Coalition of Texas Electricity Consumers Applauds National Action Plan For Energy Efficiency
AUSTIN, TX – Efficiency Texas, a broad coalition of electricity consumers
seeking to expand energy efficiency programs offered by Texas utilities,
today voiced its support for a plan sponsored by the U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that creates
a national commitment to energy efficiency. The DOE/EPA National Action Plan
for Energy Efficiency was unveiled this morning in San Francisco, CA.
“Efficiency Texas strongly supports the DOE/EPA Action Plan and applauds
those involved with its development,” said Mark R. Stover, director of
Efficiency Texas. “Although energy efficiency has never been more important
to Texas, its efficiency programs are stalled and cannot keep up with
consumer demand. Efficiency Texas hopes the Action Plan will help jumpstart
the effort in Texas to create an environment where energy efficiency
programs flourish and the many benefits of energy efficiency are fully
realized.”
The goal of the Action Plan for Energy Efficiency is “to create a
sustainable, aggressive national commitment to energy efficiency through gas
and electric utilities, utility regulators, and partner organizations.”
Improving energy efficiency, states the Action Plan, is “one of the most
constructive, cost-effective ways to address the challenges of high energy
prices, energy security and independence, air pollution and global climate
change.” The Action Plan presents policy recommendations and was developed
by 50 leading organizations who pledged to take specific actions to make the
Action Plan a reality.
The Action Plan offers five recommendations to overcome the barriers that
have limited a greater investment in energy efficiency in the Unites States.
They are:
Recognize energy efficiency as a high-priority energy resource; EPA/DOE EE
Action Plan, Page 2
Make a strong, long-term commitment to implement cost-effective energy
efficiency as a resource;
Broadly communicate the benefits of and opportunities for energy efficiency;
Promote sufficient, timely and stable program funding to deliver energy
efficiency where cost-effective; and
Modify policies to align utility incentives with the delivery of
cost-effective energy efficiency and modify ratemaking practices to promote
energy efficiency investments.
“The Action Plan explains why energy efficiency is so important and it
provides excellent recommendations for states to follow,” said Stover. “The
Action Plan is an important roadmap for policymakers and it will serve as a
foundation for the Coalition’s campaign for a more efficient Texas.”
The Texas Legislature in 1999 required each investor-owned electric utility
to offer cost-effective, market-based energy efficiency programs to meet at
least ten percent of the utility’s annual electric load growth. Customer
demand for the utilities’ efficiency programs is exceptional. In fact, the
majority of the efficiency programs in Texas are oversubscribed and most
funds are gone for the remainder of 2006, leaving large numbers of customers
unable to obtain efficiency assistance. That, in turn, results in lost cost
savings and environmental improvements.
Efficiency Texas, whose members include commercial building owners,
retailers, churches, environmental organizations, citizen groups and
individual businesses, wants cost-effective energy efficiency programs to be
available year-round and fully funded to ensure that consumer demand for
such programs is adequately met. To meet its goal, the Coalition supports
cost recovery and reasonable incentives for utilities that exceed the
efficiency mandate of the Texas Legislature.
“While the energy efficiency programs in Texas have been successful to date,
the energy efficiency goal is simply too modest,” said Stover. “It’s time
for Texas to dedicate far more resources to energy efficiency. What’s more,
there’s no shame providing incentives to make energy efficiency a priority
for utilities and not a legislatively-mandated afterthought. http://www.epa.gov/RDEE/documents/pressroom/Efficiency_Texas_Action_Plan_release_final.pdf
Energy Efficiency
