Press Releases
Mass. Tops Nation in Energy Efficiency Ranking - 6 of 10 Leading States are in Northeast
LEXINGTON, Mass. - Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) congratulates Massachusetts for climbing to the top of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's (ACEEE) 2011 State Efficiency Scorecard. The highly-anticipated report highlights states that are doing the most to harness energy efficiency - the cheapest, cleanest way to meet energy demand.
Massachusetts narrowly outranked California to take this year's top spot, with a host of policies and programs to help customers cut their energy costs. The state's electric and gas utilities are operating under some of the most aggressive savings target in the country, and are in the midst of a three year ramp-up to save 2.4 percent of electricity and 1.15 percent of natural gas sales annually by 2012.
Other Northeast states in the top ten include New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut and Maryland - all of which have demonstrated strong, consistent support for funding of energy efficiency as well as delivering comprehensive programs for all customer sectors.
"Clearly, the Northeast is the leader in setting policies that recognize and value energy efficiency as a key economic and environmental resource, said Jim O'Reilly, Director of Public Policy for NEEP. "In each of these states, strong executive leadership has made a commitment to capturing energy efficiency. Several have also adopted a number of policies that complement the ratepayer funded programs that provide efficiency goods and services to those states' residents and businesses."
"Smart states know that especially in a tough economy, investing in efficiency helps meet multiple goals - controlling energy costs, improving system reliability strengthening the economy, growing jobs - while at the same time improving public health and curbing greenhouse gas emissions," said Natalie Hildt, Manager of Public Policy Outreach at NEEP.
To read the full ACEEE report, visit http://aceee.org/sector/state-policy/scorecard
ABOUT NEEP
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) is a non-profit organization working to accelerate efficiency as a resource across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. NEEP has experts on public policy, building energy, high-efficiency products and utility programs and is available to comment on the ACEEE Scorecard results.
Find out more on our press page: http://neep.org/news/press-kit
Follow NEEP on Twitter: www.twitter.com/NEEPenergy
