Energy efficiency is now a mainstream concept and goal that many people, even those who once considered it a luxury, strive to achieve both in their homes and their lives. Whether it’s investing in energy efficient appliances or buying a hybrid vehicle, just about everyone is looking for ways to save in this high priced energy environment.
The Attorney General’s Office has played a significant role in this mainstream movement by working hard to further energy efficiency policies in the Commonwealth. The office has done this by supporting the implementation of cost effective energy efficiency programs, petitioned the federal government to allow Massachusetts to implement more efficient energy standards and policies, and pushed our utilities to achieve more for their customers.
One example of that is on October 2, the Attorney General’s office, in collaboration with the Commonwealth’s Department of Energy, petitioned the federal government to allow Massachusetts to enforce a gas furnace efficiency standard significantly stricter than the federal standard – a move that could save Massachusetts consumers approximately $144 million in heating costs between 2013 and 2030, while cutting greenhouse gas emissions over the same period by approximately 100,000 metric tons.
If the state is granted the waiver, there would be no requirement to replace existing furnaces still in use. The new efficiency standard would apply to new furnace purchases starting in 2013.
Another recent example of this move toward greater energy efficiency occurred when the state’s Energy Efficiency Council approved an agreement between the Patrick Administration and Attorney General Martha Coakley to set nation-leading targets for electricity savings from energy efficiency investments. The targets will serve as the cornerstone of three-year energy efficiency plans that will be presented to the Department of Public Utilities for approval in the coming months. The approval of unprecedented, yet attainable, electric savings goals and energy efficiency plans will provide customers with the opportunity to reduce consumption, resulting in savings and corresponding reductions in emissions by power plants.
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