Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas A new report ranks Texas in the middle of the pack in terms of state energy efficiency leadership. However moving forward the report states Texas is well positioned to lead the charge - with innovative programs and products coming to the market. Earlier this month the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released a comprehensive state energy efficiency policy Scorecard.
The ACEEE scorecard was issued to document best practices recognize leadership among the states and provide a roadmap for other states to follow.
Scorecard points of note:
- State budgets for energy efficiency in 2009 are almost double the level of spending in 2007 increasing from $2.5 billion to $4.3 billion.
- Electricity savings from energy efficiency programs across all states increased 8 between 2007 and 2008 (the most recent available data).
Without continual growth and progress such words as improvement achievement and success have no meaning." Benjamin Franklin
While Texas ranking needs improvement - because of our states size and energy presence - Texas is well positioned to continue be a leader in energy efficiency and energy innovation moving forward. And a recent report showed that education campaigns (such as TexasIsHot) to promote behavioral changes like lowering the thermostat in winter - could save more than 120 million metric tons of carbon emissions a
year.
Thats 7.4 of total U.S. emissionsand more than the total emissions of France.
Just a few recent examples of Texas energy efficiency leadership:
- Four Texas cities ranked among 50 major metropolitan markets for plug-in electric vehicle readiness - including Austin Houston Dallas and San Antonio - with Austin and Houston ranking among the top of the list.
- Four Texas cities (out of 22 across the country) were named 2010 Smarter Cities for their investment in green power energy efficiency measures and conservation by the Natural Resources Defense Councils online resource center Austin Dallas El Paso and Denton.
- Oncor will replace more than 3 million existing meters in its service area with new smart meters by 2012. The company currently installs 3500 new meters each day. The Dallas area has already seen a reported 10 percent reduction in overall energy consumption since the installation began in 2008.
- CenterPoint Energy and Ford Motor Company recently announced a collaboration to help prepare the Houston area for the operation of electric vehicles - long term CenterPoint hopes to leverage and showcase the companys smart meter and intelligent grid deployment coupled with Fords smart charging
solutions. - Austin Energy recently unveiled a new green home incentive plan called Best Offer Ever" which will pay an estimated 42 percent of the cost to make whole-house energy efficiency improvements up from the regular 20 percent rebate.
