Energy Efficiency- Repower America

Energy Efficiency
The Problem: Millions of dollars and enormous amounts of energy are wasted each year simply because our homes and businesses aren’t as energy-efficient as they could be. Meanwhile, our demand for electricity is expected to grow by over 25% in the next two decades.1

The Solution: To make the most out of the energy we currently produce, America needs a national efficiency upgrade. Make new buildings more efficient, upgrade old buildings to save energy, and update our appliances and equipment to use less energy and perform the same or more functions than they do now.

The Benefits: Energy efficiency is where the greatest and most immediate gains can be made. Household and commercial building efficiency can increase by 30% with existing technologies – an upgrade that will save the typical homeowner $450 dollars a year on utility bills.2 Improving devices that use power in “stand-by” mode alone would save consumers $3 billion per year.3 These improvements will drive economic growth. Many efficiency upgrades will pay for themselves in just a year or two. The result will be more comfortable and valuable homes and buildings, lower utility bills, and tens of thousands of new jobs as we retrofit existing buildings to be more efficient and manufacture more American products that use less energy.

How We Get There
Implement government policies and programs that quickly improve efficiency in all sectors of our economy. There are clear examples of the enormous financial and technical benefits of investing in efficiency. What’s needed now is a systematic approach to achieve such savings across the board, so that ALL businesses and homeowners can start realizing savings. This should be a massive mobilization that will involve utilities and their regulators; equipment and appliance manufacturers and installers; and homeowners, business operators and landlords across the nation. Lights, air conditioning, heaters, appliances, computers, electronics, water heaters, motors, fans – each of these technology categories can perform its function and consume 20%-70% less energy (and much more, in some cases). Plus, with every successive generation of new products, more savings can be achieved. It's about an ongoing economy-wide effort to make every home and every building – along with every item inside those homes and buildings – more efficient.

Elements to include in a National Efficiency Upgrade:

Home and building upgrades: Neighborhood by neighborhood, town by town. All buildings eligible for an efficiency upgrade can immediately save energy and lower utility bills.

New building standards: National efficiency standards for new homes and commercial buildings so people pay less to keep warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
Updated appliance and equipment standards: Revisit our national standards and Energy Star program to ensure that everything people buy is more efficient.

Regulatory reforms: Efficiency targets or other regulatory schemes so utilities have an incentive to sell less electricity, rather than more.
Commercial and industrial programs: Incentive programs that encourage businesses of all sizes to become more efficient and productive.

Retrofit and replacement programs: Incentives to scrap inefficient appliances like old refrigerators or industrial motors that waste energy and money and replace them with the most efficient machinery.

Owner-renter incentives: Policies that align the interests of owners and renters, so both benefit from the lower utility bills.

Buyer-seller incentives: Policies to ensure that homes are upgraded when they change hands, so they become more efficient through energy inspections, efficiency ratings, or other programs.

Universal installation of existing technologies: Greater access to tools and technologies, like smart meters and programmable thermostats, which allow for better control of energy use.

Join us: "I want to Repower America with 100% clean electricity within 10 years."

Signed,

Did you know?
In the United States, buildings are responsible for approximately 30% of greenhouse gas emissions and 72% of all electricity use. By making simple changes, like using the proper amount of insulation and the best windows, we can significantly save the energy it takes to heat, cool, light, and otherwise provide power to buildings. And, with buildings lasting for 40-50 years or more, efficiency choices we make now will last at least a generation.

Investment in efficiency now will pay for itself through lower energy bills. Lowering energy costs for schools means more funds for teachers, books, and scholarships. Retrofitting hospitals releases money for better patient care. And incentives for private-sector investment in commercial buildings and factories helps American businesses and consumers save money and improve our quality of life.5
Use of energy-efficient appliances in 2007 avoided global warming pollution equivalent to nearly 27 million cars.6 By similarly improving all of America's buildings, industry, and transportation -- we could reduce annual emissions equivalent to nearly 400 million cars. That's at least 2 billion fewer tons of CO2 or more than 6,000 times the weight of the Empire State Building.

7 Improving energy-efficiency would provide much needed financial relief to very low-income families. Home energy costs have increased much faster than incomes for very low-income households, rising 33 percent since 1998. Families eligible for federal home energy assistance spend 20% of their income on home energy bills – six times more than average. Improving efficiency in very low-income housing would deliver 25 percent to 40 percent energy savings in up to 25 million residential units.

8 Retrofitting buildings to improve energy efficiency will create tens of thousands of new jobs in a variety of sectors, including: Electricians, Heating/Air Conditioning Installers, Carpenters, Construction Equipment Operators, Roofers, Insulation Workers, Carpenter Helpers, Industrial Truck Drivers, Construction Managers, Building Inspectors.9
California’s energy efficiency program has saved the equivalent of the energy required to power 3.8 million homes – and avoided the need to build 24 power plants.10


References
1.Annual Energy Outlook 2008, EIA
2.Partnerships for Home Energy Efficiency http://www.energystar.gov/ia/home_improvement/PHEE_Report_final.pdf.
3.Department of Energy, http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/classactivities/energyarticles.html#energyvampires
4.World Resources Institute, http://www.wri.org/chart/us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-flow-chart; US Department of Energy http://buildingsdatabook.eren.doe.gov/?id=view_book&c=1
1.CAP/PERI. “Green Recovery Report.” September 2008.
2.DOE Energy Star. http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=about.ab_index
6.McKinsey & Company. “Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: How Much at What Cost?” 2007.
7.Enterprise Community Partners. “Bringing Home the Benefit of Energy Efficiency to Low-Income Households: The Case for a National Commitment.” 2008.
8.Center for American Progress. “Green Recovery.” September 2008.
9.California Public Utilities Commission. “Energy Efficiency California’s Highest Priority Resource.” 2006