DES MOINES – More energy efficiency incentives could cut consumer
energy costs, create “green” jobs and reduce pollution, advocates of
enhanced federal measures said Thursday.
Eric Nost of
Environment Iowa was joined by two energy business representatives at a
news conference to push for congressional approval of efforts to
strengthen energy efficiency resource standard requiring utility
companies to reduce their energy use by at least 10 percent by 2020 and
other policy changes.
Nost said the improved efficiency standard
is a “common-sense” solution that could be achieved by providing
incentives and assistance to help customers make their homes and
businesses more energy efficient.
“Americans know that energy
efficiency is the cleanest, quickest, cheapest way of reducing our
energy use and pollution,” he said.
Mark Douglas of the Iowa
Utility Association, which represents investor-owned utilities in Iowa,
said Iowa currently is a leader in implementing energy-efficiency
programs, having just completed a five-year effort that spent almost
$450 million and yielded savings of eight-tenths of 1 percent annually.
The
Iowa utilities’ new five-year energy efficiency program approved by the
Iowa Utilities Board envisions more than $800 million for rebates for
customers who buy new furnaces, appliances, insulation and make other
efficiency improvements such as low-income home weatherization, Douglas
said.
The money is derived from the share of customer utility
rates dedicated to energy-efficiency programs. To move to a level of
reducing energy use by 1.5 percent annually, the cost is estimated at
about $1.2 billion – with the goal achievable for energy usage but
probably not the natural gas side, he added.
“All of this
carries a price tag,” Douglas said. “There’s a cost to all of this and
what is reasonable and what can customers afford.”
Nost cited
results of a study released by Environment Iowa and the American
Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, indicating that Iowa
households could save $282 per year and that 6,200 jobs could be
created over the next 10 years if Congress enacts stronger energy
efficiency standards.
In addition, he said, the improvements
would reduce carbon dioxide emissions that would be the equivalent of
taking about 1 million cars off Iowa roads for a year.
For further discussion go to www.coveringiowapolitics.com/ Contact the writer: 515-243-7220 or rod.boshart@gazcomm.com
