A recent study by The Edison Foundation Institute for Electric Efficiency found electric efficiency programs saved over 112 TWh in 2010 or enough energy to power over 9.7 million U.S. homes for one year. The recently released Summary of Ratepayer-Funded Electric Efficiency Impacts, Budgets, and Expenditures focused on U.S. electric efficiency results. Collaboration between the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), the Institute for Electric Efficiency (IEE) and the American Gas Association (AGA) combined information from 195 organizations for the study.
Here’s what you need to know about electric efficiency programs from the Summary of Ratepayer-Funded Electric Efficiency Impacts, Budgets, and Expenditures study:
Growing Budgets and Future Leaders“The 2011 budgets for six states are more than double their 2010 budgets – Indiana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. Over the next 10 years, as different sates develop new and, in some cases, first time programs, we can expect many new states to become leaders in energy efficiency.”
Delivering Results
“Electric efficiency programs have generated significant energy and environmental savings during 2010. Beyond saving enough energy to power 9.7 million U.S. homes for one year, electricity efficiency programs avoided the creation of 78 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.”[1]
Largest Electric Efficiency Savings Increase in the Midwest
“All U.S. Census regions experienced an increase in electric efficiency savings with the largest percent increases in the Midwest (38.9 percent) and the Northeast (38.5 percent), followed by the South (19.8 percent) and West (5.3 percent).”
Future Impact
“The increase in 2011 electric efficiency budgets of roughly $1.4 billion (from $5.4 billion in 2010 to $6.8 billion in 2011) will continue to transform the ways in which electricity is used by households, businesses, and institutions across the U.S.”
“IEE projects total electric savings from ratepayer-funded electric efficiency programs to meet or exceed 125 TWh in 2011.”[2]
Projected Growth
“Over the past 5 years, U.S. ratepayer-funded electric efficiency budgets increased from $2.7 billion in 2007 to $6.8 billion in 2011. A 2009 report by LBNL forecasts $12.4 billion in ratepayer funded electric efficiency by 2020 under its “high case” scenario (see Figure). Given that state energy efficiency resource standards are established in half of all U.S. states covering two-thirds of the U.S. population, and that several of these standards have scheduled increases, IEE believes that ratepayer funded electric efficiency budgets are highly likely to exceed $12 billion by 2020.”[3]Read more from the Summary of Ratepayer-Funded Electric Efficiency Impacts, Budgets, and Expenditures by The Edison Foundation Institute for Electric Efficiency
[1] Environmental Protection Agency Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator;
http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html
[2] Note: This projection is internally derived and assumes equal or greater participation in the survey administered by CEE along with realized 2011 expenditures equal to or exceeding 2011 budgets.
[3] The Shifting Landscape of Ratepayer-Funded Energy Efficiency in the U.S. LBNL – 2258E. October 2009.
