State Energy-Efficiency Investments Hit Record Levels in 2011
"State Energy-Efficiency Investments Hit Record Levels in 2011"
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Driven by the growing number of energy-efficiency standards in states around the U.S., ratepayer budgets for efficiency programs climbed to record levels in 2011, to $6.8 billion. That’s a 25% increase over 2010 investments, putting the country on track to invest roughly $12 billion by 2020, according to a new report from the Institute for Electric Efficiency.
The figures for energy savings aren’t out for 2011. But the IEE report explains that efficiency efforts saved 112 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2010, which is about the same amount of energy used to power more than 9.7 million homes in the U.S. By comparison, the entire German solar-PV fleet generated 18.6 terawatt-hours in 2011 — roughly six fold less than American energy savings programs.
Those savings were achieved at an average cost of 3.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, making it one of the most competitive resources on the market.
Investments in the U.S. are overwhelmingly being driven by utilities that have requirements for increasing efficiency in their territories through state targets. There are now 26 states with targets in place, and most of them are hitting their goals. A recent report from the American Council on Energy Efficiency Economy found that of the 19 states with targets in place for more than 2 years, 13 have hit 100% of those targets.
And those efficiency investments are helping save ratepayers money. According to a recent analysis of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, funds raised through carbon auctions in the utility sector and deployed for efficiency and clean energy in the Northeastern U.S. will save ratepayers in the region $1.1 billion over the life of the program, and have already created 16,000 jobs.
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Wow! Can some one please tell me why I do not read this on the headlines of major media?
“efficiency efforts saved 112 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2010,”
Some good news that is really needed now. Incredible really.
Let’s hear it for states’ rights!
Ron Paul is just ecstatic about these 10th Amendment-loving state-level efficiency measures. He doesn’t say it out loud, of course, but he loves them.
“Driven by the growing number of energy-efficiency standards in states around the U.S….”
Of course, really GOOD investments would be driven by the market, not by state regulations. You can always support a revenue neutral carbon tax, using the money raised to cut a tax that Republicans hate, like income tax or the death tax.
Republicans hate all tax and I say tough. It is past time that capitalism and corporations accept responsibility for their contribution to the destruction of the commons as well as the fair financial support of mitigation. Both will benefit just as much as the rest of us “people.” It is the moral obligation for people to consider the well being of others in our actions. “Corporations” are now “people”, humanity must teach them to play well with others. Carbon tax now.
Map efficiency-spending figures should be per capita, not total. Since population varies so widely from state to state, net expenditures are a dubious metric. Hell, net _anything_ is a dubious metric, by state. Must pro-rate to make meaningful.
According to the ACEEE, California doesn’t even make it to the top 10 by the metric of efficiency spending as a percentage of utility revenues:
http://www.aceee.org/press/2005/10/efficiency-gap-some-states-lead-others-lag-energy-effici
Vermont is number 1 by _that_ measure . . .
Larry
Per my message just posted:
Whoops, my mistake, I meant “California doesn’t even make it to the top NINE by the metric of efficiency spending as a percentage of utility revenues.”
It’s number 10.