 and utility-sponsored programs established under the electric utility restructuring act (Section 39.905 Utilities Code)

Texas Energy Summit

The Texas Energy Summit serves as a valuable forum to help communities improve decisions that determine the energy and water intensity of the built environment and reduce related emissions. The goals of the conference include sharing information on how to implement state and local energy efficiency policies, raising awareness of the impact of such policies, developing a move toward new policy goals, and highlighting and celebrating successful policies and best energy efficiency practices to achieve emissions reduction in the built environment.

In August 2004, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued guidance on quantifying the air emission benefits from electric sector energy efficiency and renewable energy. Because there was no clear best strategy, the EPA’s guidance provided a framework and the basic requirements needed to demonstrate air quality improvements or emission reductions with adequate certainty to be incorporated into a State Implementation Plan (SIP) for achieving or maintaining National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

The Energy Systems Laboratory, with guidance from both the EPA and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), developed the first comprehensive engineering toolkit and database that satisfies the EPA guidelines. The value of this unique tool was demonstrated in 2005 when the ESL, at the request of the TCEQ, used it to develop integrated emissions estimates for all state agencies participating in the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan.

Building on this expertise, the EPA has established a National Center of Excellence on Displaced Emission Reductions (CEDER) at the Energy Systems Laboratory to:

• Research and gather the state-of-the-art on air pollution quantification techniques for Energy Efficiency / Renewable Energy (EE/RE) projects
• Provide technical support and customized analysis for state and local agencies seeking to estimate the environmental benefits from clean energy policies and programs
• Document how a user-friendly tool, based on the Texas Emissions and Energy Calculator (eCalc), can be used by clients to fulfill their needs to quantify emission reductions from energy efficiency and renewable energy measures

CEDER Reports to the EPA

• EPA Recognizes ESL’s Dallas Partners
• Analysis of Emissions Calculators for the National Center of Excellence on Displaced Emissions Reduction (ESL-TR-10-03-01)
• Energy Efficiency, Cost-Effectiveness, and Air Pollutant Reduction Analysis From Energy Efficiency And Renewable Energy (EE/RR) Projects In Texas Public Schools (ESL-TR-10-08-01)
• Description and Comparison of the Results of the Proposed House: Habitat for Humanity at Frazier Court, Dallas, Texas, with the 2004 IECC Standard Reference House (ESL-TR-10-09-01)