Overview of Energy Efficiency Programs
Benefits Provided by State Energy Efficiency Programs 2012-2023
Each state in the Northeast operates and administers state energy efficiency programs that leverage surcharges on customer electricity and natural gas bills, combined with other funding sources, to deliver energy efficiency and electrification improvements to customers, from households and businesses to municipalities. While these programs have been operating for different lengths of time depending on the state, most programs in the Northeast commenced operation in the late 1990s or early 2000s. Based on data made available by each of the state-level programs, the below infographics succinctly summarize the benefits energy efficiency programs have delivered over the 2012-2023 time period, both at an individual state level and more broadly at an aggregated regional level.
As the first infographic below highlights, collectively since 2012, these programs have delivered over $55 billion in total lifetime benefits to households and businesses across the region, providing over $3.40 in benefits per every $1.00 invested in the programs. Simultaneously, the programs play an instrumental role in creating and sustaining over 160,000 energy efficiency industry jobs in the region and have reduced lifetime CO2 emissions at levels equivalent to removing nearly 33 million gasoline-powered cars from the road for one year. Additionally, the programs have generated significant health benefits associated with a reduction in fossil fuel combustion, improved occupancy comfort, and reduced stress on and improved reliability of the regional electric grid.
See New England below or jump to these states:
Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire
New England
The regional infographic above and state infographics below not only highlight the progress made to date but also serve to highlight the critical role that energy efficiency and electrification programs will need to play in the coming decades to achieve the climate goals of the region while simultaneously delivering cost savings to consumers and improving overall quality of life in the region. Acadia Center is proud to have been a key advocate and catalyst over the past decade for the policies that have boosted energy efficiency. Acadia Center firmly believes that the progress described below, while substantial, represents only a fraction of the full technical and economic potential for energy efficiency in the region, especially when considering its potential as a competitive resource to provide services to and reduce costs for the region’s electricity grid.
The data presented in the infographics is based on data provided by individual state energy efficiency programs. The specific methodologies used to calculate lifetime energy savings, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions avoided, program costs, and program benefits vary across states and can sometimes make cross-state comparisons challenging at times. Acadia Center presents the data based on what was provided by state agencies with no modifications or edits to state-specific methodologies.
New England Data & Methodology Notes: Historic data from various state-level reports and websites was collected, compiled, and aggregated at the regional level by Acadia Center. Please see notes below individual state infographics for details on state-level data sources used. The infographic also leverages data from several other sources, including:
– Average Natural Gas Consumption Per Home: U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA’s) Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) 2020 data. Total count of homes in infographic above represents the sum of individual state totals as presented in infographics below.
– Mystic Generating Station Annual Generation: EIA’s Form EIA-923 2019-2022 data on average annual generation. Assumes 1,719 GWh of average annual generation.
– Average Passenger Vehicle Emissions: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) “Tailpipe Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle” data. Assumes 4.6 metric tons of CO2 per year per typical passenger vehicle.
– Energy Efficiency Industry Jobs: U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy Employment By State 2024 report.
Connecticut
Connecticut Data & Methodology Notes: Historic data from the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Dashboard and Connecticut Energy Efficiency Board Annual Legislative Reports was collected and compiled by Acadia Center. The infographic also leverages data from several other sources, including:
– Average Natural Gas Consumption Per Home: Energy Information Administration’s (EIA’s) Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) 2020 data. Assumes for homes that use natural gas in Connecticut, average household annual gas consumption is 56.2 MMBtu.
– Millstone Power Stations Annual Generation: EIA’s Form EIA-923 2022 data on annual generation. Assumes 16,464 GWh of generation in 2022.
– Average Passenger Vehicle Emissions: Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) “Tailpipe Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle” data. Assumes 4.6 metric tons of CO2 per year per typical passenger vehicle.
– Energy Efficiency Industry Jobs: Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy Employment By State 2024 report.
Maine
Maine Data & Methodology Notes: Historic data from the Efficiency Maine Annual Reports was collected and compiled by Acadia Center. The infographic leverages data from several other sources, including:
– Average Natural Gas Consumption Per Home: Energy Information Administration’s (EIA’s) Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) 2020 data. Assumes for homes that use natural gas in Maine, average household annual gas consumption is 50.8 MMBtu.
– Westbrook Energy Center Annual Generation: EIA’s Form EIA-923 2022 data on annual generation. Assumes 2,462 GWh of generation in 2022.
– Average Passenger Vehicle Emissions: Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) “Tailpipe Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle” data. Assumes 4.6 metric tons of CO2 per year per typical passenger vehicle.
– Energy Efficiency Industry Jobs: Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy Employment By State 2024 report.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Data & Methodology Notes: Historic data from the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Database (“Mass Save Data”) was collected and compiled by Acadia Center. This included data from both the “Performance Details” site and “GHG” site found on Mass Save Data. The infographic leverages data from several other sources, including:
– Average Natural Gas Consumption Per Home: Energy Information Administration’s (EIA’s) Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) 2020 data. Assumes for homes that use natural gas in Massachusetts, average household annual gas consumption is 60.7 MMBtu.
– Mystic Generating Station Annual Generation: EIA’s Form EIA-923 2019-2022 data on average annual generation. Assumes 1,719 GWh of average annual generation.
– Average Passenger Vehicle Emissions: Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) “Tailpipe Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle” data. Assumes 4.6 metric tons of CO2 per year per typical passenger vehicle.
– Energy Efficiency Industry Jobs: Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy Employment By State 2024 report
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Data & Methodology Notes: Historic data from various sources, depending on year, was collected and compiled by Acadia Center. Data for 2012-2017 is from New Hampshire Statewide Energy Efficiency Plans (2017 example), 2018-2020 data is from NHSaves: Program Highlights 2018-2020, and 2021-2023 data is from NHSaves Impact Reports (2022 example). Prior to 2020, data on total lifetime benefits ($) was not provided by the program. To estimate total lifetime benefits associated with measures installed prior to 2020, Acadia Center calculated a total benefits ($) per lifetime combined electric and fuels savings (MMBtu) ratio of $21.1 and applied this ratio to measures installed prior to 2020.
– Average Natural Gas Consumption Per Home: Energy Information Administration’s (EIA’s) Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) 2020 data. Assumes for homes that use natural gas in New Hampshire, average household annual gas consumption is 56.0 MMBtu.
– Merrimack Station Annual Generation: EIA’s Form EIA-923 2022 data on annual generation. 308.8 GWh of generation in 2022.
– Average Passenger Vehicle Emissions: Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) “Tailpipe Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle” data. Assumes 4.6 metric tons of CO2 per year per typical passenger vehicle.
– Energy Efficiency Industry Jobs: Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy Employment By State 2024 report.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Data & Methodology Notes: Historic data from the Rhode Island Energy Efficiency Year-End Reports (2023 Example) was collected and compiled by Acadia Center. The infographic leverages data from several other sources, including:
– Average Natural Gas Consumption Per Home: Energy Information Administration’s (EIA’s) Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) 2020 data. Assumes for homes that use natural gas in Rhode Island, average household annual gas consumption is 77.0 MMBtu.
– Manchester Street Generating Station Annual Generation: EIA’s Form EIA-923 2022 data on annual generation. Assumes 991.1 GWh of generation in 2022.
– Average Passenger Vehicle Emissions:S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) “Tailpipe Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle” data. Assumes 4.6 metric tons of CO2 per year per typical passenger vehicle.
– Energy Efficiency Industry Jobs: Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy Employment By State 2024 report.
Vermont
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