Say ‘Aloha’ to energy efficiency! The state of Hawaii has once again topped the Energy Services Coalition ranking for innovative approach to implementing energy and water efficiency retrofits in buildings in the United States. The state can serve as a case for the bipartisan energy efficiency legislation “The Energy Savings & Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2013” introduced in the United States, aimed at saving America billions in dollars  while creating domestic jobs and reducing carbon emissions. Read more

Hawaii takes Energy Service Coalition’s top award for energy efficiency

By Duane Shimogawa for Pacific Business News (6 September 2013):

Hawaii is tops in the nation when it comes to an innovative approach to implement energy and water efficiency retrofits in buildings using energy savings to pay for projects, according to the Energy Services Coalition, a national nonprofit made up of experts hoping to increase energy efficiency and building upgrades through energy savings performance contracting.

The state took the Energy Services Coalition’s Race to the Top award for the second straight year.

“Energy remains a priority of this administration, and Hawaii’s top national ranking affirms the significant progress we are making in the area of energy efficiency,” Gov. Neil Abercrombie said in a statement. “Our investments in energy savings performance contracting will not only reduce costs at state facilities, it is also expected to create several thousand jobs.”

Race to the Top ranks states by investment per capita in energy savings performance contracting. Hawaii leads with an investment of $132.25 per capita, with Ohio coming in second with $108.58 and Kansas in third with $97.77.

In August, the state Energy Office accepted the Race to the Top award at the annual Energy Services Coalition Conference in Denver, Colo.

At the event, the coalition recognized Hawaii for its outstanding commitment to energy efficiency, environmental stewardship, and economic development through energy savings performance contracting.

“Through performance contracting, we are saving $14.2 million and 60.9 million kilowatt hours per year,” State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism Director Richard Lim said in a statement. “Over 20 years, these energy savings will be equivalent to powering an estimated 171,623 households for one year.”

Duane Shimogawa covers energy, real estate and economic development for Pacific Business News.

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2013/09/06/hawaii-takes-energy-service.html

Slashing Energy Waste Could Create 174,000 American Jobs

by Beth Buczynski in Earth Techling (6 September 2013):

These days, politicians from opposing parties rarely agree on anything. At least in public. Until we’re all comfortable with admitting that fossil fuels are a dangerous, dying industry, and that we should have switched to renewables decades ago, the small victories must be celebrated.

Take the recently introduced bipartisan energy efficiency legislation known as The Energy Savings & Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2013 (S. 1392), for instance. Introduced by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Rob Portman (R-OH), the bill has the potential to save America billions while creating domestic jobs and reducing carbon emissions–all things this country sorely needs.

According to new analysis released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), S. 1392 would cut government and industrial energy waste and help homeowners finance energy efficiency improvements, among other energy-saving measures. ACEEE found that the proposals being considered could, in combination, save consumers and businesses over $65 billion on their energy bills by 2030. That translates into a lot of extra revenue, not to mention the ability to hire more Americans to meet increased demand.”

Highlights of the proposed legislation:

Strengthen national model building codes to make new homes and commercial buildings more energy efficient while working with states and private industry to make the code-writing process more transparent.

Train the next generation of workers in energy-efficient commercial building design and operation through university-based Building Training and Research Assessment Centers.

Require the federal government – the single largest energy user in the country — to adopt energy saving techniques for computers, saving energy and taxpayer dollars.

Help manufacturers reduce energy use and become more competitive by incentivizing the use of more energy efficient electric motors and transformers.

“Altogether, these provisions would support over 152,000 new jobs in 2025, increasing to 174,000 jobs by 2030,” states an ACEEE press release. “In addition to providing economic benefits, the provisions would prevent unnecessary electric generation and natural gas consumption. Energy savings from these provisions would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 676 million metric tons by 2030.”

So far, American businesses seem to be on board, but will Congress listen? “As users of one-third of our nation’s energy, manufacturers are directly affected by the cost of energy, and we believe policies should promote research, development, and deployment of energy-efficient technologies,” said Ross Eisenberg, vice-president of energy and resources policy at the National Association of Manufacturers.  ”Manufacturers support the Shaheen-Portman bill, a set of common sense, bipartisan energy efficiency measures that would create jobs by saving energy in industrial, commercial, and residential sectors.”

Source: www.earthtechling.com and www.aceee.org/white-paper/shaheen-portman-2013