Utility Efficiency Investments Continue at Record Levels
CEE Releases Eleventh Industry Report
BOSTON, March 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Consortium for Energy Efficiency today released its eleventh Annual Industry Report, indicating sustained record levels of efficiency and demand response investment for social benefit. The Report covers ratepayer-funded energy efficiency and demand response programs managed by electricity and gas utilities in the US and Canada.
CEE Executive Director Ed Wisniewski offers his thoughts: "Despite increasing cost cutting pressures on utilities and their tremendous record of accomplishment, the results indicate widespread recognition of remaining savings potential. This level of investment is a testament to the strength of utility and state government leadership."
Total expenditures from all funding sources on DSM programs in 2015 rose one percent over 2014, rising over $8.7 billion. Comparison of the subset of respondents to both 2013 and 2014 shows expenditures increased seven percent. Highlights include:
- Ratepayers contributed $8.2 billion of the $8.7 billion total. Other sources of funding included wholesale capacity market revenues, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and the Weatherization Assistance Program.
- Electric efficiency programs in the United States and Canada spent $7.3 billion, and natural gas program expenditures were nearly $1.4 billion.
- Estimated gross savings were 29,590 GWh and 496 million gas therms.
- US and Canadian program administrators spent nearly $958 million from all sources—almost $943 million of which came from ratepayers—on demand response programs
Consortium members verify facts about demand side management through projects such as the CEE Annual Industry Report. With a twenty-six year history of working together on binational initiatives, explorations, and positions, members know which projects require the efforts of all, including measuring the size and impact of energy efficiency and demand response programs.
The power of the CEE Annual Industry Report is in providing an annual trend analysis of energy efficiency and demand response budgets, expenditures, and savings. Compiling program data into an aggregate report of funding and savings offers value to members, regulators, and other organizations. Data is collected by CEE with the collaboration of the American Gas Association, making the Report the most extensive research on energy efficiency program funding and impacts. This reputation leads CEE members, federal agencies, industry organizations, evaluators, and others to rely on CEE data for a reliable perspective on energy efficiency trends. The Report, detailed data, and summary graphics are available at cee1.org.
SOURCE Consortium for Energy Efficiency
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