By Colin Walker | Tue, October 18, 16
Welcome to the third issue of REED Renderings where we bring our readers attention to interesting trends in REED data and the stories behind those trends in the context of relevant events. In this issue, we offer a sneak peek at Program Year 2015 data.
The annual update to the Regional Energy Efficiency Database is an exciting time here at NEEP. The update and subsequent release of the data marks the first time that the region’s energy efficiency accomplishments are available for comparison in one easy location. Like the winter months, the annual release of REED data is fast approaching; in fact, it’s expected in the coming weeks. But why wait any longer to see some of those trends? Let’s take a sneak peek into the region’s program year 2015 data right now.
Northeast Region Program Year 2015 Gas Savings
The Northeast region of the United States is becoming increasingly dependent on natural gas. Not only does it provide a significant portion of the electricity generation, but natural gas also heats many homes. This has a huge impact on the region, most especially during periods of high demand in the winter and underlies the need for greater natural gas efficiency measures. So how did the region do in 2015? Take a look for yourself.
Program Year 2015 Emissions
Avoided emissions is a hot topic today. Whether we are talking about air quality or combatting climate change, reducing emission levels is central to the discussion. This is why news released earlier this year by ISO-NE is particularly troubling. In a presentation, New England’s independent system operator revealed that emission levels had risen in 2015 due to changing electric generation mix. This begs the question, what is the most cost effective way to offset these emissions? The answer: next generation energy efficiency.
Next generation energy efficiency is the least expensive way to reduce emissions. For example, let’s take a look at New York. In 2015 alone, REED has attributed New York with avoiding the generation of more than 1.5 million megawatt hours of electricity, which is equal to not emitting over 800 million pounds of carbon dioxide. This level of avoided carbon dioxide emission is as good as removing nearly 79,000 cars from the road for one year or installing 94 wind turbines.
How do the other states compare? For that answer, you will have to check back when the program year 2015 data is released.
Exciting Development for REED
For the first time since 2011, the annual release of REED data will include statistics from Maine. Data for the 2012 – 2014 years are also being retrospectively collected and added to the database in order to create a more holistic view of the region’s energy efficiency accomplishments. If you want to see how Maine stacks up to the rest of the region, stay tuned for the complete release of the program year 2015 data.
That’s All for Now Folks
As you can see from the above, the region is full of interesting trends and developments in the energy efficiency sector. I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into the program year 2015 data and I hope you will check back in a few weeks for the entire release of the data. One thing will be certain: there will be many more trends and interesting tidbits to dig into.