WASHINGTON – Alliance to Save Energy President Paula Glover testified to lawmakers Thursday that energy efficiency is a foundational solution for addressing the climate crisis while increasing energy security and energy affordability, particularly for disadvantaged communities.

“We are required to lead in energy production, but we must also lead in energy efficiency throughout all sectors of the U.S. economy including manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, and the built environment,” Glover said in testimony to the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, highlighting that efficiency is both the largest employer in the clean energy economy and the most effective carbon-reduction solution. The International Energy Agency projects that efficiency will account for nearly half of the emissions reductions needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Glover highlighted Alliance-supported policy proposals to bring energy cost savings to consumers, including modernized tax incentives for energy efficient homes, the HOPE for HOMES program, and updated building codes.

On jobs, Glover noted that the energy efficiency sector is about seven times the size of the wind and solar industry workforces combined and more than 10 times the size of the coal industry workforce. Energy efficiency jobs represent well-paying positions, with an average pay 28% higher than the national median.

“If we’re talking about economic impact, energy efficiency is the largest employer in the clean energy economy,” she said. “We employ over 2.1 million people in the United States, and energy efficiency jobs are located in all but six counties in this country. We do this locally.”

Glover also emphasized efficiency’s ability to reduce the energy cost burden, particularly for low-income households that spend a disproportionate share of their income on energy bills.

“Without these investments made in efficiency since 1980, energy consumption would have been more than 60% higher and these same investments help consumers avoid approximately $800 billion a year in energy costs,” she said. “That is the power of efficiency. This is achieved by investments that secure the building envelope, equipment standards, building codes, building design, and establishing policies that prioritize efficiency as a primary part of U.S. domestic policy.”

About the Alliance to Save Energy

Founded in 1977, the Alliance to Save Energy is a nonprofit, bipartisan alliance of business, government, environmental and consumer leaders working to expand the economy while using less energy. Our mission is to promote energy productivity worldwide – including through energy efficiency – to achieve a stronger economy, a cleaner environment and greater energy security, affordability, and reliability.

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