As we enter a New Year full of new opportunities, I ask you to pause with me for a minute to reflect on the year just passing — 2014 — which against significant political and business headwinds turned out to be a year of great progress in advancing energy efficiency by my "counting"! The following recounts our progress "by the numbers" — I hope reading this summary makes you proud of what we are accomplishing together and motivated to continue working with us in the New Year to drive progress even further and faster!

Executive Branch — Leading the Charge on Energy Efficiency

President Obama has embraced the Alliance's goal of doubling U.S. energy productivity by 2030 — that is getting twice as much GDP from each unit of energy consumed. Since "signing up" to this goal, the Administration is moving rapidly to implement policies and programs to achieve the goal. Here are just a few highlights from 2014; you can get a fuller accounting from the President's own year-end report.

$2 Billion: Amount of new federal funding committed to upgrade federal facilities through use of ESPCs (Energy Savings Performance Contracts) and UESCs (Utility Energy Saving Performance Contracts) this year, raising the total commitment to $5+ billion by the end of 2016. During Obama's time in office, federal agencies have reduced GHG emissions by a whopping 17 percent, the equivalent of taking 1.8 million cars off U.S. roadways.

½ Billion: Number of square feet in parking lots/garages that are saving up to 90 percent on energy and maintenance bills through DOE's LEEP (Lighting Energy Efficiency in Parking) campaign.

$50 Billion: Savings consumers and businesses will realize by 2030 from the 8 new appliance and equipment standards issued by DOE this year.

230 Million Metric Tons: Amount of CO2 reductions resulting from an 8 percent improvement in the ASHRAE 90.1 commercial building standard. 2014 also saw a 1 percent gain in the residential building energy code.

30%: CO2 emission reductions required under the Clean Power Plan (Sec. 111(d)). These regulations have the potential to be a transformative win for energy efficiency and a strong impetus for advancing energy productivity.

2x EP: The goal of doubling energy productivity translates into real action by the Administration as demonstrated in its designation as a "Cross-Agency Priority (CAP) Goal" in the federal budget for FY 2015 ensuring that agencies beyond DOE and EPA focus on energy efficiency investment and programs.

1: A little number with a big impact! One is the number of new partnerships this year with the Department of Energy. In September we launched the Accelerate Energy 2030 campaign with DOE and the Council on Competitiveness designed to engage local, state and business leaders in the work of doubling U.S. energy productivity by 2030.

Congressional Action - Lots of Action But Only a Few "Wins"

While this last legislative session will ensure that the 113th goes down in the record-books as largely a "do-nothing Congress", there were important funding and tax wins for energy efficiency. And, as you will see from the count below, we have good reason to hope and work for enactment of strong energy efficiency legislation — starting with Shaheen-Portman — in the 114th Congress!

17: Number of Members of Congress — leaders from both parties and both chambers — who serve as Alliance to Save Energy Honorary Congressional Vice-Chairs. These energy efficiency champions work tirelessly to keep energy efficiency a priority in the Congress and in the public discourse on energy.

$1.5 Billion:Federal funding approved by the Congress for energy efficiency programs at the Department of Energy. For a detailed breakdown of efficiency funding in the FY2015 Omnibus, please see the Alliance's 2015 Budget Chart.

3: Number of important energy efficiency tax incentives (for homeowners, new home builders and commercial buildings) that were extended through December 2014.

25: Number of bi-partisan energy efficiency bills introduced in the House. Of these, 5 were reported favorably through the Energy and Commerce Committee and 4 were adopted by the full House on bi-partisan (and lopsided) votes.

3: Number of aborted attempts to gain full Senate passage of the Shaheen-Portman energy efficiency bills. In no instance was the substance of the bill the cause for inaction. The bills' sponsors and the Alliance will continue to push for this important and impactful bill to become law in the New Year.

5: Number of "pillars" in Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Upton's energy plan which includes energy efficiency as one of the five pillars.

52: Number of House freshmen (36-R; 16-D). The Senate has 12 new Members (11-Rs; 1-D). You can get to know the "newbies" by reading our profile of the new members. We will be working in 2015 to create a whole new cadre of EE champions among the freshman class.

National Outreach

112: The number of companies, local and state governments and NGOs that have endorsed the goal of doubling energy productivity through the Alliance's Energy 2030 On the Road campaign that was launched this year and is led by a sixteen-member leadership circle.

$9 Billion: Annual investment in energy efficiency by the utility industry. Action in several states in 2014 indicate a threat to this important revenue stream for driving energy efficiency into the U.S. economy. The Alliance will be working with our utility Associates and key stakeholders to seek to ensure continued strong support and interest in energy efficiency, the utility sector and its regulators.

17,000: Number of students reached through the Power Savers School Challenge school competition to save energy conducted in partnership with Associate member Lockheed Martin.

8,000: Number of communiques to policy makers made by the Alliance "E-Now" on-line advocates from 48 states.

16: Number of college campuses participating in the Alliance's Power Save Campus program.

400: Number of schools participating in the Alliance's Power Save Schools program.

International Activity

On the international front, there have been several exciting developments that will move energy efficiency forward globally.

$360 Billion: Size of global investment in energy efficiency in 2012 according to the IEA's 2014 Market Report. This level of investment surpasses all other energy resources except upstream oil and gas.

30%: Percentage reduction in energy consumption under the European Union's binding energy efficiency targets announced in October.

1: Number of new bi-lateral agreements on climate change. The U.S. and China — which together account for over a third of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions — made a joint commitment on climate change and clean energy cooperation. Energy efficiency will be a key to both countries' success in reaching these ambitious targets.

So, countdown to the New Year and new opportunities with us, but don't forget to pat yourself on the back a time or two for the great work and progress achieved in 2014! I thank you for your support of our organization and your dedication to our mission — may 2015 find you once again an Alliance friend and ally in advocating for increased energy efficiency in the U.S. and around the world!