2020 ACEEE Scorecard: What's New For Energy Efficiency?
In December 2020, American Council For An Energy-Efficient Economy published its annual 2020 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard. The report focuses on the performance of 50 US States and DC regarding energy efficiency by tracking various policies and programs adopted in each state, including efforts to save energy and the standards applicable to vehicles and appliances. This scorecard is essential to predicting trends in the electrical field that will occupy the industry for years to come. Among other things, it introduces policies for energy efficiency improvement. Let us guide you through the key electrical highlights of this most sophisticated analysis of the energy efficiency trends in the United States.
California Leads The Change
In 2020, California was awarded the highest energy efficiency score among the states. The reason? The state has been most effective in tackling climate change with its energy efficiency efforts on multiple fronts, including zero-energy building codes and the leading standards for vehicles and appliances. Other states commonly see California as an example and use its policies and standards as a roadmap to create their own. Other states in the Top 10 are Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, Maryland, Connecticut, the DC, Minnesota, and Oregon, in that particular order.
Top State Policies To Watch
The states in the top 10 have introduced innovative policies and initiatives that will lead to similar initiatives all across the country. Some of the exciting innovations to watch are:
- California's investment in heat pump water heaters and the encouragement of builders who adopt builders for smart HPWHs
- Massachusetts' efforts to switch oil and propane furnaces to electric heat pumps in private households
- Rhode Island's initiative to make home energy data more transparent.
Nationwide Positive Highlights of 2020
Savings from electrical energy and the passage of a new International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) have been the two major nationwide victories.
In general, savings from the electric efficiency programs in 2020 totaled 26.9 million megawatt-hours, which is the same as 0.70% electricity sales in the United States in 2019. Though the number does not seem high, it is actually enough to power 2.6 million American homes for a year.
As for the building industry, the last quarter of 2020 saw a 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) release, which is estimated to bring a 10% improvement in building energy efficiency. This is a major win for many stakeholders, including city administrations and ecological organizations.
Strategies For Improving Energy Efficiency
Among else, the report highlights the strategies for states to improve by using available policy tools and program designs. These recommendations deal with adopting electrical efficiency standards and emissions standards, ensuring investments and government opportunities, and revising financial strategies and policies related to energy efficiency. Two of these strategies are directly related to the electrical field:
- The focus on updated, energy-efficient building energy codes, improving compliance, and involving program administrators in policy support.
The scorecard highlights that the building sector remains one of the top energy consumers, responsible for approximately 40 percent of the country's energy use. Therefore, updating the policies within the industry is the key priority for energy efficiency efforts. The suggestions include updating performance standards, improving transparency and benchmarking policies, and financing energy conservation in the existing buildings, as well as encouraging new building projects with minimum energy use. Moreover, the building should receive energy rankings to help customers make informed decisions when buying the property and to stimulate competition between builders regarding electrical efficiency.
- The focus on upholding cost-effective efficiency standards for appliances, equipment, lighting, and plumbing products.
Appliance energy standards are essential because they help to overcome market barriers for energy-efficient products. The scorecard suggests that The Appliance Standards Awareness Project with updated standards for 47 types of appliances is a key framework to watch to help the population greatly reduce the electricity bills. States that already made progress in this include California, Colorado, and Washington.
The federal government plays a crucial role in upholding their appliance, equipment, lighting, and plumbing standards. Unfortunately, some of the appliance bills are still under consideration as they were postponed due to Covid-19 considerations gaining prevalence. The government has also rolled back on some nationwide lightbulb standards, causing states to protect these standards through their local regulations. Ten states, including Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Vermont based their standards on the reports from different organizations, including the ACEEE itself. Moreover, Vermont, Colorado, and Washington protected their state legislations from federal rollbacks on appliance and lightbulb standards.
At Nassau National Cable, we hope that the highlights of the 2020 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard have been a major food for thought for you when it comes to grasping national electrical trends and planning your business. We will keep an eye on the latest energy trends for you.
