Connecticut Energy Efficiency Programs Empowering and Benefiting Consumers
Connecticut’s 2014 energy efficiency programs for natural gas and electricity will save consumers nearly $1 billion. The official savings were released recently, and the benefits will be accumulated over the lifetime of the 2014 investments.
“Energy efficiency programs are empowering Connecticut consumers to control their energy use and costs,” said Daniel L. Sosland, Acadia Center President. “The 2014 results show the potential for efficiency as a first resource to meet the state’s energy needs.”
“One of the best benefits of these programs is that they help consumers with the challenge of high winter energy costs,” said William E. Dornbos, Senior Attorney at Acadia Center and Chair of the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Board, a stakeholder body which advises the utilities on the state’s energy efficiency plan. Throughout 2014, the Energy Efficiency Board worked with the utilities to mitigate the anticipated consumer impact of the current winter season by accelerating LED lighting options, helping big facilities cut energy loads, and getting the word out to continue to increase participation in the programs.
“Bringing demand down through efficiency programs helps everyone on the grid,” said Dornbos, “and consumers are already enjoying the benefits of that this winter.”
Connecticut invested over $220 million in cost-effective electric and natural gas efficiency in 2014—an investment that, if not made, would have required the state’s energy consumers to purchase more expensive energy supply, much of it imported from out-of-state. This is year two in a three-year efficiency plan. Other benefits of the current 2013-2015 plan include:
- lifetime dollar savings for consumers of $978.3 million (from 2014 investments) and $630 million (from 2013 investments);
- three-year demand savings equivalent to building a 143 MW power plant;
- electric energy savings of 4.2 billion kilowatt hours over the lifetime of the 2014 investment; ;
- increased market penetration of highly efficient LED lighting by 175% in 2014;
- energy system benefits of $2.40 for every $1 invested in electric, natural gas, propane, and oil heat efficiency measures—a return on investment of 140% across all fuels; and
- lifetime avoided greenhouse gas emissions of over 3.2 million tons from the 2014 investments alone (about the same as removing 466,259 cars from the road for a year)
For more details on the energy efficiency programs and results, see the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Board 2014 Program and Operations Report
“We look forward to continuing to work with the Energy Efficiency Board, utilities and state leaders to move toward capturing all cost-effective efficiency, and keep Connecticut on this path of strong investments with big consumer rewards,” said Sosland.
Contact:
William Dornbos, Senior Attorney, Acadia Center, 860-246-7121 x202, wdornbos@acadiacenter.org
Emily Avery-Miller, Director External Relations, Acadia Center, 617-742-0054 x100, eavery-miller@acadiacenter.org
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Acadia Center is a non-profit, research and advocacy organization committed to advancing the clean energy future. Acadia Center is at the forefront of efforts to build clean, low-carbon and consumer-friendly economies. Acadia Center provides accurate and reliable information, and offers a real-world and comprehensive approach to problem solving through innovation and collaboration.
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admin@acadiacenter.org / www.acadiacenter.org / Daniel L. Sosland, President