ACEEE scorecard

I recently heard “move electrons instead of molecules” to describe policies to electrify buildings and transportation to displace the use of carbon-intensive fossil fuels. This clever phrase describes a key trend in ACEEE’s recently released 2020 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard – that states working to implement the most aggressive greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals in the nation scored the most points

Berkeley, California made news recently with a ban on natural gas hookups in most new construction. The story has definitely been picked up by the media as Berkeley is the first city to ban natural gas. NRDC estimates that as many as 50 cities in California are considering similar bans.

Massachusetts has been number one on the ACEEE Energy Efficiency Scorecard for eight years in a row. It is important that we celebrate this massive achievement. It’s also important to recognize that we have the tools, the state leadership, and the grassroots manpower to do better.

A drop of one spot in the recent ACEEE State Scorecard should not dishearten Granite Staters who’ve been working hard to make the state more energy efficient. While New Hampshire slid from number 20 to 21 in the much-watched ranking of state energy efficiency leaders, there’s important progress to laud, and the future looks bright.

Massachusetts, you’ve done it again! Today, the American Council for an Energy Efficiency Economy (ACEEE) announced that it has selected the Bay State as the most energy efficient in the nation – this marks the fifth year Massachusetts has topped the charts for national energy efficiency policy and practice.

NEEP’s 2015 Regional Roundup confirms that we’re seeing a changing landscape in the world of energy efficiency. Make no mistake about it—the ground is shifting nationally and the Northeast-Mid-Atlantic region is not invulnerable to these shifts in energy efficiency focus and practice.

In the Amazing Spiderman, Peter Parker’s uncle, Uncle Ben, leaves him with some words of wisdom that Parker carries with him throughout the Spiderman series: With great power, comes great responsibility. As someone who’s been tracking investment in energy efficiency in our region, a similar thought, which is the title of this post, comes to mind.