Written by Kevin Cullather on 16 May 2012
In October 2011, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy released the fifth edition of its annual State Energy Efficiency Scorecard. While the states ranked near the top of the scorecard are often praised for their rankings, other states are often left asking why are they near the bottom of the scorecard and what can they do to improve their performance, and thereby move up the rankings in future years.
In the Midwest, four states were ranked among ACEEE’s “Bottom 10:” South Dakota (42) Kansas (43), Missouri (44). And North Dakota (51).
To help answer these questions, ACEEE released, today, a report entitled Opportunity Knocks: Examining Low-Ranking States in Energy Efficiency. In developing this report, ACEEE conducted numerous interviews with policymakers, utilities, and stakeholders in the “bottom 10” states on their scorecard. The result is a report that identifies why these states have not more fully embraced energy efficiency while also identifying strategies that they could adopt, including approaches and policies in the utility sector, the public sector, buildings, and industry.
Tags: ACEEE, Bottom 10
Posted in General EE News | No Comments »
Written by Michael Hairston on 08 May 2012
Building and energy codes have become more and more stringent as we begin to realize the savings potential and the need for greater healthy and safety of occupants of these dwellings. Slowly but surely, states and jurisdictions are beginning to adopt some form of the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), the latest version of the most widely adopted energy code in the US. Although some states choose to modify the code to suit their specific needs, the basic essence of energy savings in generally preserved and will potentially save the homeowners money which can be saved and used elsewhere thus helping stimulate the economy.
A recent post on The Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) blog “Nice House, But Is It Legal” points out the fact that some of the houses that are being designed and built today to “code”, the lowest standards a building can be built to, will not be legal to build in a few years. James Brew, the author of the blog, points out that residential energy codes had not changed much before the 2006 IECC was published. Now, the code has finally begun to play catch up and energy codes are moving forward at a rapid pace and will have possibly improved by as much as 50% by the publication of the 2015 IECC.
One of the major issues highlighted in the blog is the issue of increased cost with the increased stringency of the code. Mention a code update or change in stringency and undoubtedly you have drawn a line in the sand with many strong supporters on both sides. Advocates will argue that any cost associated with updating the code will be small and that the money saved by the homeowners through energy efficiency will soon pay back any initial upfront costs. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Building Codes, IECC
Posted in Codes and Policy | No Comments »
Written by Jessica Collingsworth on 01 May 2012
The MEEA Policy Webinar, National Study on the Energy Savings of Appliance Standards was held on Thursday March 29, 2012. The webinar outlined the recently released report, The Efficiency Boom: Cashing In on the Savings from Appliance Standards by the Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP) and the American Council on an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), which included the key findings from the report, including highlighting the enormous savings that have already been achieved from existing standards and the potential for additional savings from new and updated standards. The report reviewed 34 products, and the webinar focused on three areas: products appropriate for state standards; products where state support is requested at the federal level; and products currently covered by utility programs.
A regional look was given on the current and potential cost effective savings from appliance standards, as well as an in-depth look at specific natural gas-fired products that are relevant to the Midwest including: clothes washers, boilers, furnaces, and unit heaters. The webinar concluded with a discussion that focused on gas programs and analysis of the potential impact of standards on the cost effectiveness of utility programs.
Webinar presentations and the Q&A portion can be found here. If you have any questions please contact Jessica Collingsworth at jcollingsworth@mwalliance.org, or (312)784-7247.
Posted in 2012, April, Codes and Policy | Comments Off
Written by Drew Navolio on 30 April 2012
MEEA has released a new report on Building Energy Codes and Claimed Utility Savings as rate-payer efficiency programs and support for increased building energy codes activity has exploded in the Midwest in recent years. Since 2007, four new states have adopted new energy efficiency portfolio standards (a total of 7 states have rate-payer energy efficiency programs) while seven states have adopted the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for residential dwellings, ASHRAE 90.1-2007 for commercial buildings or both.
Increasing efficiency program targets in the region with escalating savings requirements will require utilities to pursue non-traditional means of generating efficiency savings such as implementing deeper whole-home programs or training building operators to claim the savings from better building performance. Read a complete version of the report. MEEA also provides links to the commercial and residential codes for each state on our website. For more questions about the report or to get more involved with our codes work, please contact Isaac Elnecave.
Tags: Claimed Savings, Energy Codes, utility energy codes
Posted in 2012, April, Codes and Policy | Comments Off
Written by Drew Navolio on 18 April 2012
ENERGY STAR’s 2012 campaign is kicking off today and culminating on October 10—ENERGY STAR Day. EPA will celebrate and highlight the individuals and organizations who have contributed to reducing climate change through energy efficiency throughout the campaign.
Lots of organizations like ours are participating in the ENERGY STAR Blogathon today and here’s a cool way for all of you to get involved too: Take the ENERGY STAR Pledge! Our customers/members do all kinds of great energy efficiency projects at home and the Pledge is a great way to show your dedication to fighting climate change, not to mention receive rewards. Take the Pledge here! www.energystar.gov/changetheworld
Tags: Energy Star
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Written by Drew Navolio on 03 April 2012
The following is an original post by Drew Kerr, and was originally posted on the Midwest Energy News website. Drew Kerr is a Minneapolis-based freelance reporter. He can be reached at drewbkerr@gmail.com.
Homeowners have been buttoning up their windows and doors. Businesses are installing LED lights. But what role should manufacturers play in the effort to conserve energy?
That’s the question industry officials, utility companies and policy makers are asking as the manufacturing-intensive Midwest seeks to regain a competitive edge in the global market and build a stable economy for the long term.
While energy prices in the Midwest are below the national average, researchers and energy efficiency advocates say efforts to promote conservation will play a key role in rejuvenating the region’s manufacturers and insulating them from future hikes in the cost of energy.
The question now: What’s being done to make it happen, and what are the challenges that have to be overcome in order to make progress?
Researchers and industry leaders say energy efficiency efforts have been slow to materialize for a host of reasons, both logistical and financial, that don’t exist in the residential or commercial arenas.
Costly equipment, workforce training and the inability for a single policy to address each company’s needs are among the unique challenges that have to be addressed.
Despite the obstacles, there is a belief that the issue is moving to the forefront as utilities look to meet new efficiency targets that will be difficult to reach without addressing their biggest energy users.
Companies are also facing new environmental regulations that could force them to replace aging equipment with new high-efficiency models, and are increasingly looking for ways to cut operational expenses.
A new report from the World Resources Institute, a Washington D.C.-based non-profit, is also providing policy makers for the first time with a state-by-state look at the way industrial actors use energy in the Midwest, which authors say they hope will provoke action on the issue.
While the industrial sector collectively uses a third of all energy in the United States, WRI’s report, released in February, provides a first-of-its-kind estimate of how much energy is being dedicated to the production of fuel, chemicals, metals, paper and other products across the Midwest. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Industrial Efficiency
Posted in Illinois, Industrial EE, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin | Comments Off
Written by Jessica Collingsworth on 02 April 2012
Foresight Sustainable Business Alliance, in partnership with MEEA and other members of the Sustainable Impact Chicago- Business Group, present Green Drinks Business Edition “The State of Sustainable Business in Chicago”.
With a down economy, rising energy costs, major governmental reorganization, and quickly evolving consumer attitudes, the future of Chicago’s sustainability-oriented business community appear to hang in the balance. At this event, attendees will hear from leaders of organizations dedicated to creating a more vibrant and sustainable economy, as well as have the opportunity to share their perspectives, and network with a diverse gathering of sustainable business representatives.
Don’t miss this opportunity to help chart the course for sustainable business in Chicago, connect with peers from across the green business spectrum, and enjoy über sandwiches and organic desserts from Hannah’s Bretzel and responsibly crafted drinks from The Naked Grape and New Belgium Brewing.
Presenters Include: Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Chicago, Green Drinks
Posted in General EE News, Illinois | Comments Off
Written by Drew Navolio on 29 March 2012
*The following post is a contribution from Midwest Account Manager working in support of EPA’s ENERGY STAR Program Nora Buehler, with ICF International.
Twenty years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created a unique partnership to overcome market barriers to energy efficiency and create a healthier climate for all Americans. Today, ENERGY STAR celebrates two decades of partnership, promise, and progress. The 20th anniversary of the EPA’s ENERGY STAR program honors remarkable partnerships between American businesses and the federal government that is transforming how America uses energy.
ENERGY STAR has helped Americans make informed decisions about cost-effective ways to save energy in every facet of life—at home, at work, and in our communities. Together, Americans, with help from ENERGY STAR, have saved nearly $230 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 1.7 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Today, more than 80 percent of Americans recognize the ENERGY STAR label. Organizations from small school districts to large Fortune 500 companies have embraced its value and made it their own. The interplay of government, business, and market forces brought together through ENERGY STAR literally has changed history and proven partnership works.
Nearly 20,000 partnerships drive the ENERGY STAR program’s successes—from manufacturers and trade associations, to retailers and efficiency program providers, to homebuilders and small businesses.
Each year EPA honors partners who have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through energy efficiency at the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Awards. This year, several partners in the Midwest were honored in the Sustained Excellence, Partner of the Year, and Excellence categories.
Sustained Excellence Winners include:
3M Company (St. Paul , MN), Andersen Corporation (Bayport, MN), ArcelorMittal (Chicago, IL), Focus on Energy (Middleton, WI), Hobart Corporation, Division of ITW Food Equipment Group, LLC (Troy, OH), Jones Lang LaSalle (Chicago, IL), Kohls Department Stores, Inc. (Menomonee Falls, WI), Whirlpool Corporation (Benton Harbor, MI), and
Xcel Energy (Minneapolis, MN)
Partner of the Year Winners include:
AEP Ohio (Gahanna, OH), Boeing (Chicago, IL), Brown Printing Company (Waseca, MN), Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland, OH), Columbia Gas of Ohio (Columbus, OH), Commonwealth Edison (Chicago, IL), Consumers Energy (Jackson, MI), Des Moines Public School District (Des Moines, IA), Fanning/Howey Associates, Inc. (Celina, OH), General Motors Company (Detroit, MI), ProVia (Sugarcreek, OH), Scotsman Ice Systems (Vernon Hills, IL), and The E Group, a Division of FirstEnergy Solutions Corp. (Akron, OH).
Excellence Winners include:
Good Earth Lighting, Inc. (Wheeling, IL)
For a full list of award winners visit energystar.gov/awards.
You can learn more about the power, promise, and progress of the ENERGY STAR partnership at energystar.gov/20th. EPA invites partners to join in the celebration by using a specially-developed ENERGY STAR 20th anniversary promotional mark. Partners can download marks and find logo use guidance through their My ENERGY STAR Account.
Tags: Energy Star
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Written by Drew Navolio on 21 March 2012
Recently MEEA, along with a coalition of energy efficiency advocacy groups, signed on to two letters to Congress.
The first letter is addressed to the Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-New Jersey), and the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-Indiana), urging the support for critical energy efficiency programs in the Fiscal Year 2013 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill.
The second letter, addressing the Smart Energy Act of 2012 (H.R. 4017), was sent to the attention of House Energy and Commerce Committee members Reps. Charles Bass (R-New Hampshire) and Jim Matheson (D-Utah). Representatives Bass and Matheson are the co-authors of the legislation, which was introduced to the Committee in February and is currently working its way through the House.
Full copies of each letter, which include the list of co-signing organizations, can be found below.
MEEA_2012_Frelinghuysen-Visclosky_House- EW-Sub-FY-2013-Budget_3-20-12
MEEA_2012_Bass-Matheson_EE-Coalition-Final-Support-Letter_3-15-12
Tags: Letters to Congress, Smart Energy Act 2012
Posted in Codes and Policy, General EE News | Comments Off
Written by Jacob Hannan on 20 March 2012
MEEA is pleased to announce the launch of the Midwest LEDers (pronounced “leaders”) Network. This invitation-only network will exclusively serve efficient lighting program sponsors and will provide a forum for peer-to-peer discussions of program successes and missteps.
MEEA staff will also participate in the conversation in order to highlight important Department of Energy resources and to communicate program sponsors’ questions and concerns back to DOE. The network will begin as a low-volume email mailing list and will then grow to include, as merited by interest, conference calls, webinars, and in-person meetings.
For more information about joining the network, please contact Jacob Hannan at jhannan@mwalliance.org or (312) 673-2487.
Tags: SSL
Posted in 2012, LED & Solid-State Lighting, March, MEEA Minute - Monthly Newsletter | Comments Off
