New natural gas conservation programs operating today are producing positive results. Currently, the six major Northwest gas utilities expect increases in gas home and water heating to raise demand by 2020 by an amount equivalent to an additional 1.5 million typical residential customers. The study shows that efficiency efforts can supply half that increase at half the cost of new gas. Realizing this gas and electric savings potential is critical for the longer term. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions by levels scientists say are required to stabilize the climate by 2050 means we’ll have to grab all the energy efficiency
“I think the most promising new energy source isn’t new, and it isn’t a source. It is energy efficiency.”
within reach plus build a renewable energy supply capable of replacing the region’s coal-fired plants.
The Power of Efficiency It’s cheap, clean, local and available right now – in huge quantities.
What to do To save you money and meet our future energy
than building new power plants or buying more
needs, you have to act:
natural gas. Tell the utility what you need and press them to help make it happen. (Most utility
Christina Page, Director of Climate and Energy Strategy, Yahoo!
First, make
web sites have an efficiency or conservation link.
energy efficiency
That’s a good place to start.)
a standard part of your decision
Finally, support public officials who understand
making. When you
the importance of energy efficiency in solving
replace or upgrade
our long-term energy and economic challenges.
an appliance or
Government has an important role to play in
piece of equipment,
encouraging energy efficiency. Your important
consider the long
role is to tell them you want energy efficiency
term energy
policies adopted.
savings in addition to the price tag. (Check out www.dsireusa.org to
Your choices — from the appliances and
find tax and utility incentives in your state.)
equipment you buy to the leaders and policies you support — will determine whether we secure
Second, work with your utility. Energy providers
a clean and affordable energy future for all of
are willing to pay you to invest in energy
us. The opportunity is huge. All we have to do is
efficiency because it is far cheaper for them
seize it!
To download a complete version of “The Power of Efficiency,” please visit:
efficiencyworks.org
Efficiency
Works!
NW Energy Coalition, 811 1st Avenue, #305, Seattle, WA 98104, (206) 621-0094, www.nwenergy.org
Pacific Northwest Energy Conservation Potential Through 2020 A new study commissioned by the NW Energy Coalition shows cost-effective energy efficiency can cut new natural gas demand in half and, combined with affordable new renewable energy resources, meet all new Pacific Northwest electric needs while slashing climate pollution.
“The stars are really aligned for efficiency. I want to tamp down expectations, but I can’t.” Kateri Callahan, president of the Alliance to Save Energy
The Power of Efficiency
The opportunity
The payoff
A “Time” cover story calls it “miracle juice.” It’s cheap,
Energy efficiency is a powerful force. Investing in
clean, local, and available right now in huge quantities.
efficiency will help to:
Its name is energy efficiency. And a new study
• Stabilize energy prices and lower bills.
commissioned by the NW Energy Coalition shows the
• Generate good jobs.
Pacific Northwest can acquire enough of it to satisfy all
• Boost the bottom line for businesses and utilities.
our typical new electricity needs and half our new natural
• Improve the health of our natural and built
gas demand through 2020. Coupled with renewable energy
environments.
resources, we’ll have power enough to electrify vehicles
• Free up grid and pipeline capacity.
and to move away from fossil fuel-fired power generation. Governments and utilities “The Power of Efficiency: Pacific Northwest Energy
see so much power in
Conservation Potential Through 2020” starts from regional
energy efficiency to grow
power planners’ prediction that we’ll need enough new
the economy and meet
electricity by 2020 to power the equivalent of five cities
future energy needs
the size of Seattle. Natural gas demand will grow faster by
that they are literally
almost half, adding the equivalent of 1.5 million typical
paying people to invest
residential customers.
in efficiency through tax incentives and rebates.
Our growing appetite for energy — owing to more people, more plug-in devices and growing use of gas to
Efficiency is just plain
heat homes and water — coincides with government
smart for businesses,
commitments to substantially cut our greenhouse gas
consumers and utilities.
emissions. Businesses boost their
needs. Robust efficiency investments cut greenhouse-gas
Energy efficiency clearly benefits the broader economy. A new
emissions and reduce the risk of price hikes or brownouts
report on Oregon’s energy tax credits shows qualifying projects
caused by market volatility.
in 2007 and 20008 generated 1,700 new jobs and $616 million in new investment and wages in the state. Ninety percent of eligible
Energy conservation investments often save other resources
projects were efficiency upgrades.
as well. Energy-efficient commercial and residential washing machines, for instance, can cut water use in half, reducing both
Energy efficiency is also key to climate stabilization. More than
water and sewer bills.
a third of the region’s electricity comes from coal and gas, so meeting climate targets will require substantial efficiency
Buildings designed to be more efficient are simply better places to live and to work. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control say homes with better temperature control and ventilation house healthier people. Dozens of studies on green buildings conclude that efficient, well-ventilated spaces cut sick days and increase job productivity. National research shows energyefficient buildings are consistently
improvement.
Getting there Energy efficiency over the last 30 years has saved the region enough electricity to avoid building the equivalent of five costly and polluting coal plants. As a result, Northwest families and businesses save $1.6 billion per year, according to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. Puget Sound Energy, Washington’s largest energy utility, is one example of a utility that embraces the power of efficiency investment. In 2008 PSE spent $45 million on rebates, grants and equipment discounts that will help customers save $30 million per year on their electric and gas bills. PSE beat its pledged 2008 electricity conservation target by 26 percent and its gas target by 46 percent. The cost to acquire these savings is far cheaper than building a power plant or buying more natural gas.
Energy efficiency, fortunately, is tailor-made to tackle
net income and building
both challenges. We can meet the vast majority of our
values by cutting energy costs. The savings from improved
new energy needs without new climate-polluting power
lighting often pay back in as little as one year. The savings
carries a cost to energy customers. To date, saving electricity by
plants by upgrading existing buildings with technologies
from a major investment like a new heating system for
investing in energy-efficient lighting, high-efficiency motors or
like programmable thermostats and next-generation LED
a commercial building can pay for itself in five years or
other energy-saving technologies has cost about a third as much
lighting and by designing new buildings to be energy-
fewer.
as a new power plant. In the future, experts expect that because
worth more.
smart from the start.
Meeting the region’s electricity needs — however it’s done —
much of the least expensive efficiency will already have been Consumers who choose Energy Star appliances, swap
captured, electricity saved through efficiency will cost somewhat
In the process, consumers will save substantially
incandescent lights for compact fluorescents and install
more. Efficiency will still be a bargain at about half the price of
on energy bills, freeing that money for much more
programmable thermostats will enjoy noticeably lower
electricity from new generation.
productive use elsewhere in the regional economy. History
energy bills. Adding insulation to walls and attics or
says we can realize the power of efficiency: since 1978,
installing modern heating systems or water heaters will
Current regional power planning analysis supports the
the Northwest has already saved enough to power three
make homes more comfortable and save even more.
conclusions in The Power of Efficiency, consistently showing
Seattles.
The full analysis can be found at efficiencyworks.org.
cost-effective efficiency and planned renewable resources can For utilities, energy efficiency is the cheapest, cleanest and easiest energy resource available to meet our energy
Power and Pollution Sources Coal provides a fraction of the regional electric system’s power but the majority of its global-warming emissions.
more than meet new electricity demand while substantially reducing carbon dioxide emissions.