What's New
We’ve known for years that the cleanest and cheapest type of
energy in Ohio
is the energy that is never produced in the first place. That’s because cutting our energy use by
making our homes, buildings and products more energy-efficient means we’re
decreasing our demand on the state’s polluting coal-fired power plants. And that means less air pollution and global
warming emissions, and lower electricity bills for businesses and
consumers. Unfortunately though, Ohio has for years
lagged behind other states in energy efficiency efforts.
Environment
Ohio is
working to change that. Specifically,
the goal of Ohio’s
Energy Efficient Future campaign is to harness the potential of energy
efficiency measures, and cut energy use in the state 22 percent by 2025.
The good news is legislation introduced in the House of
Representatives will do just that. House Bill 487 sets annual targets for
energy reductions from our states utilities starting with reductions in 2009
and continuing through 2025.
These energy savings will help to protect Ohio homeowners and businesses from rising
electricity bills. With standards for energy
efficiency measures we can make big strides towards seizing the potential of
energy efficiency to help protect Ohio’s
environment and economy.
How You Can Help
This
spring the legislature will be voting on key bills regarding Ohio’s energy future. Please ask Governor
Strickland, Senate President Bill Harris and Speaker of the House Jon Husted to
work together for Ohio's
clean energy future.
Send
an email to Ohio’s
leaders urging them for a clean energy future here: http://www.environmentohio.org/action/energy
Background
Energy
efficiency is the cheapest, cleanest, and most readily available form of energy,
making it our best solution to climate change.
With energy
prices on the rise, energy efficiency is the most effective way to avoid
rate-shock and stabilize electric rates for the future. For every one dollar that is spent on energy
efficiency, at least two to three dollars are saved on energy supply
costs. As Ohio reduces the amount of energy needed to deliver
the same amount of heating, lighting, air conditioning, etc. for our homes,
schools, businesses, etc., Ohioans will save money on their electric bills. As
we reduce our energy demand, particularly during the peak hours of the day, we
will avoid using most expensive energy resources, which will bring energy
savings to all Ohioans – as well as reductions in harmful air emissions and
greenhouse gases.
Energy efficiency technologies are
available for implementation today, giving Ohio a plethora of opportunities to reduce
energy consumption such as:
- Providing
home energy audits and weatherization programs
- Switching
out incandescent lighting for energy efficient compact fluorescents,
- Replacing
inefficient appliances by providing rebates for new energy efficient
appliances and requiring that inefficient appliances are exchanged,
- Upgrading
commercial lighting and refrigeration with more efficient technologies
- Providing
incentives for manufacturers to replace inefficient equipment with more
efficient technologies.
In
addition to tapping the ready availability of existing technologies and stabilizing
customer rates, making a statewide commitment to energy efficiency will create
more Ohio
jobs and keep more dollars in the state. Installing energy
efficiency technologies is very labor intensive, and creates a demand for jobs that cannot be outsourced offshore.
In fact, Ohio is already home to a growing number of
companies that manufacture high efficiency appliances, lighting systems,
insulation and other products. These manufacturers are likely to benefit from a
statewide investment in energy efficiency.
Energy efficiency is not only good for the economy, it is
also the best way to avoid pollution from other dirty traditional energy
resources. At least 10 states across the country have implemented energy
efficiency programs on a scale large enough to displace power plants. Ohio
can look to other Midwestern states that have helped pave the road to a cleaner
energy future. For instance, Minnesota has
already saved over 2,300 MW since 1990 and Illinois just enacted one of the strongest
energy efficiency standards in the county, requiring utilities to reach an
annual 2 percent load reduction through energy efficiency by 2015 and
continuing each year thereafter.
The benefits of Ohio’s
energy efficient economy are clear, and now is the time to take advantage of
this clean energy opportunity.
