Energy efficiency benefits touted

DES MOINES – More energy efficiency incentives could cut consumer energy costs, create “green” jobs and reduce pollution, advocates of enhanced federal measures said Thursday.

Eric Nost of Environment Iowa was joined by two energy business representatives at a news conference to push for congressional approval of efforts to strengthen energy efficiency resource standard requiring utility companies to reduce their energy use by at least 10 percent by 2020 and other policy changes.

Nost said the improved efficiency standard is a “common-sense” solution that could be achieved by providing incentives and assistance to help customers make their homes and businesses more energy efficient.

“Americans know that energy efficiency is the cleanest, quickest, cheapest way of reducing our energy use and pollution,” he said.

Mark Douglas of the Iowa Utility Association, which represents investor-owned utilities in Iowa, said Iowa currently is a leader in implementing energy-efficiency programs, having just completed a five-year effort that spent almost $450 million and yielded savings of eight-tenths of 1 percent annually.

The Iowa utilities' new five-year energy efficiency program approved by the Iowa Utilities Board envisions more than $800 million for rebates for customers who buy new furnaces, appliances, insulation and make other efficiency improvements such as low-income home weatherization, Douglas said.

The money is derived from the share of customer utility rates dedicated to energy-efficiency programs. To move to a level of reducing energy use by 1.5 percent annually, the cost is estimated at about $1.2 billion – with the goal achievable for energy usage but probably not the natural gas side, he added.

“All of this carries a price tag,” Douglas said. “There's a cost to all of this and what is reasonable and what can customers afford.”

Nost cited results of a study released by Environment Iowa and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, indicating that Iowa households could save $282 per year and that 6,200 jobs could be created over the next 10 years if Congress enacts stronger energy efficiency standards.

In addition, he said, the improvements would reduce carbon dioxide emissions that would be the equivalent of taking about 1 million cars off Iowa roads for a year.

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rod.boshart@gazcomm.com