by Brianna Crandall — March 25, 2011—Investments in energy efficiency in Texas can meet the state’s growing electricity needs while saving businesses and households $14 billion on utility bills and creating 47,000 local jobs per year by 2030, according to a study released May 22 by the nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).
The study, Energy Efficiency Investments as an Economic Productivity Strategy for Texas, was commissioned by the Texas Clean Energy Coalition (TCEC) and integrates insights and data provided by Texas experts.
“Energy efficiency is easily the most affordable energy resource in Texas,” said John A. “Skip” Laitner, Director of Economic and Social Analysis for ACEEE and author of the new assessment. “While a 20 percent to 30 percent efficiency gain over the next two decades may seem challenging, Texas is already finding energy efficiency resources at less than 4 cents per kilowatt-hour, compared to the expected cost of power from new generating plants of 6 to 10 cents. The really good news for Texas is that the cost-effective efficiency investments will also drive new employment opportunities.”
The study examines six alternative energy efficiency scenarios that cost-effectively reduce electricity demand. The assessment suggests that an expanded set of productivity investments across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors would not only reduce the growth in electricity demand, they would actually reduce overall electricity consumption 12 percent to 19 percent below 2010 levels by 2030.
The combination of supply-side efficiency improvements, such as those made possible by combined heat and power technologies, and the expanded efficiency improvements in homes and businesses, would save ratepayers a net $12 to $14 billion over the next two decades, claims ACEEE.
