October 2005
Newsletter Contents:
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Guest Highlight |
Alliance to Save Energy Column |
State Updates |
RECA Report |
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By Bernd Reuter, Department of Ecology, Research, Climate Protection,
Baden-Württemberg intends to increase its energy efficiency still further to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and make a positive contribution to climate protection. We have seen that climate protection policies can have a positive effect on the economy as investments in energy efficiency measures reduce energy costs for local consumers and businesses. For instance, it is estimated that savings of 30% in electricity consumption will be possible by 2020. Upgrading the energy efficiency of existing buildings will bring energy savings of 40 to 50%. The aim of our energy policies is to provide a support framework for such potential savings.
Climate Protection Plus Program
Case Study: Müller Weingarten AG
Engaging Schools
Focussing on R&D
Baden-Württemberg has made considerable progress on the road to a more energy efficient economy, but it has not yet reached its target. The current rate of energy efficiency increase of 1% per annum may increase further because of the rising energy prices. The new climate protection concept of Baden-Württemberg, which will be available in English soon, (www.um.baden-württemberg.de) embraces important policy approaches and envisions a twofold increase in the contribution of renewable energies by 2010.
For more information please contact Bernd Reuter at Bernd.Reuter@um.bwl.de.
By Kerry Quinn, Senior Program Associate,
“What this plan does is help us meet our growing needs, first and foremost, with the cleanest most cost effective energy of all – greater efficiency,” commented Susan P. Kennedy, the Commissioner leading the efficiency proceeding. The approval of energy efficiency funding is part of a larger effort by Governor Schwarzenegger, the CPUC, and the California Energy Commission (CEC) to secure California’s energy future and reduce the consumption of fossil fuels linked to global climate change. California’s Energy Action Plan, endorsed by the Governor, CPUC, and CEC, establishes energy efficiency as the state’s top priority procurement resource. Commissioner Kennedy continued, “This decision puts into action the resource acquisition goals of the state’s Energy Action Plan – namely, that energy efficiency be required first before all other resources.”
The utilities are investing $2 billion in energy efficiency over the next three years to achieve these savings. The majority of the funding will come from the utilities’ resource procurement budgets and less than half from the state’s public goods charge, demonstrating the powerful impact of the CPUC’s requirement that utilities invest in energy efficiency whenever it is cheaper than procuring power. Roughly $3 million will be invested in natural gas efficiency programs and $1.7 billion in electric efficiency programs.
CPUC President Michael R. Peevey emphasized that, “$2 billion is a significant expenditure, but the benefits clearly outweigh these costs and consumers gain in a multitude of ways. These programs will cut energy costs for homes and businesses by more than $5 billion, eliminate the need to build three large power plants over the next three years, and reduce global warming pollution by an estimated 3.4 million tons of carbon dioxide by 2008, which is equivalent to taking about 650,000 cars off the road.”
The utilities’ plans for 2006-2008 include a diverse mix of energy efficiency and conservation programs. Examples include incentives for construction of green buildings, innovative rebate opportunities, such as “point of purchase” rebates given at the store when the item is purchased, and online “E-rebates,” online energy audits for homes, and more. The plans also include continued and new partnerships with local governments, universities, and schools. The Alliance to Save Energy’s Green Campus and Green Schools Programs are expected to be part of the mix of programs.
For more information on the CPUC and the energy efficiency program plans, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.
California SB 1037 would require the Public Utilities Commission to establish electricity efficiency savings targets based on an evaluation of all plausible cost-effective savings, and would require electrical corporations to first acquire all available energy efficiency and demand reduction resources that are cost-effective and reliable when implementing their procurement plans. Click here for more information.
HB 4299 would amend various provisions of the Massachusetts appliance efficiency standards act. The Bill would provide for the inclusion of products, including but not limited to commercial refrigerators, freezers and refrigerator-freezers, residential furnaces, torchieres and traffic signal modules. The bill also would promote the use of alternative fuels in the Commonwealth by allowing hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles to travel in HOV lanes. Click here for more information
SB 2211 would require the Commonwealth when purchasing new motor vehicles to purchase hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles to the maximum feasible extent at a minimum rate of 5% annually for all new motor vehicle purchases. The bill would require a minimum of 50% of the motor vehicles owned and operated by the Commonwealth to be hybrid or alternative energy vehicles by the year 2010. Click here for more information
SB 2220 would promote funding for the Energy Independence Grant Fund for the purpose of encouraging cities and towns, school districts and regional transit authorities to purchase or lease hybrid and alternative energy vehicles, including heavy, medium and light duty vehicles that utilize either a single fuel or dual fuel. Click here for more information
HB 5223 would allow consumers to exclude the difference in the sales price between an alternative energy vehicle and a comparable motor vehicle powered by motor fuel in the calculation of sales tax starting in January 2006. Click here for more information
SB 5970 would amend the tax law to provide a sales and compensating use tax exemption for Energy Star appliances. Click here for more information
SB 5986 would extend the expiration of the personal income tax credit for alternative fuel vehicles and alternative fuel property. The bill also would revise and extend the repeal date of the sales and use tax exemption for new alternative fuel vehicles, and property and service related to alternative fuel vehicles. Click here for more information
North Carolina SB 1149 establishes a banking and selling program for credits issued under the federal Energy Policy Act in order to generate funds for the use of alternative fuels and alternative fueled vehicles by state departments, institutions, and agencies and to extend and expand the credit for investment in renewable energy property. Click here for more information
Click here for more information
The Responsible Energy Codes Alliance (RECA) RECA continues its work to promote adoption of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). In September, RECA and its members were active in North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia. States to watch for code developments in the months ahead are Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, and New York.
Click here to visit the RECA website for more information.
The Alliance Wants to Hear from You!
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Public-Private Partnerships
Schoolchildren are a major target group for the communication of climate protection and energy awareness, In addition to a comprehensive Internet site (
California Launches Groundbreaking 
