We here at NEEP were a little surprised earlier this month when we read Bruce Mohl refer to the state’s green agenda as “The big bet” in the July 27 edition of CommonWealth Magazine In it, Mohl claims that the state is betting on a future “in which carbon emissions are costly, fossil fuels are scarce, and clean tech jobs are up for grabs.” Well the future is here. With some of the highest fuel and electricity costs in the nation and the signs of climate change nagging in the background, Massachusetts and other Northeast states are taking action to meet today’s energy challenges. Their first fuel: energy efficiency.
Unlike conventional power generation or even renewables, energy efficiency is the resource we don’t see. Yet in terms of cost-effectiveness and public benefits, efficiency is about as close to a sure bet as we’ve got. Dollar for dollar, meeting electric demand through efficiency costs about a third as much as it does to generate and deliver it from a power plant. Efficiency yields equally-impressive savings on heating fuel as well.
As Mohl points out, Massachusetts is at the front of the pack in terms of our energy policy. But this is no reason to rest on our laurels; to do so would be shortchanging the state’s residents and businesses and leaving money on the table. While Mohl repeatedly referred to “green subsidies,” every dollar invested in efficiency returns $2.60 to the economy.
Mohl lumped together energy efficiency investments with bringing new large-scale renewable energy projects online. What he missed is that energy efficiency is the bridge to a clean energy future. The money we save through increased efficiency will help the region finance investments in renewable generation to further displace dependence on fossil fuels.
Efficiency is widely recognized as the pathway of choice to control energy costs, increase energy security, curb greenhouse gas emissions, foster economic growth, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and contribute to a cleaner, healthier society. That’s why Massachusetts, as along with most neighboring states, is directing utility companies to meet as much demand as possible through efficiency before turning to generation resources.
A forthcoming NEEP study on New England’s energy efficiency potential says that over the next eight years, we could curb the region’s electric use by twenty percent. This is through existing programs and technologies that are cost-effective and already in use; it’s just a matter of scaling up to the challenge.
Energy efficiency is available now. This is no gamble — it’s smart public policy. And it will yield dividends including local job creation, a cleaner environment, and putting money back in people’s pockets.
–
Natalie Hildt is Manager of Public Policy Outreach at NEEP. She can be reached at nhildt@neep.org.
It’s not apples and oranges so why are Northeast states treating energy efficiency savings so differently?
Leaders across the region agree to common reporting guidelines for efficiency savings.
