ACEEE Report Presents Comprehensive Findings of the Potential for Greater Energy Efficiency and Solar Energy in Pennsylvania

> Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - May 1, 2009 -
>
> Energy efficiency improvements can save Pennsylvania consumers
> nearly
> $5 billion each year on energy bills and help create 27,000 new, local
> jobs by 2025, according to an analysis released today by the American
> Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), an independent,
> nonprofit research group based in Washington, D.C. The study, which
> was led by ACEEE with support from a team of national energy experts,
> examines the potential for greater energy efficiency, demand response,
> and onsite solar energy use in Pennsylvania and suggests a suite of
> policies to tap into the Commonwealth's energy savings potential and
> reap substantial economic benefits.
>
> "Energy efficiency is the cheapest and quickest way to address
> our energy needs," said Steven Nadel, Executive Director of ACEEE and
> co- author of the study. "And because energy efficiency will save
> consumers money on energy bills and create new, local jobs, it is
> clear that an aggressive commitment to energy efficiency will also be
> a huge win for the Pennsylvania economy."
>
> The report notes that last year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
> passed major energy legislation to establish a clean energy fund and
> to set near-term energy savings goals for electric utilities. "With
> these recent steps, and with federal economic stimulus funding
> available to the states for energy efficiency improvements,
> Pennsylvania is poised to catapult forward its commitment to energy
> efficiency and other clean energy strategies," said Maggie Eldridge,
> lead author of the report.
>
> The report suggests a suite of energy efficiency and solar energy
> policies and programs beyond existing commitments in Pennsylvania that
> would help reap substantial economic benefits and act as a significant
> energy resource, meeting nearly a quarter of the Commonwealth's
> electricity needs and 15% of its natural gas needs by 2025. These
> include:
>
> - A statewide home retrofit program, expanding upon two existing
> Home Performance with Energy Star programs now operating in
> Pennsylvania
>
> - Stronger energy codes for new buildings and expanded efforts
> for code implementation and enforcement
>
> - A long-term Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS), which
> extends energy savings goals for electricity utilities beyond 2013 and
> expands goals to natural gas utilities
>
> - Incentives for consumers, installers and manufacturers for
> onsite solar energy, such as photovoltaics (PV) and solar hot water
> heating
>
> - An industrial initiative to expand industry-specific energy
> efficiency expertise and offer energy assessments and efficiency
> expertise to manufacturers
>
> - Workforce development coordination among various state and
> local entities
>
> - Expanded demand response capabilities to help shift energy use
> from peak periods to off-peak periods
>
> - Appliance efficiency standards beyond those set at the federal
> level
>
> "Each individual policy recommendation can help set Pennsylvania
> on a path toward a clean energy future," said Eldridge. "And together,
> these actions can work holistically to substantially tap into the
> energy- savings potential in the Commonwealth, meeting up to a quarter
> of the state's electricity needs by 2025 while savings consumers
> billions of dollars and creating tens of thousands of new jobs."
>
> The new, "green collar" jobs created from energy efficiency
> improvements include well-paying trade and professional jobs needed to
> design, install, and operate efficiency measures in homes, businesses,
> and industries. In total, the direct and indirect jobs created would
> be equivalent to about 200 new manufacturing plants relocating to
> Pennsylvania.
> The study also examines the impacts of the statewide efficiency policy
> suite on the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh metro regions, and estimates
> that about 50% of the net consumer benefits and jobs impacts would
> occur in these areas.
>
> The report is the latest in a series of ACEEE analyses on state
> opportunities for energy efficiency and other clean energy resources.
> For more information on ACEEE's research on state-level energy
> efficiency, visit http://www.aceee.org/energy/state/resources.htm.
>
> Potential for Energy Efficiency, Demand Response, and Onsite
> Solar Energy in Pennsylvania is available for free download at
> www.aceee.org/pubs/e093.htm or a hard copy can be purchased for $65
> plus $5 postage and handling from ACEEE Publications, 529 14th St,
> N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20045, phone: 202-507-4000, fax:
> 202-429-2248, e-
> mail:
> [email protected].
>
> ###
>
> About ACEEE: The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
> is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing
> energy efficiency as a means of promoting economic prosperity, energy
> security, and environmental protection. For information about ACEEE
> and its programs, publications, and conferences, visit
> http://www.aceee.org.
>