Local Government Energy Reporting

Texas Health and Safety Code §388.005(c) requires each political subdivision in a non-attainment area or an affected county to establish a goal to reduce electric consumption by at least five percent each state fiscal year. This information is collected by the State Energy Conservation Office via an online reporting platform and reported annually to members of the Texas Legislative and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

The requirement to establish and report on a goal was originally added in 2001 for only 10 years, but subsequent legislatures updated, amended, and reauthorized the requirements through 2026. NCTCOG supported local governments in meeting this requirement by conducting outreach, hosting workshops/trainings, and providing technical assistance. More information on NCTCOG’s efforts is available at www.conservenorthtexas.org/item/local-government-energy-reporting-toolkit. 


During the 89th Texas Legislative Session, HB 3237 (Companion Bill SB 1514) was introduced, which would have renewed the energy reporting requirement past 2026. However, these bills did not pass, and it is unclear if the local government energy reporting requirements will continue past September 1, 2026. For more information, please visit: https://comptroller.texas.gov/programs/seco/reporting/local-gov.php. 

Additional information and resources on local government energy reporting can be found below.  


NCTCOG and SPEER Local Government Energy Reporting Workshop

The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) and South-central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource (SPEER) hosted a free in-person workshop for reporting entities in the region to learn about the local government energy reporting requirement, a state mandate to report and reduce electricity consumption for cities and counties. SPEER spoke on the importance and impact of reporting, tips to successfully report, and answered questions on common questions to the reporting process while guiding attendees through it. A representative from the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) also spoke on the programs available through their office to assist local governments in funding their energy efficient projects and improvements. 

Speakers included:

  • South-central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource (SPEER)
    • Shaun Auckland, M.S.I.S., LEED Green Associate, Local Government Program Manager 
  • State Energy Conservation Office (SECO)
    • Benjamin Teddlie, Program Specialist 


Workshop Materials: 


SPEER Local Government Energy Reporting and Outreach 

Local governments are leading in energy efficiency, achieving utility savings and enhancing building management. SPEER’s Community Efficiency Collaboration Program supports these efforts by fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and providing education and technical assistance to help governments manage their utility data and reporting. Check out SPEER's Technical Assistance flyer to learn more. 


Additional Resources  

Advanced Energy Legislation Tracker 

The Advanced Energy Legislation (AEL) Tracker provides past and current legislative language, recent actions, sponsor information, and policy trend analyses on advanced energy legislation.  

Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DESIRE)  

The Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DESIRE) can assist in finding related policies and incentives by state. 

DOE - Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewables & Efficiency (EERE)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE's) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) is advancing America's critical minerals supply chains and accelerating next-generation energy technologies to strengthen our nation's energy security and power our future. 

EPA - Energy and the Environment 

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) energy and the environment page contains information that can assist entities in learning more on a variety of topics such as combined heat and power, taking actions such as measuring and reducing their impacts, and connecting to resources such as power sector data and tools. 

EPA - ENERGY STAR Building Portfolio Manager® 

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR Building Portfolio Manager® is a tool that aids entities who desire to benchmarking their buildings, or campuses of buildings, and then measure and compare their energy to similar buildings, past consumption, or a reference performance level.