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National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency e-Newsletter
About
This is an e-Newsletter of the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency—a public-private initiative to advance state policies and achieve all cost-effective energy efficiency by 2025.
Make a Commitment
Public Statements and Commitments in Support of the Action Plan
How To Make a Commitment (PDF) (1 p., 52K, About PDF)
New Action Plan Resources
- Energy Codes Brief (PDF) (44 pp., 405K, About PDF)
- Rate Design Brief (PDF) (44 pp., 240K)
- Carbon Emissions Reductions Paper (PDF) (86 pp., 630K)
- Consumer Perspectives Brief (PDF) (44 pp., 691K)
Additional Action Plan Resources
- RDEE Toolkit
- Workforce Information
- Lead By Example Guide
- Vision for 2025
- Understanding Cost-Effectiveness of Energy Efficiency Programs (PDF)
(96 pp., 1.1M) - Utility Best Practices Guidance for Providing Business Customers with Energy Use and Cost Data (PDF) (56 pp., 341K)
- National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency Report
- Sector Collaborative on Energy Efficiency
- Aligning Utility Incentives with Energy Efficiency Investment (PDF)
(116 pp., 1.5M) - Guide to Resource Planning with Energy Efficiency (PDF)
(112 pp., 1.7M) - Guide for Conducting Energy Efficiency Potential Studies (PDF) (96 pp., 973K)
- Model Energy Efficiency Program Impact Evaluation Guide (PDF) (152 pp., 1.5M)
- Clean Energy Resources Database
- Energy Efficiency Benefits Calculator
Outreach Tools
- Communications Kit (PDF)
(14 pp., 427K) - Action Plan Fact Sheet (PDF)
(2 pp., 54K) - Vision for 2025 Executive Summary (PDF)
(24 pp., 273K) - Consumer Fact Sheet (PDF)
(4 pp., 216K) - ENERGY STAR Fact Sheet (PDF)(4 pp., 228K)
- Building Codes Fact Sheet (PDF)(6 pp., 211K)
- Sample Presentations
- Using the Action Plan Image (PDF) (2 pp., 79K)
November 2009, Issue #3
In this issue:
- New Action Plan Resources Available
- More New Energy Efficiency Tools and Reports
- State Energy Efficiency Policy Highlights
- Action Plan Events
- Making More Progress
- For More Information
New Action Plan Resources Available
Four new resources are now available for parties advancing the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency Vision of achieving all cost-effective energy efficiency by 2025:
- Energy Efficiency Program Administrators and Building Energy Codes (PDF) (44 pp., 405K, About PDF). This brief summarizes how energy efficiency program administrators have helped advance building energy codes at the federal, state, and local levels and discusses potential next steps.
- Customer Incentives for Energy Efficiency Through Electric and Natural Gas Rate Design (PDF) (44 pp., 240K). This brief focuses on the effects that rate design and pricing may have on customer energy use and investments in energy efficiency.
- Energy Efficiency as a Low-Cost Resource for Achieving Carbon Emissions Reductions (PDF) (86 pp., 630K). This paper summarizes the scale and economic value of energy efficiency for reducing carbon emissions. Current regional, state, and local approaches for including energy efficiency in climate policies are also reviewed.
- Discussion of Consumer Perspectives on Regulation of Energy Efficiency Investments (PDF) (44 pp., 691K). This report considers the perspectives of consumers on policy and regulatory issues associated with administration of energy efficiency investments funded by ratepayers of electric and natural gas utilities.
More New Energy Efficiency Tools and Reports
- Rapid Deployment Energy Efficiency (RDEE) Toolkit. The U.S. EPA has released the complete RDEE Toolkit, which provides guidance on 10 proven energy efficiency program models. This Toolkit, developed under the guidance of and with input from the Action Plan Leadership Group, with support from EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is designed to help states and local governments receiving energy efficiency funding from the American Recovery and Relief Act plan and implement successful programs. The Toolkit focuses on programs that have extensive, proven field experience, along with documentation on program design, program cost, and results.
- ACEEE’s 2009 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard.
This publication presents a comprehensive state energy efficiency scorecard to document best practices and recognize leadership among states. The scorecard examines six energy efficiency policy areas and ranks states relative to each other. The scorecard also compares results from 2009 with results from previous years, noting that states have shown overall improvement since 2008. - ACEEE’s Saving Energy Cost-Effectively: A National Review of the Cost of Energy Saved Through Utility-Sector Energy Efficiency Programs. This report examines the reported utility costs of saved energy to determine the cost-effectiveness of energy efficiency. Based on cost of saved energy from 14 states and six natural gas efficiency programs, this study concludes that energy efficiency is the least costly energy resource option available for utility resource portfolios.
- The Shifting Landscape of Ratepayer-Funded Energy Efficiency in the U.S. (PDF) (41 pp., 446K) According to a new report by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, ratepayer-funded energy efficiency program spending in the U.S. is projected to increase from $3.1 billion in 2008 to $5.4–$12.4 billion per year in 2020. This projection is based on a proliferation of new state-level policies enacted over the past several years, suggesting a dramatic and sustained increase in overall funding levels.
- The Energy Efficiency Guidebook for Public Power Communities. The Energy Center of Wisconsin has released a new guidebook that assists public utilities in designing and implementing programs for their customers. This guidebook captures references to additional materials, including the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency and the Rapid Deployment Energy Efficiency Toolkit.
State Energy Efficiency Policy Highlights
State policy-makers, including utility commissions, state legislators, and governors’ offices, are advancing energy efficiency in many of the key policy areas outlined in the National Action Plan’s Vision for 2025. Recent actions include:
- The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently approved a three-year budget of $3.1 billion to support energy efficiency programs, including a new statewide energy efficiency program called CalSPREE. This program is the largest and most comprehensive residential retrofit program in the U.S., aiming to reduce energy consumption by 20 percent for up to 130,000 California homes by 2012. CPUC’s decision authorizes savings goals for each investor-owned utility, specific programs, and the evaluation, measurement, and verification procedures that will be used.
- In October, the Northwest Energy Efficiency Taskforce issued a report (PDF) (44 pp., 4.1M) laying out 10 action items that will help the Pacific Northwest region build a successful energy efficiency infrastructure. These action items relate to data collection/interpretation, emerging technologies, innovative programs, marketing and public awareness, workforce needs, and supportive energy efficiency policies. The Taskforce was organized by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, which oversees a regional power plan for Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.
- The Midwestern Governors Association’s Energy Security and Climate Stewardship Roadmap: Advisory Group Recommendations (PDF) (84 pp., 3.3M) capture steps states can take to implement energy efficiency. Analysis conducted to support these recommendations is provided in A Review and Analysis of Existing Studies of the Energy Efficiency Resource Potential in the Midwest (36 pp., 220K). This organization represents 10 Midwest states.
- Massachusetts Green Communities Act of 2008 implementation continues. On October 29, the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council approved energy efficiency plans were filed with the Department of Public Utilities (DPU). The gas and electric distribution companies and municipal aggregators worked collaboratively to develop these statewide plans. The DPU also approved a decoupled rate plan (PDF) (439 pp., 1.6M) for Bay State Gas, a natural gas utility.
- The New York State Senate passed legislation creating the Green Jobs/Green New York program, which aims to make 1,000,000 homes, businesses, and not-for-profits in New York more energy-efficient. This program also aims to create 14,000 jobs. New York will utilize auction proceeds from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to fund some of these activities.
- The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative’s (RGGI’s) fifth regional carbon allowance auction raised $66 million for investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy. Ten Northeast states participate in RGGI.
- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding funding to state and local energy efficiency efforts under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. For up-to-date information, visit DOE’s recovery Web site.
Action Plan Events
- Evaluation, Measurement, and Verification (EM&V) Webinar Series.
The National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency and EPA’s State Climate & Energy Program are sponsoring a Webinar series that will focus on a range of issues and challenges currently faced by commissions, energy offices, and other entities working to advance EM&V. During the first call on November 17, two states discussed their recently developed EM&V plans in response to new and expanded efficiency program efforts. Visit the Webinar Series' Web site to view presentations from Tuesday's Webinar.
- National Action Plan Leadership Group Meeting. The Leadership Group of the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency held a meeting on September 25, 2009, in Washington, DC. During this meeting, the Leadership Group engaged in a discussion on the current opportunities and challenges for achieving all cost-effective energy efficiency by 2025. There was agreement on the need to reinvigorate the effort to support even greater action and implementation of energy efficiency.
Making More Progress
Achieving all cost-effective energy efficiency by 2025 will require the cooperation, collaboration, and commitment of all of us—energy users, efficiency providers, utilities, and states. Educating key stakeholders on the benefits of and opportunities for energy efficiency is a key component of the Action Plan. If you would like to highlight the Action Plan goals, tools, and resources at events and in presentations, contact Stacy Angel and/or leverage the outreach tools on the Action Plan Web site at www.epa.gov/eeactionplan. In addition, DOE and EPA offer direct technical assistance to states advancing energy efficiency policies and programs.
For More Information
Visit www.epa.gov/eeactionplan or contact:
Stacy Angel
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Air and Radiation
Climate Protection Partnerships Division
Tel. (202) 343-9606
E-mail angel.stacy@epa.gov
Larry Mansueti
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability
Tel. (202) 586-2588
E-mail lawrence.mansueti@hq.doe.gov