Massachusetts and California tied as the most energy-efficient states in the U.S., as reported in the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE) 2016 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard. Massachusetts has taken the title six years running, with California one step behind each year. This is the first time Massachusetts has shared its title with another state. Prior to 2010, California had led the nation in energy efficiency from 2007, the first publishing of the State Energy Efficiency Scorecard.
State Scoring
The ACEEE scores each state on six policy areas:
- Utility and public benefits programs and policies
- Transportation policies
- Building energy codes
- Combined heat and power (CHP) policies
- State government-led initiatives around energy efficiency
- Appliance and equipment standards
Energy-Efficient States in the Northeast
The majority of the most energy-efficient states are clustered in and around New England. With the exception of California, the next five most energy-efficient states are Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York. These states all exhibit high marks in all six policy areas.
Source: ACEEE
The Importance of Strong Energy Efficiency Policies
A main driver that supports all six policy areas is a strong partnership between utility providers and state governments. According to Weston Berg, research analyst and lead State Scorecard author at the ACEEE:
“Over the last 10 years, we have seen that many if not most innovative policies and programs that promote energy efficiency originate at the state level. As a cost-effective compliance option, efficiency is a valuable addition to any state’s policy toolkit, saving money, driving investment across all sectors of the economy, creating jobs, and reducing the environmental impact of energy use.”
Judith Judson, commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, elaborates on the power of strong energy efficiency policies:
“The Baker-Polito Administration is committed to supporting energy efficiency policies, which are consistently proven to be the most cost effective way to reduce ratepayer costs and lower emissions. By working with our utility partners, the Commonwealth’s ratepayers continue to realize billions of dollars in benefits from our nation-leading energy efficiency policies and programs.”
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