Building & Design
Massachusetts sets standards to improve energy efficiency
The US state of Massachusetts has unveiled new targets to improve energy efficiency that aim to cut electricity use 2.4% and gas use 1.1.5%.
The new energy efficiency plans for utilities, under the Green Communities Act, will see around $2 billion invested in measures such as home energy audits, refurbishment or weatherisation programmes and rebates on efficient appliances over the next three years.
The aim is to triple the number of consumers making energy efficiency improvements to their homes and could yield savings in energy bills of up to $6.5 billion.
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has also announced that the state’s budget for next year will consolidate energy purchasing – which currently reaches around $750 million annually – across agencies, public authorities and educational establishments to cut energy bills.
State agencies will also receive funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to install an advanced energy management system, which will allow real-time monitoring of energy use. Similar systems deployed in other state and local governments have enabled savings of 10-20% in energy use.
The state’s drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities, which currently make up 30% of municipal energy budgets, will also receive $67 million to improve energy efficiency and install renewable energy systems.
“Our major energy reforms have put efficiency into competition with power sources and established strong mandates for clean energy,” says Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles. “Now [we] will use [our] role as the largest power purchaser in New England to maximize opportunities to save money, curb greenhouse gas emissions, and promote clean energy innovation.”
For further information:
www.mass.gov/
www.recovery.gov/
Related stories:
US government to cut its own emissions 28% by 2020 (1-Feb)
Energy efficiency could reduce US energy use 20% by 2020 (15-Dec 2009)
California plans to make “energy efficiency a way of life” (25-Sept 2009)
Energy efficiency could yield energy savings worth $1.2 trillion, says McKinsey (30-Jul 2009)