By Josh Craft | Fri, November 4, 11
We in NEEP’s policy shop are constantly tracking state energy efficiency happenings— from legislation and regulatory proceedings to spending and savings data. Now we’ve released our first Regional Roundup, a new report examining overall trends and which states are leading and lagging in capturing cost-effective energy efficiency.
The 
report provides a summary and analysis of some of the biggest building energy efficiency successes and setbacks in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, including key energy efficiency laws and regulations, and changes in funding levels and savings goals for customer energy efficiency programs.
While not a ranking, the Roundup uses runner icons to provide a quick view of the state’s overall progress in terms best practices in efficiency policy and important advances or setbacks as compared to the state’s own recent history. The icons denote whether a state is: Going the distance, Keeping pace, Struggling, or Still on the starting blocks.
The Roundup is intended to give policymakers, efficiency advocates, program administrators and other stakeholders a comparative view of efficiency progress and pitfalls across the region. Along with state-level highlights, this paper reveals regional trends and shared challenges in harnessing the potential of energy efficiency to meet multiple public policy goals — controlling energy costs, improving system reliability strengthening the economy, growing jobs, improving public health and curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
Key Findings:
report provides a summary and analysis of some of the biggest building energy efficiency successes and setbacks in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, including key energy efficiency laws and regulations, and changes in funding levels and savings goals for customer energy efficiency programs.
While not a ranking, the Roundup uses runner icons to provide a quick view of the state’s overall progress in terms best practices in efficiency policy and important advances or setbacks as compared to the state’s own recent history. The icons denote whether a state is: Going the distance, Keeping pace, Struggling, or Still on the starting blocks.
The Roundup is intended to give policymakers, efficiency advocates, program administrators and other stakeholders a comparative view of efficiency progress and pitfalls across the region. Along with state-level highlights, this paper reveals regional trends and shared challenges in harnessing the potential of energy efficiency to meet multiple public policy goals — controlling energy costs, improving system reliability strengthening the economy, growing jobs, improving public health and curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
Key Findings:
- The Northeast continues to lead the nation in innovative energy policy, public and private support and per capita investment in efficiency programs.
- Even in a slow economy, much of the region continues to ramp up efficiency, with investment levels expected to reach $2.5 billion this year.
- States are grappling with the same challenges — how to fund efficiency for oil heated homes, how to coordinate state-wide programs to make access easier for customers, how to reach more homes and businesses and go deeper with efficiency projects.
- In states like NH, ME, NJ and PA, short-sighted politics threaten efforts to harness efficiency as the most cost-effective energy resource.
- In states like MA, VT, NY, CT and RI, major efficiency commitments are helping to drive down utility costs for all, create local jobs and build the clean energy economy.