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EPA Announces Energy Star Savings, Raises the Bar for Certified New Homes

The US EPA’s released its annual report on the results from its various voluntary programs. Highlights include: Close to 12,000 homes have been improved through Home Performance with Energy Star, which continues to grow with the addition of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored pilot programs in a number of cities. More than 2,500 builders have constructed over 360,000 Energy Star qualified new homes, locking in financial savings for homeowners that exceed $200 million annually. More than 1.5 billion Energy Star qualified products have been purchased. Through EPA’s Green Power Partnership, more than 500 partners have committed to purchasing more than 2 billion kWh of green power. EPA’s climate protection programs exceeded their goals for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in 2004 and are on target to provide significant greenhouse gas reductions required to meet the president’s 18 percent greenhouse gas intensity improvement goal by 2012. Partnership programs achieved significant reductions of non-carbon dioxide gases. Through the combined efforts of the methane programs, U.S. methane emissions are expected to be kept below 1990 levels through 2012. Download the 2004 annual report, Investing in Our Future: Energy Star and Other Voluntary Programs: http://www.epa.gov/cppd. The EPA also announced more stringent requirements for […]

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The Efficiency Gap: Some States Lead, Others Lag in Energy Efficiency Funding

While nationwide spending on ratepayer-funded electric energy efficiency programs showed modest growth from 2000 to 2003, spending levels continue to vary widely among the states, according to a new study by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). Total spending on these programs was about $1.35 billion in 2003, up from about $1.1 billion in 2000 and about $900 million in 1998. “A relatively small number of states continue to account for most of the investment in energy efficiency through utility and related programs,” according to Dr. Marty Kushler, co-author of the study and ACEEE Utilities Program Director. “These leading states rightly recognize that energy efficiency can save energy at half the cost of new energy supply. As a result, they are increasing their commitment to energy efficiency and are saving their citizens and businesses a lot of money on their energy bills.” The top ten states in spending as a percentage of utility revenues are: 1. Vermont 2. Massachusetts 3. Washington 4. Rhode Island 5. New Hampshire 6. Oregon 7. Wisconsin 8. New Jersey 9. Montana 10. California The ten lowest ranked states — with little or no program spending on energy efficiency programs — are: Alabama, Oklahoma, […]

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ASE Launches Index Of State Energy-Efficiency Policies

The Alliance to Save Energy’s online searchable State Energy Efficiency Policy Index is now live on the Web. This comprehensive index allows policy makers, state officials, advocates, and citizens to search easily for energy-efficiency laws, by state or by policy topic. Many new energy-efficiency policy initiatives are tested at the state level, so this educational resource will help disseminate and share such policies among states and allow them to learn from each other. The index is organized by policy issue: appliance standards, building codes, greenhouse gas emission cap & trade programs, energy-efficiency funds, public benefits funds, tax incentives, transportation initiatives, and other legislation. Users can also click on a interactive map of the US to download a full listing of energy- efficiency laws on the book in each state. “Paired with our monthly electronic State Energy Efficiency Policy Bulletin, which tracks pending legislative and regulatory action in the states, the Alliance is the ‘one-stop’ shop for information on state energy-efficiency policies,” said Alliance President Kateri Callahan. Website: [sorry this link is no longer available]     

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