Acadia Center February Newsletter

A look at Acadia Center’s work in February. This newsletter features updates on RGGI, the Clean Power Plan, and energy efficiency efforts in Rhode Island.

Acadia Center Set to Host Second Community Energy Forum

This month Acadia Center is having its second in a series of upcoming Community Energy Forums throughout New England. The forums highlight the release of the organization’s recent publication Community|EnergyVision and allow Acadia Center staff, along with other Community EnergyVision Illustration Screenshotexperts, to sit down with community members to discuss how they can take control of their energy costs and needs.  The events will also focus on what attendees can do to foster community energy in their towns. The next forum will take place from 7 pm – 9 pm on March 21st in Westport, CT at the Town Hall Auditorium.

Two of the three forum panelists have close ties to the Westport area. Jonathan Steinberg is currently in his third term as State Representative for Westport and prior to that served in the town’s legislative body for seven years. Rep. Steinberg will share his experiences with attendees, particularly focusing on energy legislation in the town and the steps it will take to establish community energy projects there. Another panelist, Mark Robbins, is president of MHR Development, the company that designed and facilitated the renovation of Earthplace, a nature discovery and environmental learning center in Westport that is working to become net-zero. Robbins will describe his experiences developing community energy projects and the process and challenges he encountered.

Jamie Howland, Director of Acadia’s Climate and Energy Analysis Center in Hartford, will give an overview of our publication Community|EnergyVision. Following presentations from each of our panelists, we will open up the room for discussion tying Acadia Center’s ideas with what’s happening in Westport and the surrounding communities, in an effort to advance community energy throughout Connecticut .

For more information and to RSVP for the event click here.

 

 

Kiernan Dunlop

Kiernan Dunlop is a Communications Associate in the the Boston office and  brings experience in communications and environmental organizing. She has been a contributing writer for eco-RI News and the New Bedford Standard-Times. She supports Acadia Center’s communications efforts with press and media outreach, online and print content, events and other outreach strategies.

Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Programs Again Top National Bests for Savings

Boston, MA – Massachusetts’ energy efficiency Program Administrators recently announced remarkable preliminary program results for 2015. In 2015, the programs produced an estimated $3.42 billion in benefits for Massachusetts, delivering $4.70 in benefits for every dollar that the utilities invested in the program and achieving an unprecedented savings level of 3.01% of annual electric sales. This savings level exceeds not only the 2015 goal of 2.60% of annual electric sales, but also the nation-leading ambitious 2016-2018 goals, set at 2.94% of annual electric sales.

2015 is the last year of the 2013-2015 Three Year Efficiency Plan, which itself set top-in-the nation targets for energy efficiency savings. Over the course of the last three years, the Massachusetts efficiency programs have produced $7.79 billion in benefits for customers in Massachusetts, electric savings equivalent to powering 546,239 homes for a year, gas savings equivalent to heating 95,763 homes for a year, and greenhouse gas reductions equivalent to taking 434,900 cars off the road. And they did all this coming in under budget (spending only 98% of the total DPU-approved budget over the three year period).

“Massachusetts is setting an example for the rest of the nation not only by consistently establishing the highest energy efficiency goals in the nation, but by exceeding them. The energy efficiency programs responsible for reaching these goals show the country that it is possible to save consumers money and have a clean and secure energy future,” said Daniel L. Sosland, Acadia Center President.

Building on the widespread growth of the residential efficiency programs in 2014, spurred by increasing adoption of affordable LED lights, home insulation and installation of highly efficient heating equipment, 2015 also delivered significant savings in the commercial and industrial sector – including meeting the statewide goals for annual savings in electricity in this sector for the first time since the efficiency programs began in their current form. This success is attributable in part to high levels of adoption of combined heat and power operations at commercial and industrial facilities, which are some of the most cost-effective energy savings available in Massachusetts.

The programs also bring major benefits to the Commonwealth, beyond the direct savings for those who implement these services in their homes and businesses. This year’s efficiency investments yielded:

  • Electric demand savings equivalent to a 222 MW power plant
  • 1,473 GWh of annual electric savings (enough to power 187,872 homes for a year)
  • 25.9 million therms of annual gas savings (enough to heat over 43,100 homes for a year)
  • 446,218 MMBtu of oil saved in 2015
  • Annual GHG reductions of 838,000 short tons, which is equivalent to removing over 160,085 cars from the road.

 

As a member of the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council, Acadia Center looks forward to working with fellow members, program administrators and other stakeholders to make sure that the Commonwealth continues to set and achieve ambitious goals for energy efficiency.

“This level of success in 2015 sets Massachusetts up well to achieve the ambitious goals of the 2016-2018 three year plan,” said Amy Boyd, Acadia Center Senior Attorney who serves on the EEAC, “Massachusetts has a significant opportunity to build on the progress we’ve seen to-date and bring even more benefits for homes and businesses.”

 

Contact:

Amy Boyd, Senior Attorney
aboyd@acadiacenter.org , (617) 742-0054 x102

Kiernan Dunlop, Communications Associate
kdunlop@acadiacenter.org, (617) 742- 0054 x107

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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.

Large Hydropower Joins the Renewable Energy Club

“If we’re going to achieve our climate and clean energy goals under the [Massachusetts] Global Warming Solutions Act and the various states’ renewable energy targets, we’re going to need a course correction,” said Leslie Malone, a senior analyst at the energy and environmental organization The Acadia Center.