Clean Energy Initiatives - Austin
City of Austin Initiatives and Policies
Climate Protection Plan
The goal of the Austin Climate Protection Program is to make Austin the leading city in the nation in the fight against climate change. The City is currently working towards this goal by implementing the following actions:
- Municipal Plan - Make all City of Austin facilities, vehicles, and operations carbon-neutral by 2020.
- Utility Plan - Expand conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy programs to reduce Austin Energy’s carbon footprint; cap carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants; and make any new electricity generation carbon-neutral.
- Homes and Buildings - Update building codes for new buildings to be the most energy-efficient in the nation, pursue energy efficiency upgrades for existing buildings, and enhance Austin Energy’s Green Building program.
- Community Plan - Engage Austin citizens, community groups, and businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the community.
- “Go Neutral” Plan - Provide tools and resources for citizens, businesses, organizations, and visitors to measure and reduce their carbon footprint.
The Pecan Street Project began with the mission to establish “America’s clean energy laboratory – a place for researchers and entrepreneurs to develop, test, and implement the urban power system of the future.” The proposed project will “design and implement an energy generation and management system that generates a power plant’s worth of power from clean sources within the city limits and delivers it over an advanced delivery system that allows for unprecedented customer energy management and conservation.” Phase I of the project was overseen by the Environmental Defense Fund and concluded in August 2009. National corporate partners include Dell, GE Energy, IBM, Intel, Oracle, Cisco Systems, Microsoft, Freescale Semiconductor and GridPoint.
Project Energize is a proposed initiative to implement a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program in Austin as allowed by Texas House Bill 1937 (HB 1937). The proposed program would finance energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy installations through voluntary contracts with property owners repaid through long-term assessments on property tax bills.
The City of Austin is one of the U.S. Department of Energy’s 13 inaugural Solar America Cities. In October 2009 it was announced that Austin received Recovery Act funding for a Solar America Cities Special Project. In the project, Austin Energy will collaborate with the Austin Independent School District, the University of Texas, and Austin Community College to improve K-12 solar curriculum, install PV demonstration projects with educational components at area schools, and develop career pathways for Solar Engineers and Solar Technician certifications.
The City of Austin is a member of Central Texas Clean Cities. The Clean Cities Program’s mission is to advance the nation’s economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local decisions to adopt practices that reduce petroleum consumption. It encompasses governmental and private stakeholder fleets in Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, Williamson Counties and Ft. Hood, Texas.
Fleet Replacement and Fuel Conservation
The Climate Protection Plan established a goal for all City vehicles to be carbon-neutral by 2020. Carbon neutrality will require the vehicles to be powered by biofuels or electricity from emissions-free renewable energy. City of Austin Fleet Services is focused on replacing eligible vehicles with alternative fuel, electric, and hybrid-electric vehicle options. As of April 2009, fifty-four percent of City vehicles operated on alternative fuels. Additionally, an inter-departmental team developed a Fuel Conservation Policy (Administrative Bulletin No. 09-01) that was adopted in March 2009. The policy outlines requirements for minimizing fuel consumption and emissions.
Austin operates a number of fueling stations that includes a Compressed Natural Gas station, an E85 ethanol station, and B20 biodiesel stations. View a map of the City’s fueling stations with a list of fuels available at each site.
Under the direction of the Austin City Council, the City of Austin and Austin Energy are leading Plug-In Partners, a national campaign to demonstrate to automakers that a market exists today for plug-in hybrids.
Austin is committed to pursuing economic development policies that enhance local prosperity. Emerging technology, including clean energy, is an important piece of that equation that builds on Austin’s comparative advantages. Through the Emerging Technologies Program, the City actively encourages the growth of the clean energy industry in Austin.
Building Policies
Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure (ECAD)
In November 2008, the Austin City Council approved the Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure (ECAD) ordinance (Ordinance 20081106-047) to improve the energy efficiency of Austin homes and buildings that receive electricity from Austin Energy and reduce energy demand. The ordinance was the product of an Energy Efficiency Retrofit Task Force and applies to single-family homes, multifamily properties, and commercial buildings.
In October 2007, the City Council adopted the first in a series of code amendments that by 2015 will make all new single-family homes in Austin “zero-energy capable” homes. A zero-energy home is one capable of producing as much energy as it consumes over the course of a year.
Sustainability in Municipal Buildings and Infrastructure
In June 2000, Austin became one of the first cities in the country to require a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for its new, publicly-owned buildings (Resolution 000608-43). The LEED Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. In 2007, subsequent resolutions on LEED requirements for municipal buildings and sustainability requirements for green infrastructure were passed to ensure all city buildings are designed, built, operated, and maintained in the most sustainable and feasible manner.
Waste and Recycling Policies
Single Stream Recycling allows City of Austin Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) customers to mix recyclable paper, plastic, aluminum cans and glass in one bin. This method of curbside recycling is more convenient for residents because it requires no sorting of items. Producing materials and consumer products is an energy- and greenhouse gas-intensive process. Recycling materials avoids the need to manufacture virgin materials, thereby avoiding unnecessary energy use and associated greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2009, Austin adopted the State’s first Zero Waste Plan for a Texas community. The stated goal is to reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill by 90% by the year 2040. The Plan addresses both upstream and downstream policy and program options; green business, green buildings, and jobs; as well as regional coordination.
Austin’s Green District will be a community of centralized, state-of-the-art recycling facilities in east Austin.
Water Policies
Water treatment is one of the most energy-intensive processes in a city, therefore effective water conservation can have a significant impact on energy usage. The City of Austin, through the Austin Water Utility, has a wide range of water conservation programs, including a water use management ordinance passed in 2007; rebates for high efficiency clothes washers, toilets, and rainwater harvesting systems; free high efficiency toilets; a residential irrigation audit program for large users; educational programs; and a fast growing reclaimed water program.
Air Policies
The City of Austin’s Air Quality Program works to promote healthy outdoor air for all citizens. As part of the Austin Energy Department, the Air Quality Program addresses the City’s impacts on air quality and aims to implement programs that reduce the impact of our business activities on regional air quality.
Other
The Green City Festival is a partnership between the City of Austin and the community, with the goal of preserving and protecting Austin’s environment.
In July 2009, new solar powered pay stations began to replace the City of Austin‘s 3,800 outdated and failing single space parking meters.
Austin Chamber of Commerce Initiatives
The Clean Energy Council was established by the Chamber to promote the area’s clean energy companies and provide a forum for discussion. The CEC meets on a quarterly basis.
Green Jobs Task Force and Report
In February 2009 the Chamber began efforts to coordinate a community wide approach to green job education and training. The Chamber’s Business Retention & Expansion team, under the direction of Jack McDonald, the Chamber’s 2009 Vice Chair for Technology and Chairman of the AusTech Alliance, coordinated a “Green Job” Task Force to coordinate regional workforce training issues for the Austin-Round Rock MSA around the numerous opportunities in the renewable and energy efficiency sectors. The report from that task force is a community roadmap that identifies, defines and sizes green collar job opportunities specifically for our region, as well as identifies the training providers and funding opportunities.
The Chamber launched a Federal Advocacy Initiative to enhance Austin’s influence on national policies, including those related to clean energy.
Austin Energy Initiatives and Incentives
Austin Energy is the nation’s 9th largest community-owned electric utility. It serves 388,000 customers and a population of more than 900,000 within the City of Austin, Travis County, and a small portion of Williamson County. Austin Energy’s generation portfolio produces over 2,600 megawatts (MW) of total generation from nuclear, coal, natural gas, and renewable energy sources.
Public Participation Process on Resource Management and Climate Protection Plans
The public participation process, which formally began in the fall of 2008, is designed to inform and solicit feedback from the citizens of Austin about future energy needs and challenges. This process invites discussion and feedback on a proposed energy plans that assure reliable supplies of electricity between now and 2020, while meeting clean energy goals set by the City Council. The public participation process will involve a series of town hall meetings, as well as meetings with specific stakeholder groups.
Austin Energy has an established goal to offset 700 megawatts (MW) of peak demand by 2020 through energy efficiency measures and is recommending that the goal be increased. The utility’s residential and commercial energy efficiency programs, begun in 1982, are among the most successful in the nation. From 1982 through 2003, the programs offset the need for a 600 MW power plant. Since 2004, the utility has reduced peak demand by almost 300 MW, advancing steadily toward the proposed 2020 goal. Austin Energy provides more than $20 million annually in rebates to help customers pay for energy efficiency improvements, and over the past five years more than 23,000 customers have participated in the program.
Austin Energy has an established goal that 30% of the power it provides by 2020 will come from renewable resources and is now recommending that the goal be increased. Within the renewable energy goal, there is a goal to obtain at least 100 MW of solar energy capacity by 2020.
Climate Protection “CO2 Plan” Goals
Austin Energy has an established goal to reduce CO2 emissions to 20% below 2005 level by 2020.
Green Choice® Renewable Energy Purchase Program
GreenChoice customers voluntarily support electric generation from clean, renewable sources. At almost 800 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) in subscriptions and growing, GreenChoice is the nation’s most successful utility-sponsored green energy program and has been number one in the nation in sales in each of the last seven years.
Austin established the nation’s first green building program in 1991. From a simple remodeling job to an entire development, Austin Energy Green Building’s programs cover all levels of construction. Each program emphasizes a team approach to building that includes all construction professionals, from architects to craftspeople. The team approach to construction makes it easier to incorporate green building principles at every step of a project and usually results in a higher-quality product.
Advanced Meter / Smart Grid Deployment
In the fall of 2009, Austin Energy completed the installation of automated meters for all of its 400,000 customers, making the utility one of the first in the country with system-wide smart meter capability. Smart meters transmit meter reads via radio waves. They also are capable of signaling a power outage and then confirming once power has been restored. Austin Energy is also initiating “smart” pilots, one to test equipment that can help reduce the impact of power outages and speed up repairs. Austin Energy’s smart metering project covers 440 square miles, 500,000 devices, 100 terabytes of data, 1 million consumers and 43,000 businesses.
Thermostat Cycling
Austin Energy’s thermostat cycling program is the largest in the nation with 86,000 customers participating. The program reduces peak demand by 30-45 MW by cycling off one-third of the participants for 10 minutes, providing the load shift for up to 30 minutes on peak demand summer afternoons.
Light Emitting Diodes (LED) City Initiative
In 2008, Austin joined Toronto, Canada, Raleigh, North Carolina and Ann Arbor, Michigan as a participant in a nationwide LED City initiative to promote and deploy LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting technology, the brightest and most energy efficient lighting available today. Austin Energy was the first in the nation to provide rebates to local businesses that utilize LEDs.
Austin Energy also offers a variety of rebates, loans, and incentives to its customers.
University of Texas-Austin Initiatives and Organizations
The Energy Institute has been established at the University of Texas at Austin to provide the City of Austin, the State of Texas, and the Nation guidance for sustainable energy security through the pursuit of research and education programs in energy. Dr. Ray Orbach is the new director of the Energy Institute. Prior to his directorship, Orbach was the U.S. Department of Energy’s first undersecretary for science.
Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy (CIEEP)
In 2005, UT-Austin chartered the Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy (CIEEP) to join the scientific and engineering capabilities of the University’s Jackson School of Geosciences and the College of Engineering with the LBJ School of Public Affairs. CIEEP seeks to inform the policy-making process with the best scientific and engineering expertise.
Austin Technology Incubator (ATI) and Clean Energy Incubator (CEI)
The Austin Technology Incubator’s Clean Energy Incubator (CEI) gives early-stage clean energy companies the resources they need to succeed and grow into self-sustaining entities that contribute jobs to Austin and intellectual capital to the world. CEI has been generously supported by the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the City of Austin, and Austin Energy.
The Clean Energy Venture Summit, which recently concluded its third year, provides clean energy technology companies and entrepreneurs a venue for presenting their innovations to venture capitalists, angel investors, and strategic investors that currently invest in clean energy, along with experts from Austin Energy, corporate partners, utility executives and government leaders.
The CleanTX Foundation provides networking and education for professionals interested in building the Texas clean technology community.
The Webber Group analyzes energy problems at the intersection of science, engineering, and public policy. Sample research topics include: biofuels; waste-to-energy; energy and security; green design; energy in Texas, the nexus of energy and food; and the nexus of water and energy.
Austin Community College Initiatives
Austin Community College (ACC) is currently offering and developing a wide range of programs and courses that focus on the renewable energy field, with a strong emphasis on solar power technologies. Additional renewable energy technologies (i.e. wind, geothermal, etc) will be added as the local industry expands in those areas.
ACC, along with Workforce Solutions-Capital Area and others, has played a pivotal role in organizing a regional consortium of the community colleges and local workforce development boards from San Antonio to the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. The Consortium is actively collaborating to coordinate development and delivery of training curricula for jobs in the emerging “green” economy. Initially formed by five community colleges, the Collaborative has grown to include over 16 entities.
Austin Independent School District Initiatives
Eastside Memorial Green Tech High School at the Johnston Campus
Founded on the site of the “repurposed” Johnston High School, Eastside Memorial Green Tech High School is a science, math, engineering and technology school that focuses on environmental studies, “green” technologies, and “green” design. Students will have the opportunity to take career classes to prepare for well-paying jobs in the future, especially the growing field of “green” jobs in environmental industries.
Austin Energy has completed solar installations at 11 schools-nine in Austin and two in Round Rock as part of the Texas Solar For Schools Program sponsored by the Texas State Energy Conservation Office. Since 2001, the program has supplied many small-scale solar energy systems and commentary educational tools to school districts across the state. The schools save energy while saving money on their electric bills, and the students learn first hand about renewable energy and energy conservation.
In September 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that AISD was the eighth largest purchaser of green power among all U.S. government entities — and the only public school district in the nation on the EPA’s Top 20 “Green Power” list. In October 2003, AISD made the largest purchase to date of renewable energy from Austin Energy’s GreenChoice® program, with 45.7 million kilowatt-hours annually of green power. In May 2008, AISD purchased another 19.92 million kilowatt-hours. The total AISD subscription, 65.64 million kilowatt-hours, accounts for approximately 40 percent of all of its electric power needs and is enough to power 5,386 homes year-round.
American YouthWorks Initiatives
American YouthWorks’ (AYW) mission is to build productive lives and better communities. AYW is a comprehensive human investment organization that transforms young people into self-sufficient adults through education, job training and community service. Each day, AYW serves a diverse population (57% Hispanic, 21% African-American, and 22% Anglo) of 500 youth, ages 16–26 who are disproportionately poor with 88% coming from low-income households.
Green Collar Workforce Training Center
In September 2009, AYW was awarded $750,000 by U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to build a training center for workers entering the “green” workforce. The LEED certified workforce training center “will provide workers with the skills needed to compete for higher-skilled, higher-wage ‘green’ industry job opportunities.”
Casa Verde Builders (CVB) is an award-winning, project-based education program that provides participants with hands-on construction skills and applied academics by building single-family, energy-efficient, affordable housing in East Austin communities. CVB members work to improve their own neighborhoods while pursuing their high school diploma or GED.
Texas Foundation for Innovative Communities Initiatives
The Texas Foundation for Innovative Communities is a nonprofit corporation founded in June 2006 that promotes sustainable communities by facilitating the adoption of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and smart energy technologies and sustainable construction practices into the built environment.
The Texas Clean Energy Park will be a collaborative environment for innovative research, development, commercialization, and training in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency, “smart” energy technologies, and sustainable construction practices. The scope of the project will include homes, buildings, and the infrastructure that connects them.
Green Jobs Initiative (at TFIC)
Green Jobs Initiative (at Good Company Associates)
In 2009, the Texas Foundation for Innovative Communities (TFIC), together with Good Company Associates (GCA), launched a Green Jobs Initiative to leverage their combined expertise to help ensure that the Central Texas workforce will be ready to adequately and efficiently respond to new demands as new technologies that promote sustainable communities are developed and integrated into homes, buildings, and the infrastructure that connects them (i.e., the built environment). The initiative is specifically focused on energy efficiency, renewable energy, “smart” energy, and sustainable construction industries and receives the majority of its funding from a Wagner-Peyser grant from the Texas Governor’s Office, through the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Initiative
TFIC has hosted visits to Central Texas for a few delegations from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as part of an ongoing effort to encourage a regional presence of the lab in Central Texas. Discussions to develop a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the lab are currently underway.
Collaborative Environmental Advocacy Group Initiatives
Clean Energy for Texas is a collaborative effort between the region’s leading environmental groups to advance clean energy initiatives and policies throughout the State of Texas. Collaborators include Public Citizen, SEED Coalition, Sierra Club, and Environment Texas.
Catellus Development Company Initiatives
The Mueller redevelopment project is leading the way as a model for sustainable community design. An award-winning, 711-acre, mixed-use development spans the site of the former Robert Mueller Municipal Airport and will include 4,600 residences, more than 600,000 square feet of retail space and 4 million square feet of office/commercial space. All development at Mueller is LEED certified or meets equivalent Austin energy requirements for sustainability.
SunFlowers, Electric Garden Public Art Installation
To date, this is the largest public art project in the City of Austin. SunFlowers is both an icon for the sustainable, LEED certified Mueller Development and a highly visible metaphor for the energy conscious City of Austin. The 15 SunFlowers that form the Electric Garden are sculptural solar collectors that generate solar energy for lighting at night. The additional 15 kilowatts of energy that they produce is fed into the electrical grid for credit, which will fund the maintenance and operating costs for the project.
KRDB Initiatives
Sol Net-Zero Energy Neighborhood
Sol is a net-zero energy neighborhood in east Austin and a holistic approach to sustainable development. Through a comprehensive systems approach to building technology selection and good passive design, Sol offers open and efficient two and three bedroom homes ranging from 1200 to 1800 square feet that produce as much energy as they consume over the course of a year.
Other Notable Organizations and Events in Austin
The Austin EcoNetwork (AEN) is a network of people interested in information, events, and resources related to Austin and the environment.
Austin Interfaith is a multi-ethnic, multi-issue, non-partisan coalition of 30 religious congregations, public schools, and unions who work together to address public issues that affect the well-being of families and neighborhoods in our community, including clean energy issues. It is a broad-based citizens’ organization committed to promoting justice and democratic values.
Capital IDEA is an academic sponsorship program for low income adults wanting to get into a great career but unable to pay for the necessary training. Capital IDEA works with local employers to identify fast growing careers that pay a living wage and offer opportunity for growth. They are active participants in both the Austin Chamber’s Green Jobs Task Force and the Pecan Street Project Workforce Development Committee.
Center for Commercialization of Electric Technologies (CCET)
The Center for the Commercialization of Electric Technologies (CCET) is made up of 19 Texas electric and high tech companies and five universities. It was created in 2005 in a collaborative effort to enhance the safety, reliability, security, and efficiency of the Texas electric transmission and distribution system through research, development, and commercialization of emerging technologies.
Central Texas Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization (CenTex RCIC)
The CenTex RCIC serves as a catalyst for emerging technology research, development, commercialization, and start-up incubation in Central Texas. The center is an enabler for coordinating the region’s research entities and technology firms in regards to the Emerging Technology Fund, which has funded a number of clean energy companies. The center accepts applications for awards from a 15-county region.
Central Texas Sustainability Indicators Project (CTSIP)
The Central Sustainability Indicators Project is intended to increase regional awareness and commitment to sustainability. This goal will be accomplished through an ongoing public discussion that defines Central Texas residents’ vision of sustainability, creates quality of life indicators to track progress and acts as a catalyst for increasing the effectiveness of community engagement.
CLEAN AIR Force of Central Texas
The CLEAN AIR Force of Central Texas, along with local environmental and business organizations developed the program in January of 2001 after learning the realization of the majority of pollutants that create harmful ground-level ozone are coming from vehicles. The six original partners in the program were Advanced Micro Devices, Intel, Motorola, Samsung, Solectron and Vignette. There are now over 100 Partners in the 5-county Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Area (Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson Counties).
Clean Energy Associates (CEA) is an independent consulting firm providing businesses, utilities, regulatory and other government agencies, consumers and advocacy organizations with expert knowledge of technical and policy issues surrounding distributed renewable generation.
Clean Technology and Sustainable Industries Organization (CTSI)
CTSI is a not-for-profit industry trade organization committed to the commercialization and global adoption of clean technologies and sustainable industry practices. In 2008 it announced that it will be creating a new branch in Austin and designating it as the new global headquarters of the company.
Environment Texas is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization. Their staff combines independent research, practical ideas and tough-minded advocacy to overcome the opposition of powerful special interests and win real results for Texas’ environment. Environment Texas draws on over a decade of success in tackling our state’s top environmental problems.
EDF “partners with businesses, governments, and communities to find practical environmental solutions. Founded in 1990, EDF’s Texas team of scientists, economists, attorneys and experts look for innovative solutions to help Texans breathe cleaner air, combat global warming, help endangered wildlife recover in Central Texas, and restore healthy fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
Good Company Associates is a business development consulting firm specializing in energy efficiency, renewables, and smart grid applications such as energy management and demand response. They focus on the Texas competitive electricity market, where they’ve played an important role in the development of efficiency and renewables policy, projects, and programs since 1991.
IBEW / NECA Austin Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee
The Austin Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee for the Electrical Industry (JATC) Program is jointly sponsored by the Central Texas Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union #520. Among JATC programs is an intensive NABCEP-approved 40-hour hands-on workshop on photovoltaic system design & installation for electricians.
The Innovate Texas Foundation seeks to speed technology commercialization and promote economic development in Texas by acting as a hub that joins academic researchers, angel investors, private-equity funds, entrepreneurs, and incubators throughout the state. A portion of its activities are focused on the energy sector.
Since 1984, Public Citizen’s Texas State Office has concerned itself with environmental enforcement policies, global warming, promoting renewable/clean energy, product safety, nuclear safety, medical safety, auto safety/quality, pesticide safety, insurance reforms, campaign finance/ethics issues, improving state government agency operations, and fair trade policies.
Renewable Energy Business Network (REBN)
With chapters throughout the US, the Renewable Energy Business Network enables business professionals with an interest in renewable energy to connect with one another to promote the growth of the renewable energy industry. In the coming months it may rebrand itself as Clean Economy Network.
Sustainable Energy and Economic Development (SEED) Coalition
The SEED Coalition is an alliance of individuals, businesses, and organizations advocating sustainable energy strategies for Texas, including the use of renewables and conservation. It also educates the public about the economic, environmental, and health benefits of a sustainable energy strategy.
Sierra Club (Lone Star Chapter)
The Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club is an outdoor recreation and conservation organization representing approximately 24,000 Texans in 13 regional groups located throughout the state. Their office supports advocacy and education about environmental priorities such as Clean Air & Water, Smart Energy Solutions, Texas Land & Wildlife Legacy, Responsible Transportation Choices, and Water for People & the Environment.
Skillpoint Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that builds partnerships among industry, education and the community, leading to college and career success for Central Texans, while meeting employers’ needs for a qualified workforce.
Solar Austin is a membership organization that works to accelerate the transition to clean renewable energy, building healthy communities, strong economies and energy independence. Recently Solar Austin has been working with the LBJ School of Public Affairs on an ambitious energy plan for Austin’s future. See “Steps Toward a Sustainable Austin Energy.”
TechNet is a bipartisan network of CEOs and Senior Executives that promotes the growth of technology and the innovation economy. In addition to its offices in Washington, DC and Silicon Valley, TechNet has a presence in New England; Texas; the Pacific Northwest; Sacramento, CA; and Albany, NY. TechNet’s members represent more than one million employees in the fields of IT, clean technology, biotechnology, e-commerce and finance.
Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association (TREIA)
TREIA is a statewide non-profit organization of over 500 member companies and individuals involved in solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, and hydro electric energy products and/or services.
Texas Solar Energy Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1976 with a long history of solar and renewable energy outreach and education. They have a national reputation for high-profile projects, including the three-day Renewable Energy Roundup and Sustainable Living Fair in Fredericksburg and the annual Cool House Tour.
Texas-Israel Chamber of Commerce Cleanovation Conference
At the Cleanovation Conference in February 2010, the Texas-Israel Chamber of Commerce, Government of Israel-Economic Mission and the Austin Chamber of Commerce will provide utility companies, clean energy companies, investors and technologists with the opportunity to learn about highly advanced cleantech technologies available in both Texas and Israel markets.
UpLift Austin offers an innovative environmental education program for at-risk youth. To educate about promising “green” career field, UpLift Austin provides a day program in local high schools that pairs students with professionals from the community. In each program, students design and implement projects to promote an environmentally sustainable campus.
Virtus Energy is a consulting firm that works with legislative and regulatory bodies across the country and internationally to develop programs to encourage greater use of renewable energy. Virtus has worked with some of the foremost wind, biomass, and solar companies in the industry and has unique experience and insight regarding the Texas Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and Renewable Energy Credits (REC) programs.
Workforce Solutions – Capital Area
Workforce Solutions-Capital Area Workforce Board is the leadership and governing body for the regional workforce system. They are responsible for the planning, oversight, and evaluation of workforce development activities in the Austin/Travis County area and are active leaders in the Green Corridor Consortium.
Workforce Solutions – Rural Capital Area
Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area is a community partnership providing no cost recruitment and employment services to businesses and job seekers in the Rural Capital Area of Texas and is also a member of the Green Corridor Consortium. WSRCA serves 9 counties around the Austin, TX capital area: Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano and Williamson counties.
The program is focused on low-income homeowners to help them meet their basic needs by providing home utility retrofits. In 2008, the program was expanded to include installation of solar photovoltaic systems and renewable energy technologies.