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From Australia to Richmond, Va., energy efficiency is taking the world by storm!
Last week, the Alliance signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Australian Alliance to Save Energy (A2SE), a new nonprofit dedicated to advancing energy efficiency in Australia through research, business partnerships and consumer outreach. We are proud to have been closely involved with the development of A2SE - and we look forward to future collaboration with our energy efficiency partner 'down under'!
Yesterday, we received some heartening news "closer to home": President Obama has signed an Executive Order on federal energy management. The order requires federal agencies to set targets within 90 days for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions by 2020, and to meet several sustainability benchmarks.
Other important provisions included in this historic order were requirements to reduce vehicle fleet petroleum use by 30 percent by 2020; improvements in water efficiency by 26 percent by 2020; and full implementation of the 2030 net-zero-energy building requirement that was passed as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). The order is significant in that it emphasizes the use of federal buying power to motivate vendors, contractors and others in the federal supply chain to take action to limit GHG emissions in production, operations and transport. This is an enormous step in the federal government's ongoing efforts to reduce GHG emissions, while also bringing down the cost of its overall energy bill and the burden placed on taxpayers. We commend the Obama Administration for leading by example on this crucial issue, and we look forward to working with the administration to make the directive a reality.
This has been a busy time for energy efficiency at the state and local levels as well! Last week Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine announced the launch of the Virginia Energy Efficiency Appliance Rebate program, which will utilize $15 million in stimulus funds to incent consumer purchase of high-efficiency appliances. Also last week, the District of Columbia Public Service Commission approved a plan by the Potomac Electric Power Company to decouple its revenues from its sales, effective November 1, 2009. This change will remove a common disincentive for utilities to implement energy efficiency programs, and will fulfill a compliance requirement on which some of Washington, D.C.’s stimulus funding was contingent.
No matter where they hail from, stories of energy efficiency “on the rise” are enough to inspire energy efficiency advocates everywhere. Keep up the great work, all, and as always, thank you for your support!
Kateri Callahan
President, Alliance to Save Energy
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