Energy efficiency investment remains at record levels, according to report
Investments in energy efficiency and demand response remain at a record high level, the Consortium for Energy Efficiency’s (CEE) eleventh Annual Industry Report found.
“Despite ever-increasing cost cutting pressures on utilities and their tremendous record of accomplishment, the results indicate widespread recognition of remaining savings potential,” CEE Executive Director
Ed Wisniewski said. “The level of investment is a testament to the strength of utility and state government leadership.”
Spending on gas and electric demand-side management (DSM) programs in 2015 increased by one percent over 2014 levels, rising slightly over $8.7 billion.
The report found that ratepayers contributed $8.2 billion of the $8.7 billion investment. Other funding came from wholesale capacity market revenues, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and the Weatherization Assistance Program.
Also according to the report, electric efficiency programs expenditures in the United States and Canada reached $7.3 billion, while natural gas program spent nearly $1.4 billion. Almost $958 million was spent on demand response programs in 2015.
The programs saved an estimated 29,590 gigawatt hours and 496 million gas therms. Gas and electric demand-side management programs avoided 23.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Eighty percent of expenditures, nearly $7 billion from all sources, and 79 percent of expenditures from ratepayer funds were directed from ratepayer funds.