[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6500583,"mediaKeyId","5665435-261c02a6759d7b25b060910720c2b364","parentId",5665435,"title","Committee reviews Sustainability Framework Fund spending and recommends energy-efficiency home pilot for next year","audioSeconds",3197,"startMs",3529000,"endMs",6726000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5665435-261c02a6759d7b25b060910720c2b364&start=3529&end=6726","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5665435-261c02a6759d7b25b060910720c2b364/thumbnail_3529000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6500583/Denton-City/Denton-County/Texas/Committee-reviews-Sustainability-Framework-Fund-spending-and-recommends-energy-efficiency-home-pilot-for-next-year","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500583-2320edfb54132e2c01c9c56297781a3c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770401023&Signature=fYjVYxYQDLXmZAhzwT5zMGPbut0j-sEonU2Ij9QyTsuy941LmqlIjcK24lkBLTQpCUCl9GB51li69qLU4j1MlN3kzbX-YXf~jUXyZPvKa4jFzLTiTlUHc4Iv-WyHoubzHuoXZRRWbMepvA0qLZMNREg640LEuq708U7uszsHnsQ1l-tY~JCEPk-ZGbw23d0kqbhYaLwcMGAu0AEdO66~NVFOcCxMDJL-AiztWqdE7LFH5ZxPXBexo~arXGqCUSd977aG-aHfS0YRMHHyYRUnk4S15smCwFRpzo5fzXH3mApJ0DTqIQ4Z9ITVDDsXYXqETjOIOs3RXrRTiTA5PAyKYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Denton","date","2025-08-22T00:00:00Z","article","Captain (Catherine) Barnett, sustainability manager, told the Sustainability Framework Advisory Committee on Aug. 22 that staff programmed about $600,000 in 2024–25 projects from the Sustainability Framework Fund and reviewed expenditures and uptake across incentive programs.

Barnett said several programs performed well and recommended continuing successful incentives while prioritizing a new home energy-efficiency pilot with Community Development for FY25–26.

Why it matters: The fund supports local projects that reduce energy use, advance sustainability goals and help meet the city's climate targets. Committee direction will shape which programs receive funding in the next budget year.

What staff reported
Barnett said the FY24–25 program package was programmed at about $600,000 and that several incentive programs were undersubscribed or funded elsewhere: water-conservation incentives were instead funded by Denton Water Utilities, while EV rebates, e-bike rebates and a lawn-equipment rebate all showed strong uptake.

As of the meeting staff reported roughly $44,000 spent on e-bike rebates, about $79,000 on EV rebates and substantial demand for the lawn-equipment rebate (about 287 applicants to date, with some partial or repeat purchases). Barnett said the parks department expected to seek council approval to replace some mowers with electric robotic mowers (about $52,500 programmed) and that the city's fleet electrification requests were handled within department budgets rather than by sustainability fund support.

Recommendation and proposed priorities for FY25–26
Barnett proposed prioritizing a three-part package for FY25–26: 1) a home energy-efficiency pilot partnering with Community Development to retrofit 30–50 homes per year with insulation and higher-efficiency HVAC (average city contribution about $7,000 per home), 2) continuation of transportation-related incentives (EV/e-bike/lawn-equipment), and 3) $200,000 for land-use and nature-based projects including low-water landscaping, tree planting and shade canopies.

Committee feedback and next steps
Committee members favored the home energy-efficiency pilot as a top priority and suggested adding school-area safe-routes and pedestrian/bike connectivity projects. Members also asked for more detail on program balances and the fund's remaining unspent dollars; staff said final year-end accounting would be provided later and noted the city expects roughly $1.75 million in available funds for the coming cycle as part of broader budget planning.

Ending: Staff will close out FY24–25 project accounting, prepare a FY25–26 framework plan reflecting committee priorities, and return with program details (eligibility, procurement and implementation timing) for committee review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Denton - Sustainability Framework Advisory Committee on 2025-08-22 1:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Sustainability staff reported program expenditures from the FY24-25 Sustainability Framework Fund, updated uptake on EV, e-bike and lawn-equipment rebates, and proposed prioritizing a home energy-efficiency pilot with Community Development for FY25-26.","taxTitle","Denton City, Denton County, Texas","taxId",2787,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6500587,"City unveils public air-quality dashboard; staff plans automated hourly updates and mobile view",322,2869000,3191000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5665435-261c02a6759d7b25b060910720c2b364&start=2869&end=3191","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5665435-261c02a6759d7b25b060910720c2b364/thumbnail_2869000.jpg","/articles/6500587/Denton-City/Denton-County/Texas/City-unveils-public-air-quality-dashboard-staff-plans-automated-hourly-updates-and-mobile-view","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500587-4be5fa2a06082561ef2bf357cc81b14d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770401023&Signature=m8amLlIqsJ2pVALOC8r-33~8DKig4VRQGDn2aWhI8Do95jESnUrt6vhxncRAv3NXn5HgPz2Bn1MPb4TyxrGDzrFd32czvHAAkP4Kx17x3SyvnXjAdlYOCq0cCJY4gAJ2kkZTpFfFBhKywJh7HH5VahVIgz80D4fT2R3I0PbgNb7HiJer98xO-q~ulAsPWQtka2fgetB5tEjq2mKU~l9iNR8ge8u7qQZI87lvnFIHldRLxZJY96uEzq5TCz62zW6fYwg3LqhDqtt5Af1tp7uZXy85OJ0GY7psq2caekN6h5tKkPANjzbKH3jLvdGwZSQXftUROyPTtxwSOMXRToF4CQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Caitlin Davis, conservation program coordinator in the City of Denton's Environmental Services and Sustainability Department, presented the city's new public air-quality dashboard to the Sustainability Framework Advisory Committee on Aug. 22 and outlined next steps to automate and expand public-facing information.

The dashboard displays readings from 12 city AQ mesh sensors plus the nearby Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) regulatory monitor and currently presents weekly averages of ozone and particulate matter along with an hourly log and map distribution.

Why it matters: The dashboard supplements regional monitoring with nearer-neighborhood data, offers residents local context for air-pollutant concentrations, and provides a foundation for future analysis, alerts and mobile access.

What the dashboard shows and how it works
Davis said the city installed 12 AQ mesh sensors in two phases (phase 2 completed Feb. 2023) at substations and light poles chosen for spatial distribution, DC power availability and minimized tree canopy interference. The sensors are configured to measure ozone, PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen dioxide, total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) and sulfur dioxide.

\"These sensors collect air quality data every 15 minutes, and at the top of every hour, it'll average that data and then record that average every hour,\" Davis said. She noted that at present the team uploads data manually each week and that the dashboard therefore displays weekly averages; staff plans to migrate to an API for automated hourly or rolling-24-hour reporting.

Davis showed the dashboard's landing page with map pins for each sensor and the TCEQ site, an hourly data log for each pollutant and color-coded Air Quality Index (AQI) mapping tied to EPA breakpoints. Four city sensors also include wind speed and wind-direction instrumentation.

Planned improvements and access to raw data
Staff told the committee they plan to: implement an API for automated hourly data ingestion and rolling 24-hour averages; add a mobile-friendly display; and conduct deeper analysis of the stored data. Davis said the sensors' non-regulatory raw data are available on request and that staff has been approached by university researchers interested in using the dataset.

Committee feedback and follow-ups
Committee members requested mobile support and suggested adding interpretive material linking pollutant concentrations to likely sources and to city initiatives addressing air quality (for example, links to sustainability programs). Davis said the dashboard currently links to EPA pollutant information and the city's Sustainable Denton pages, and that staff can add explanatory and programmatic context.

Ending: Staff will move to an automated hourly feed and a mobile configuration, and the committee asked for a future analysis showing annual or multi-month pollutant trends and local source investigation when data allow.","Environmental Services staff demonstrated a new City of Denton air-quality dashboard built from 12 local low-cost sensors and TCEQ data, and described plans to move from weekly manual uploads to an automated hourly API, add mobile support and analyze localized pollutant trends.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6500592,"Denton Municipal Electric reviews 2018 renewable goal, urges clearer policy and an integrated resource plan",4654,74000,4728000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5665435-261c02a6759d7b25b060910720c2b364&start=74&end=4728","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5665435-261c02a6759d7b25b060910720c2b364/thumbnail_74000.jpg","/articles/6500592/Denton-City/Denton-County/Texas/Denton-Municipal-Electric-reviews-2018-renewable-goal-urges-clearer-policy-and-an-integrated-resource-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500592-6f5b60299e25b08931a1f4c8c6210f44/orig.mp4?Expires=1770401023&Signature=UzNG1aFzGLs2ro-o20L4SzI5vT60C~Cbfbm1X1aEFmEUDC23m62cXtArwdjb6xZHE1c4H5yDEP-lcpw8yfnLUS9roYAO0G1E1-CKBRswttYDu3~JmWvhlrXFoqdsWFKx30xyjvbb9HEphnFdAtjP4Y5TbP53b8gZSLDAgGTEAjADenFgGIDWIPerqdmAdRWdVNuqqQfxmlHZVAqML2Q6Fq41XAHRqEVknNBMsGjUaGrj00jWAxhKvU-vEu7P-3QSpuzRZ34CKQp6KczEuhf-wCoS3v7fq3-SDcs8WfXmKwKeOeMVoQLKEmJ7W2s3o2PQUXq8h1DpfM8e26GRuctMdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Denton Municipal Electric general manager Tony Fuente told the Sustainability Framework Advisory Committee on Aug. 22 that the utility's 2018 Renewable Resource Plan set a 100% renewable-energy goal for DME's service territory and that the utility must clarify how that goal is calculated and accounted for.

Fuente said the city's renewable target, as written in 2018, applied only to the service territory served by Denton Municipal Electric and not to customers served by other utilities in Denton. He summarized recent accounting decisions the city used to reach its stated 100% renewable figure and the market and reliability concerns driving a proposed integrated resource plan.

Why it matters: The committee was presented with a draft renewable-energy policy and the outline of an IRP process that staff said could take 18–24 months and would guide long-term choices about generation mix, reliability and cost. Staff warned that without clearer policy, double-counting of renewable energy credits (RECs) or exposure to volatile market prices could raise costs for ratepayers.

DME's accounting and market context
Tony Fuente, general manager for Denton Municipal Electric (DME), told the committee that the 2018 plan called for a 100% renewable target for DME's customers. He said that in 2021 the utility's accounting — counting generation associated with owned PPAs plus additional REC purchases and certain REC-only contracts — resulted in a reported 100% renewable year.

\"That plan called for a 100% renewable energy for the city,\" Fuente said, adding that DME counts RECs from its PPAs and has bought RECs on the market to cover shortfalls. He said the utility's recent Whitetail contract included 30 megawatts of RECs without the energy and that DME purchased roughly 400,000 RECs in 2024 to round out compliance under the plan.

Fuente described operational limits of variable resources, noting typical output factors: about 30% effective capacity for wind and roughly 40% for solar when converted from nameplate megawatts to average megawatt-hours. He also noted the Yellow Viking solar PPA for about 100 MW is not yet online and that DME has an RFP for up to 300 MW of additional solar, wind and/or battery storage under consideration.

Reliability, short-term exposure and large loads
Fuente said DME now operates a single dispatchable generating plant (the \"deck\") with roughly 225 MW of dispatchable capacity, while peak load in 2023 reached about 408 MW, leaving a dispatchable shortfall of about 183 MW. He warned that during high-demand events the utility has to buy power in the real-time market, exposing ratepayers to price spikes that in 2023 led to tens of millions of dollars in additional costs.

He also flagged the rise of large prospective data-center loads statewide and locally, telling the committee that speculative, long-term PPAs tied to large new load interconnections can create financial risk if the load does not materialize. \"Entering into a very long term contract for something that's speculative, I think, puts a lot of risk on our rate payers,\" Fuente said, and recommended negotiating protections such as shorter contract terms or stronger financial assurances for speculative large loads.

Policy recommendations and next steps
Staff recommended two parallel efforts for the council: 1) a clear city renewable-energy policy that defines which resources count toward the goal, how RECs are treated (staff recommended retiring RECs counted toward the goal), and how excess RECs may be monetized; and 2) a formal integrated resource plan (IRP) to evaluate generation options across a 15–30 year horizon with public and stakeholder engagement and an outside consultant.

Fuente said the IRP would examine a wide range of options (natural gas quick-start generation, battery storage, geothermal, hydrogen or nuclear concepts) and include an annual update cadence. He estimated the IRP development and stakeholder process would require 18–24 months and suggested that any new dispatchable generation procurement should be evaluated carefully because of procurement lead times and permitting constraints.

Committee questions and clarifications
Committee members asked for clarification about the difference between renewable energy, RECs and REC-only purchases; Fuente explained RECs represent proof that renewable generation was produced and that DME has been purchasing RECs to meet the environmental goal rather than always buying the energy itself. Members also pressed on whether batteries are considered dispatchable (Fuente said regulatory rules currently generally exclude batteries from the definition of dispatchable generation used in some legislative proposals) and on whether DME anticipated asking council for additional rate authority to pay for new generation.

No formal action requested
This item was presented as a report for discussion; staff said further formal direction to pursue procurement or acquisition would require a separate public posting. Fuente said he would return with a formal plan and vendor solicitations for council consideration.

Looking ahead: An IRP with stakeholder input
Source materials and staff said the IRP would include stakeholder engagement, outside consultants and regular updates to council. The committee asked to be included in future policy and IRP briefings so it can provide feedback to staff during development.

Ending note: The presentation covered accounting, market and reliability trade-offs behind Denton's renewable goal and the utility's push for clearer policy and a multi-year IRP process that balances environmental goals with reliability and rate impacts.","Denton Municipal Electric staff reviewed the city's 2018 Renewable Resource Plan, explained accounting for renewable energy and RECs, outlined a pending integrated resource plan (IRP) and warned of short-term generation shortages and risks from large speculative data-center loads.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee reviews Sustainability Framework Fund spending and recommends energy-efficiency home pilot for next year

City unveils public air-quality dashboard; staff plans automated hourly updates and mobile view

Denton Municipal Electric reviews 2018 renewable goal, urges clearer policy and an integrated resource plan