energy
- Renewable Energy
- ENERGY EFFICIENCY -- updated March 2010
- BP Oil Spill Disaster
- Energy Development -- coming soon
Solving global warming means investing in energy efficiency & conservation
Energy efficiency is the fastest, cheapest component in the quest for clean energy.
- Energy efficiency key to clean energy future - a great Helena Independent Record Opinion piece - March 2010
- Grist summs up the latest HERE >> Aug 2009
- McKinsey & Co: Unlocking energy efficiencyy in the US economy >> July 2009
- Montana Energy Efficiency -- Guest Opinion. Pat Judge
- Energy Efficiency -- the low hanging Fruit -- via the sightline Institute
- Links to great websites
- A homeowner's must-have book
Pat Judge of the Northwest Energy Coalition summed up energy efficiency very well in op-ed published in the Billings Gazette. You can also listen to a great Montana Public Radio commentary >>
Guest Opinion: Energy efficiency will pay off for Montana
By PATRICK JUDGE
As Montanans and all Americans struggle with the dual challenge of an economy and an environment deep in distress, they are looking for solutions that will improve the health of both.
They are also looking for ways to save money now. Fortunately, one opportunity fits the bill perfectly: energy efficiency.
Energy efficiency is an energy resource like any other, except cleaner, cheaper and faster to develop than the alternatives. It is also abundant and proven. Thanks to programs put in place over the past 30 years, efficiency now ranks as the region's third-largest energy resource. Incredibly, the Pacific Northwest saves over 32 million megawatt-hours of electricity (3,700 average megawatts) each year - more than twice the amount consumed in all of Montana. In financial terms, that translates to well over $1 billion that can be invested back into local businesses and households each year. And, according to recent studies, the region can add another 5,000 average megawatts of cost-effective efficiency by 2020.
Energy efficiency seems tailor-made as a tool for economic recovery. It yields lower and more stable energy bills for consumers. It offers a low risk, high return on investment. It creates local jobs in the energy services industry and frees up capital for other job creation. It lessens our dependence on foreign energy.
And it is one of the few solutions to the Keynesian "paradox of thrift" - the notion that what's good for our national economy (consumer spending) is often at odds with what's good for our household economy (saving). Investments in efficiency align these interests, producing benefits for both.
Simply put, energy efficiency means capturing energy currently going to waste and putting it to productive use. As with any investment, efficiency usually involves some up-front expenditure. But never before has there been so much assistance available for moving forward.
Montanans can claim a 25 percent state tax credit for qualifying conservation projects, up to a limit of $500 per year for individuals or $1,000 per couple. For tax years 2009 and 2010, they can also claim a 30 percent credit on their federal income taxes up to a limit of $1,500.
And Montanans have considerably more to gain from efficient technologies, practices and policies than most Americans. With a rugged climate and long travel distances, state residents spend a disproportionately high percentage of their budgets on energy. Efficiency provides a unique opportunity for the state to tap into literally millions of dollars worth of savings.
Two bills pending at the Montana Legislature would go a long way toward boosting Montana's success: House Bill 641 directs the state's three largest electric utilities and three largest gas utilities to capture the cost-effective efficiency on their systems. House Bill 646 focuses on improving the efficiency of Montana's K-12 schools. Lawmakers need to hear from their constituents that energy efficiency is a top priority, and that these bills ought to pass. A simple call (444-4800) can make a world of difference.
Patrick Judge of Helena advocates for the NW Energy Coalition, an alliance of more than 100 organizations and businesses committed to a clean, affordable energy future.
Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.
Energy Efficiency -- the low hanging fruit. Sightline Institute
Listen to a six-minute podcast in which Sightline's Cascadia Scorecard energy indicator reveals that our region is lagging most in the area of energy use. Sightline Research Director Clark Williams-Derry explains how tools we already have--like caulk guns, efficient cars, and high-efficiency furnaces--may be the technological "silver bullet" for reducing our energy consumption. Head to their website to download and listen >>
A few ENERGY EFFICIENCY Websites and links
- Spend Stimulus Funds on Efficiency -- Helena Independent Record IR View 3-17-09
- Northwest Energy Coalition Energy Efficiency
- American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy- ACEEE (direct to state policy HERE)
- Energy Star Program
Here's a resource we are happy to recommend. The homeowner's Handbook to Energy 
Efficiency: A Guide to Big and Small Improvements. Authors John Krigger and Chris Dorsi. A Saturn Resource management book. Learn about this great book HERE >>