{"id":3635,"date":"2014-03-31T10:26:47","date_gmt":"2014-03-31T16:26:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/valleywatch.net\/?p=3635"},"modified":"2014-03-31T10:29:15","modified_gmt":"2014-03-31T16:29:15","slug":"new-report-finds-energy-efficiency-is-americas-cheapest-energy-resource-march-25-2014-media-contacts-patrick-kiker-202-507-4043-communications-associate-energy-efficiency-costs-utilitie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/valleywatch.net\/?p=3635","title":{"rendered":"New Report Finds Energy Efficiency is America\u2019s Cheapest Energy Resource – Energy Efficiency Costs Utilities 2 to 3 Times Less Than Traditional Power Sources; Average of 2.8 Cents per Kilowatt Hour"},"content":{"rendered":"

March 25, 2014-Press Release from the American Council on an Energy Efficient Economy<\/a>.\u00a0Editor’s note: As this report\u00a0seas being published, Indiana Governor, Mike Pence decided to allow Senate Bill 340 to become law,\u00a0essentially eliminating the only policy Indiana has requiring energy\u00a0efficiency goals and mandates. Now, Indiana is a state without any sort of efficiency mandate.\"Indiana<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

According to a new report released today by ACEEE, energy efficiency is the cheapest method of providing Americans with electricity. Energy efficiency programs aimed at reducing energy waste cost utilities only about three cents per kilowatt hour, while generating the same amount of electricity from sources such as fossil fuels can cost two to three times more.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe cheapest energy is the energy you don\u2019t have to produce in the first place,\u201d said ACEEE Executive Director Steven Nadel. \u201cOur new report shows that when utilities are examining options on how to provide their customers with cheap, clean electricity, energy efficiency is generally the best choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy build more expensive power plants when efficiency gives you more bang for your buck?\u201d said Maggie Molina, Utilities, State and Local Program Director and author of the report,\u00a0The Best Value for America\u2019s Energy Dollar: A National Review of the Cost of Utility Energy Efficiency Programs.<\/em>\u00a0\u201cInvesting in energy efficiency helps utilities and ratepayers avoid the expense of building new power plants and the harmful pollution that plants emit.\u201d<\/p>\n

The report looks at the cost of running efficiency programs in 20 states from 2009 to 2012 and finds an average cost of 2.8 cents per\u00a0kWh<\/acronym><\/a>—about one-half to one-third the cost of alternative new electricity resource options, as illustrated by the following graph from the report:<\/p>\n

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\"c-ee-cost-graph\"<\/a>Levelized costs of electricity resource options.\u00a0Source:<\/em>\u00a0Energy efficiency data represent the results of this analysis for utility program costs (range of four-year averages for 2009-2012); supply costs are from Lazard 2013.<\/p>\n

The report analyzes energy efficiency costs from states across the country, including: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin.<\/p>\n

Other Key Findings<\/em>\u00a0Include:<\/em><\/p>\n