Connecticut Is Third Leading State

For Energy Efficiency

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Connecticut was voted the third leading energy-efficient state in the nation this week by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

California tops the list of US states employing energy efficiency as the “first fuel” to grow their economies while meeting electricity demand, combating global warming, and contributing to US energy security, according to the new report released October 6 by the ACEEE. The 2008 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard rated and ranked state-level action on model energy efficiency policies, programs, and practices.

“The top ranked states are demonstrating great leadership in promoting energy independence with cost-effective energy efficiency investments,” said Maggie Eldridge, research associate at ACEEE and lead author of the report. “By setting innovative policies and programs that help consumers save energy, states are using energy efficiency as the first line of defense against rising energy prices while increasing our nation’s energy security, fostering economic prosperity, and combating global warming.”

ACEEE’s state-by-state analysis found that first-place California was followed by Oregon, Connecticut, Vermont, New York, and Washington. Minnesota and Massachusetts tie for seventh place with Wisconsin and New Jersey rounding out the final two spots in the top ten.

“We applaud these leading states for embracing a wide range of the proven-effective and readily available efficiency strategies that will most quickly move our nation closer to energy independence to the benefit of our economy, environment, and national security,” said Ms Eldridge. “Our scorecard puts the spotlight on the leading and most improved states to encourage others to step up their efforts to make energy efficiency the routine way of doing business and part of our everyday lives.”

The 2008 report is ACEEE’s latest edition in a periodic analysis of state-by-state ranking on the adoption and implementation of energy efficiency policies, which aims to recognize leadership among the states and identify best practices. The report ranks states on a broad array of energy efficiency policy initiatives, including:

*Utility-sector and public benefits efficiency programs and policies

*Transportation and land use policies

*Building energy codes

*Combined heat and power (CHP)

*Appliance efficiency standards

*Energy efficiency in public buildings and fleets

*Research, development, and deployment (RD&D)

*Financial incentives for efficient technologies

“Faced with rapidly increasing energy costs and growing concerns about power reliability and global warming, more and more states are turning to energy efficiency as a reliable, cost-effective, and quick resource to deploy to meet electricity needs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save consumers’ money,” said Executive Director Steven Nadel, report co-author. “Our scorecard offers the states a blueprint for greening up both the environment and the economy, and it is becoming evident that more and more policymakers are realizing that it is not only the socially responsible thing to do, but it is also fiscally prudent.”