New Hampshire Has the Opportunity to Improve Low Energy Efficiency Ranking
Expanding energy efficiency for electric and natural gas customers will deliver multiple benefits to New Hampshire. For customers, efficiency investments lower utility bills now and in the future, improve comfort, health and safety, and provide them with more control and understanding of their energy use. For the electric grid, efficiency increases reliability and decreases outages, and delays or avoids the need to spend significant funds on new capacity. For the local economy, these investments create local jobs, give businesses a competitive edge, and lower energy prices for all. And for the environment, efficiency reduces air pollution, water use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indeed, energy efficiency is the cheapest, cleanest, most plentiful energy resource in the state.Investing in energy efficiency saves money in the long-term, but there are many market barriers which prevent consumers from doing it on their own. While New Hampshire’s utility-run efficiency programs have provided a host of benefits to residents, it is falling increasingly behind it neighbors. New Hampshire ranked #20 on the 2015 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard, released October 22nd by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), a national nonpartisan organization. While the state is up two places since last year, it still ranks well below its neighbors in New England – Massachusetts (#1), Vermont (#3), Rhode Island, (#4) Connecticut (#6), and Maine (#14).
So where can New Hampshire begin to gain ground and reap increased benefits from investing in efficiency? Here are two suggestions for (nearly) immediate gains:
Energy Efficiency Resource Standard
Currently New Hampshire is the only state in New England without a formal efficiency savings goal, which is one key reason why the state’s efficiency savings are well below its neighbors. The Public Utilities Commission is currently undergoing a process to establish an Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS) in the state. Utilities and other stakeholders have filed proposals this month for how such a standard might be structured and funded, with the goal of finalizing it this spring. The PUC is on the right track, but for the EERS to prove successful it must contain a clear and ambitious goal for energy savings to ensure all New Hampshire residents get adequate help in reducing their energy use.
Building Energy Codes
Putting in place modern building energy codes is crucial because it ensures that new buildings start off highly efficient. It is a lot easier to build efficient buildings than to retrofit inefficient ones down the road. New Hampshire adopted the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), a leading model energy code for new residential and commercial construction. Unfortunately it did not implement them in 2012, as most leading states did. If the 2012 IECC were already in place, it would not only have earned a full point under ACEEE’s scoring, but also would have locked in major energy savings as all new construction would have had to comply with this more stringent code level for the last three years. The New Hampshire Building Code Review Board is in the process of reviewing the 2015 IECC, and has held a public hearing. If accepted, the amendments would be effective for a maximum of two years unless ratified by the legislature.
Making smart decisions now will help New Hampshire keep more money in the state and in the pockets of its residents.
Ellen Hawes is a senior analyst at Acadia Center focusing on energy systems, land use and carbon markets. She also leads Acadia Center’s participation in the New Hampshire State Energy Strategy process. Ellen received her Master in Forestry from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.
Remaking Connecticut’s Energy System to Embrace Community Energy
As we head into another winter that could once again hit Connecticut residents and communities with high energy costs, the urgency to remake our energy system only increases. With emerging technologies and approaches, a new and better system is possible.
To become a reality, though, this better energy system will need to empower communities with innovative, on-the-ground energy solutions. So, how do we make sure that the current clean energy revolution puts Connecticut’s communities at its center?
Acadia Center’s event next Wednesday, December 16th, “Remaking Connecticut’s Energy System to Embrace Community Energy” will explore that question.
The gathering will feature an expert discussion on how communities can take control of their energy costs and needs through new approaches and policy innovations. Our panelists will be:
Scudder Parker, Senior Policy Advisor, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation
Jonathan Glass, President & Co-Founder, Wise Labs
Jamie Howland, Director, Energy Efficiency and Demand-Side Initiative, Acadia Center
Select topics will include: creating a sustainable energy utility to better serve community energy needs, exploring the community benefits offered by smart LED streetlights, and identifying notable community energy trends and developments in Connecticut and beyond.
We will also be releasing our new report, Community EnergyVision, which identifies four key areas of reform needed to spur the growth of local, clean energy resources. Community EnergyVision also identifies exemplary projects, practices, and innovations that should be replicated in Connecticut.
This discussion will be followed by breakout groups of attendees to further explore specific issues in depth. We hope you’ll join us.
When
Wednesday, December 16 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Where
New Haven Free Public Library
133 Elm Street
New Haven, CT 06510
We encourage you to use public transportation, but metered street parking and parking garages are available.
Parking Garages within a half mile of the event:
Grove Street Garage, 65 Grove Street
State Street Garage, 290 State Street
RSVP
If you plan to come, please register in advance on our Eventbrite page because space is limited. The event is free and all are welcome to attend.
Bill Dornbos is the Director of the Connecticut Office and Senior Attorney for Acadia Center. Bill focuses on advancing policy and regulatory solutions that seek to transform the energy system and move Connecticut towards a climate-safe, sustainable future. Recent work includes advocating for expanded investment in cost-effective energy efficiency for all fuels and analyzing greenhouse gas emissions trends in the Northeast
We Are Not Facing an Energy Crisis, Here Are Four Reasons Why
The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office recently released a study showing that energy efficiency and demand response are more cost-effective than publicly-funded pipelines in meeting the region’s energy needs, and that renewable energy will help us achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals. Four key facts support the study’s findings:
- Electricity prices have declined without new pipelines: Massachusetts’ electricity prices are declining due to improved planning and market reforms. Specifically, Eversource’s winter rate is 27% lower than last year’s rate, and National Grid’s rate is almost 25% lower than last year. These lower prices are due in part to market reforms, implemented by the regional grid operator ISO-New England, that are improving utilization of existing gas delivery infrastructure and leading power generators to develop plans for ensuring adequate fuel supplies during winter peak.
- Energy efficiency is reducing electricity demand: Massachusetts’ and other New England states’ aggressive energy efficiency programs are causing winter energy demand to decline, reducing the need for additional pipeline capacity and other energy infrastructure. Despite using conservative assumptions that overstate the cost and understate the impact of efficiency programs, ISO-NE predicts that winter peak demand will decline by 0.1% annually through 2024, and the actual impact of energy efficiency is likely far greater. Acadia Center has demonstrated that ISO-NE consistently overestimates energy consumption and peak demand: winter peak energy demand was 24% lower in 2014 than the 2006 projection, and total 2014 energy consumption was 17% lower than the 2006 projection. These inaccurate projections overstate the need for expensive energy infrastructure, including oversized natural gas pipelines that could be used to support gas exports overseas the majority of the year.
- Clean energy procurement will displace gas generation: On November 12th Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for significant quantities (up to 1,000MW plus) of hydroelectric and wind, and solar energy that will displace natural gas generation and reduce power sector natural gas demand. Legislative proposals in Massachusetts to procure additional hydroelectricity and wind could more than double the quantity of energy in the RFP, offsetting even more natural gas demand. It is worth noting that the costs for hydroelectricity, renewable energy, and transmission are conservatively overstated in the Attorney General’s report, and actual prices for blended wind and hydroelectricity would have to be lower to compete in the regional electricity market.
- Gas plants with limited backup generation: New power plants approved through the regional grid operator’s Forward Capacity Market Auction in early 2015 all include natural gas generation with oil backup. On the few coldest days when natural gas supplies are dedicated to meeting heating needs, these plants will run on oil. This modest, limited use of oil generation during winter peaks in the near term, before more renewable generation comes online, would have a far smaller impact on GHG emissions than new pipelines used year-round, and would be less expensive to consumers than pipeline expansion.
The Attorney General’s report shows that commonsense market reforms, improvements in energy efficiency, and new clean energy supplies offer the best pathway to addressing winter price volatility, and achieve necessary GHG reductions, and the findings are matched by facts on the ground.
Peter Shattuck is Director of Acadia Center’s Massachusetts office and Clean Energy Initiative. Peter’s work at Acadia Center focuses on cleaning up the energy supply across all sectors of the economy. Driving market-based emissions reductions is at the core of this work, using cap and trade policies such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which Acadia Center has tracked since the program’s early development in the 2000s.
How to: Critically Review Technical Reports
Analytical studies play a crucial role in the energy policy world. They help decipher complex energy markets and technologies and often affect policy decisions. This makes it important for decision makers and other policy stakeholders to critically analyze these studies.
The following steps will help you critically analyze data whether you’re a policy stakeholder or an interested third party:
- Find the Technical Details – Whenever you encounter any new results or conclusions in a study, the first thing to do is look for the technical details of the analysis. These could be part of the main report in the form of appendices or a separate document. Within the technical details it is important to focus on the following components: scope, assumptions or data variables, data sources, methodology, and results and conclusions.
- Understand the Assumptions or Data Variables, Scope and Caveats – Assumptions or data variables, analysis scope and caveats set up the context in which the study was done and also decide its applicability as they represent subjective aspects of the analysis. It is important to go over them to understand the potential and limitations of the analysis’ findings.
- Investigate the Reliability of Data Sources – The data used in a study significantly affects the quality of its results and conclusions, making it important to note the reliability of data sources used in the study. If data used in a study is not properly sourced or referenced or the source is not credible, it may require further investigation.
- Review the Methodology – The methodology section of a study outlays the mathematical models used to analyze the respective problem. Reviewing the methodology helps us understand the sophistication and detail with which the problem has been analyzed.
- Apply What you Learned to the Results and Conclusions – The results and conclusions of a study generally contain the information relevant to the policy stakeholders’ decision-making process. A better understanding of the data used in a study can help gauge the limitation or applicability of the results and make sure the conclusions made are realistic.
These steps can help anyone look at analytical studies with a critical mind and will lead to a deeper understanding of the results, which is especially important when those results influence policy decisions.
Varun Kumar is Policy Data Analyst in Acadia’s Climate and Energy Analysis (CLEAN) Center. He assists in the analysis of energy, climate and economic information as part of Acadia Center’s advocacy and research efforts.
Connecticut Can Move Up Energy Efficiency Rankings with Two Policy Moves
Connecticut’s 6th place ranking in ACEEE’s 2015 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard is a strong achievement. However, holding steady remains a challenge for the Nutmeg State as other peer states, like Oregon and Maryland, continue to improve their efficiency efforts. So where can Connecticut find more points for next year and perhaps even climb in the rankings? Here are two suggestions for (nearly) immediate gains.
Building Energy Codes: Putting in place modern building energy codes is crucial because it ensures that new buildings start off highly efficient. Connecticut has unfortunately not yet implemented the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), a leading model energy code for new residential and commercial construction. Most leading states have already adopted the 2012 IECC and Connecticut law even required the state to adopt the 2012 IECC within 18 months of its publication date, but Connecticut is now almost three years past that deadline with no clear adoption date in sight. If the 2012 IECC were already in place, it would not only have earned a full point under ACEEE’s scoring, but also would have locked in major energy savings as all new construction would have had to comply with this more stringent code level for the last three years. Connecticut should commit now to a firm adoption deadline in early 2016.
Combined Heat and Power: Combined heat and power (CHP) is a way to generate electricity and produce heat through the use of a single fuel, usually natural gas. CHP projects are highly efficient because they generate electricity on-site – rather than at remote power plants – and they use the waste heat for heating or industrial needs. Connecticut was an early leader in deploying CHP, but has stalled recently, installing only 3.7 MW of new capacity in 2013 and 2014 combined. The state’s 2013 Comprehensive Energy Strategy tentatively determined that 100 MW of cost-effective CHP was potentially available. By establishing a comprehensive CHP program that seeks to acquire significant new capacity and that also sets production goals for CHP generation, Connecticut could gain an additional point with ACEEE. More importantly, Connecticut could accelerate the deployment of this industry-friendly local energy resource at a time when the state needs to protect and grow its manufacturing base. Connecticut policymakers should set up a robust CHP program through new legislation in the upcoming 2016 session.
With these two reforms, Connecticut could have earned two more points with ACEEE and moved up to 4th place in the 2015 efficiency rankings. Perhaps the scoring methodology for 2016 will change – and certainly other states will continue to improve – but if Connecticut wants to keep pressing forward with energy efficiency policy innovation, it should take a hard look at energy codes and CHP.
Bill Dornbos is the Director of the Connecticut Office and Senior Attorney for Acadia Center. Bill focuses on advancing policy and regulatory solutions that seek to transform the energy system and move Connecticut towards a climate-safe, sustainable future. Recent work includes advocating for expanded investment in cost-effective energy efficiency for all fuels and analyzing greenhouse gas emissions trends in the Northeast
Four Ways to Reduce Your Energy Usage this Winter
With the arrival of autumn’s cooler weather as a reminder that winter is just around the corner, now is the time to think about ways to reduce your heating energy usage. You’ll save money and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time. Here are four things to consider doing before winter arrives:
- Air sealing is one of the quickest and least expensive ways to reduce energy use. Many homes have lots of cracks and gaps that allow cold air to enter and create uncomfortable drafts. Most of the states in this region have low-cost programs that will bring in a home performance professional to do this work with specialized equipment that allows them to quickly locate and seal gaps as well as ensure that a home still gets a safe amount of fresh air. Contact your local utility to see what program offerings are available.
- Insulation can also dramatically lower heating costs. Insulation levels are generally assessed when air sealing is done. Attic
insulation can pay for itself very quickly. Wall insulation is often more expensive, but is still usually a good investment for most homes. Often overlooked is basement insulation. Uninsulated basements are very common in New England and can waste a lot of energy. This waste can be dramatically reduced by either insulating basement walls or insulating the basement ceiling. In all cases make sure that proper air sealing is done in conjunction with the insulation. - Windows are often what individuals think of first when improving the efficiency of a home, but in many cases they cost a lot more than they save. If you have double pane or storm windows, you should probably consider upgrades first. However, if you are replacing your windows anyway for other reasons, be sure to get the highest efficiency you can, as the difference in price is typically not that great. Look for windows with the lowest “U factor” for the most savings.
- Heating Systems are typically replaced when the old one breaks. If yours is on its last leg, make sure you have a plan in place for replacing it with a high efficiency unit. If you’ve insulated and air sealed your home, chances are you can use a smaller and less expensive unit than the size you have now. Planning ahead will spare you from trying to make these decisions on a cold winter day
when you have no heat. Another option to consider is adding a ductless heat pump, which will produce heat even on the coldest winter days at low cost and with a lower carbon footprint. In the summer it offers very efficient cooling as well.
Helpful links:
- Massachusetts: MassSave
- Connecticut: EnergizeCT
- Rhode Island: National Grid RI
- New Hampshire: Eversource NH
- Maine: Efficiency Maine
- Vermont: Efficiency Vermont
Jamie Howland leads Acadia’s 
Climate & Energy Analysis Center (CLEAN), and Energy Efficiency and Demand Side Initiative. His work as a policy analyst focuses on data management on energy markets and emissions trends, buildings and land use issues.
Climate Smart Communities Conference Focuses on Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Best Practices
The 2015 Climate Smart Communities Conference held in Newburgh, New York on September 25th brought together state and local municipal officials, program managers, and other stakeholders seeking to address and mitigate the impacts of climate change. The conference focused on the Climate Smart Communities (CSC) program, a unique partnership established in 2009 between six New York State Agencies and local communities designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The program expects local governments to lead by example through adopting more clean and efficient municipal operations and encouraging broader community participation with education and outreach.
There are currently 167 Climate Smart Communities throughout New York State, though levels of engagement vary widely. For a city or town to receive the designation, its local government must adopt a pledge that consists of ten elements ranging from decreasing community energy use to enhancing community resilience. Governments that do so are eligible to work with CSC Regional Coordinators to achieve their climate goals.
Source: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
The morning session at the conference started with a discussion of community microgrids. Interest in the small-scale power grids recently spiked in the state thanks in part to the NY Prize (RFP 3044) – a 40 million dollar community microgrid competition. In his presentation, John Saintcross, Assistant Director of NY Prize, emphasized that the competition is designed to promote broad participation. Of the 137 submissions received in the first stage of the competition, only five are expected to win $3-5 million to complete their projects by 2020, but the State hopes that participation alone will encourage local communities to continue exploring the idea of a microgrid and seek other funding opportunities.
The second presentation featured highlights from a New York Power Authority (NYPA) program intended to develop and fund energy plans for the five largest cities outside NYC. The plans included a comprehensive set of initiatives set to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions as well as improve quality of life. The cities pursued projects ranging from updating the building codes to upgrading streetlights to LEDs.
However, obstacles to completing these projects exist. For example, eighty percent of municipalities are unable to upgrade streetlights under utility ownership, making regulatory reform providing for a buyout option or an LED tariff their only option if they want to go through with the project. Senate Bill S5205B, which addresses the issue, is currently pending in the NY Legislature.
The conference closed with a joint discussion and anonymous vote on key issues communities face while pursuing sustainability initiatives. The audience members identified flooding and energy outages as primary risks in their communities and called for technical assistance as well as assistance with financing strategies. The state agencies intend to continue working with local municipalities to gather additional feedback and facilitate the process of establishing goals and targets, developing implementation plans, and identifying funding opportunities.
Overall, the conference successfully highlighted innovative community projects, identified areas for program improvement, and provided a platform for participants to exchange ideas and resource sharing among participants.
Irina Rodina is Staff Counsel at Acadia Center focusing on grid modernization and utility reform in New York State. Irina has extensive experience in environmental and energy policy, including renewable project development and market issues, community energy development, sustainable agriculture, and climate change.
Clean Energy Coalition Launches in Massachusetts
As Massachusetts policymakers return to the Hill this fall, several important bills impacting our state’s energy future have been filed for consideration. In anticipation of these impending energy debates a new clean energy coalition has formed. The coalition, Mass Power Forward, officially launched at the beginning of the month with simultaneous events throughout the state in Weymouth, Boston, Holyoke, Pittsfield, Peabody, and Fall River.
The Boston launch was held on the roof of the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), which is fittingly home to a 260kW solar array. The array is one of the largest in Boston and provides a great example of the economic and environmental benefits of clean energy. When discussing his decision to install the array David Noymer, CFO for the GBFB, said “We are proud of the steps we have taken to become energy-efficient. The technologies that we employ are not only forward-thinking, but allow us to save money and operate more efficiently and effectively, which directly helps advance our mission to End Hunger Here in eastern Massachusetts.” Noymer was joined by Eugenia Gibbons from Mass Energy, Emily Kirkland from Better Future Project, and Rev. Anne Bancroft from Theodore Parker Church in calling for a cleaner energy future.
This diverse coalition already has over 100 members, including Acadia Center, and is composed of environmentalists, public health advocates, community groups, clean energy companies, faith-based organizations, and social justice leaders. Together these advocates represent a united front calling for a transition from the current energy system to a low-carbon, consumer friendly, clean energy future. As more people learn about the importance of developing a clean energy future, the coalition will continue to grow.
On its website, Mass Power Forward calls for an energy policy that:
- “Advances Massachusetts toward a safer and healthier economy powered by local, clean, renewable sources, maximizing energy efficiency, responsibly sited solar, wind on and off-shore and energy storage; keeping us on track to reduce our climate change pollution by no less than 80% by 2050;
- Reduces our dependence on polluting energy sources such as coal, oil, gas and nuclear, and frees our power grid from imported fuels, volatile markets and dangerous power generation facilities;
- Prioritizes neighborhoods, families and our public lands over utility monopolies and the polluting energy industry; and prohibits public subsidies for gas pipelines or other new fossil fuel infrastructure;
- Modernizes our power grid and empowers everyday people to access locally generated power;
- Assists workers and communities with retiring power plants to participate in the benefits of the green economy and clean energy transition.”
After a successful launch, the Mass Power Forward coalition is looking ahead to a legislative hearing scheduled for September 29th where several important energy bills will be considered. Massachusetts sits at the crossroads of our energy future. It’s essential for us to choose the right path towards a low-carbon, consumer friendly, clean energy future.
Tyler Soleau is Acadia Center’s Energy and Climate Outreach Director working from the Boston office. He focuses on raising awareness, network building and advancing Acadia Center’s clean energy program goals in Massachusetts and the Northeast. Tyler came to Acadia Center from the Massachusetts House of Representatives where he served most immediately as Staff Director and Counsel for the House Committee on Climate Change.
The Benefits of Stakeholder Engagement in Energy Efficiency Programs
At the invitation of a stakeholder group convened by the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (PUC), I recently gave a presentation in Concord on the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Board (EEB), a stakeholder advisory body to the state’s energy efficiency programs. In addition to being a Senior Attorney at Acadia Center, I currently sit as the Chair of the EEB. The New Hampshire PUC has been convening stakeholders in 2015 to consider how it could ramp up investment in cost-effective energy efficiency.
My presentation detailed the benefits of robust stakeholder engagement in energy efficiency planning and explained the main roles and responsibilities of the EEB. Here are some key facts and insights:
- The CT EEB’s main role – as set by statute – is to advise and assist the utilities in developing and implementing the state’s energy efficiency plans and programs. The Board’s set of diverse stakeholders has been performing that role successfully since 1999 and is now in the process of finalizing the next three-year energy efficiency plan, known as the 2016-2018 Conservation & Load Management Plan (C&LM Plan).
- The CT EEB’s statutorily-required review and approval of the C&LM Plan is an important formal step in the process of ensuring that the Plan offers strong and verifiable efficiency benefits to customers before it moves on to final review and approval by the CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection.
- A permanent stakeholder body like the CT EEB helps with energy efficiency planning in several valuable ways: (1) it gives energy efficiency programs a broad base of support and input from expert stakeholders; (2) it leads to more efficient and productive energy efficiency decision making; (3) it reinforces high standards for energy efficiency program design and implementation; and (4) it helps to ward off raids on energy efficiency funding and give programs much needed stability and continuity.
- Most importantly, stakeholder bodies can help drive strong results for energy efficiency customers. For example, for the past eight years the three New England states with stakeholder councils – Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island – have all placed in the top ten of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE) State Energy Efficiency Scorecard.
In the end, the significant and proven value produced by stakeholder bodies like the EEB underscores the need to formally involve stakeholders in the major energy resource decisions we face in coming years as the energy system rapidly evolves and modernizes. For more on how stakeholder bodies can protect and help the modern energy consumer, see Acadia Center’s recent UtilityVision report.
Bill Dornbos is the Director of the Connecticut Office and Senior Attorney for Acadia Center. Bill focuses on advancing policy and regulatory solutions that seek to transform the energy system and move Connecticut towards a climate-safe, sustainable future. Recent work includes advocating for expanded investment in cost-effective energy efficiency for all fuels and analyzing greenhouse gas emissions trends in the Northeast.
Acadia Center Submits Comments to Connecticut DEEP about Weatherization
Weatherization of our residential housing stock will be critical to achieving an affordable clean energy future in Connecticut.
Four years ago the Connecticut General Assembly made a smart move when they required the state’s Conservation and Load Management Plans (“C&LM Plan”) to take steps to weatherize eighty percent of the state’s residential units by 2030. The statute, however, did not include a definition of weatherization, so the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) along with stakeholders developed a draft definition in the fall of 2012.
The definition endorsed three possible approaches for defining a building as weatherized: a prescriptive approach (looking for the presence of certain building elements on a checklist), a performance approach (comparing the home’s energy performance against an equivalent modeled home), and a rating approach (using the U.S. Department of Energy’s Home Energy Score). Nothing was ever finalized, however, and two and a half years later DEEP has just recently issued a revised draft of the definition.
The latest definition is much weaker than the first and if approved would not help the state track the condition of its existing housing stock for weatherization purposes. For instance, the definition selects a Home Energy Score value that may allow as much as 60% of existing homes to qualify as weatherized. Worse, homes without wall or ceiling insulation could be considered as weatherized, even though those two building elements are typically viewed as key to any weatherization treatment.
Today Acadia Center issued comments on the definition, recommending that DEEP strengthen it and allow the state to take advantage of all of the economic and environmental benefits that can be achieved through weatherization. Acadia Center’s comments focus on five key points:
- DEEP should establish a weatherization standard so that regulators, policymakers, the General Assembly, stakeholders, and the public can track and measure our progress over time towards the 80% weatherization policy goal, but it should be stronger than what they have proposed.
- DEEP should use a modeling approach as the standard – like the Department of Energy’s Home Energy Score – rather than having multiple options that can lead to conflicting results and confusion.
- If DEEP uses the Home Energy Score, the appropriate score needs to be determined with respect to the existing Connecticut residential building stock.
- If DEEP uses the Home Energy Score, adjustments or accommodations for larger homes should not be made, since the score is based on something close to a typical or average home, any reduction in score for large homes should be balanced by a corresponding increase in scores for smaller homes.
- DEEP’s weatherization standard should be used for policy tracking purposes only, in other words, to measure progress towards the 80% weatherization goal, but not to enforce compliance on homeowners.
Weatherization can provide many important benefits to the state’s residents and economy – reduced energy costs, increased energy independence, and less carbon pollution – but only if it’s done effectively, and with these recommendations Acadia Center hopes to ensure that it is.
Acadia Center’s comments to DEEP are available here.
Bill Dornbos is the Director of the Connecticut Office and Senior Attorney for Acadia Center. Bill focuses on advancing policy and regulatory solutions that seek to transform the energy system and move Connecticut towards a climate-safe, sustainable future. Recent work includes advocating for expanded investment in cost-effective energy efficiency for all fuels and analyzing greenhouse gas emissions trends in the Northeast.