By Erin Cosgrove |
The Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund presents a unique opportunity for state energy offices to not only invest in long term energy efficiency financing programs, but also provide grants to small businesses and low-income residents to improve the comfort of their buildings and install more efficient technology. The application deadline is May 26, which means states still have time to take…
By Erin Cosgrove |
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) present an unprecedented opportunity to grow efficiency and electrification across the United States. They also represent an extraordinary amount of work and coordination for our state energy offices, regulators, energy efficiency businesses, and other stakeholders. To take advantage of the full funding available, states…
By Erin Cosgrove |
On November 30, 2022 the Massachusetts Commission on Clean Heat (Commission) issued its final report. The report included recommendations to implement a first-of-its-kind statewide building decarbonization clearinghouse and adopt new, innovative regulatory frameworks that accelerate the adoption of clean heat technology.
The Commission was a result of the recommendations from the state's…
By Erin Cosgrove |
Welcome to the newest installment of a new blog series called Turning Policy into Performance. In this series, we'll take a look at how states can implement decarbonization and climate goals with energy efficiency programs.
On October 21, 2022 the U.S. Department of Energy provided guidance for WAP recipients to include two non-energy impacts (NEI) in the cost-benefit analysis – the social cost…
By Erin Cosgrove |
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created the Clean Power Plan in 2015 to cut carbon dioxide pollution from power plants – the largest source of carbon dioxide pollution in the U.S. – by shifting how they generate energy. The Supreme Court’s recent ruling on West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), may have prevented the Clean Power Plan from going into effect, but there…
By Erin Cosgrove |
Welcome to the newest installment of a new blog series called Turning Policy into Performance. In this series, we'll take a look at how states can implement decarbonization and climate goals with energy efficiency programs.
Cost-benefit analyses are an important step in evaluating energy efficiency programs because they ensure that ratepayer dollars provide benefits for customers, the utility…
By Erin Cosgrove |
Vermont’s legislature is considering the first of its kind Clean Heat Standard (CHS). A Clean Heat Standard seeks to reduce and regulate emissions from natural gas, fuel oil, and propane distributors by creating a cap-and-trade mechanism. This mechanism operates similar to California’s transportation fuel cap-and-trade initiative and Colorado’s Clean Heat Standard for natural gas, but unlike…
By Erin Cosgrove |
Welcome to the newest installment of a new blog series called Turning Policy into Performance. In this series, we'll take a look at how states can implement decarbonization and climate goals with energy efficiency programs.
Achieving decarbonization goals will require a paradigm shift in energy efficiency program planning – away from short-term energy savings and towards long-term carbon savings…