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Lighting, Appliances, and Other Equipment

The DDPP reports call for major increases in building and equipment efficiency to reduce U.S. GHG emissions by at least 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050. While the DOE efficiency standards program is one of the most successful U.S. energy-efficiency policies in driving energy savings, carbon reductions, and consumer savings, it will need to be made even stronger, and an integrated suite of additional and more ambitious energy-efficiency laws and regulations at the federal, state, and local level will be needed to meet the deep decarbonization challenge. Additional action from private actors, such as utilities and businesses, will also be necessary to drive energy-efficiency investments. The chapter discusses the various legal and policy pathways at the federal, state, and local levels to ensure that the energy efficiency of residential, commercial, and industrial products continues to improve at the scale and speed necessary to meet this “80% by 2050” goal.

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Resource Local Governments

EDF Briefs on On-Bill Financing

EDF has written a national policy brief on on-bill repayment, as well as a specific analysis of California’s on-bill repayment programs.
Example States and State Governments

New Jersey’s EERS

2019’s A-3723 requires each utility to implement energy efficiency measures to reduce electricity usage by 2 percent and natural gas usage by 0.75 percent annually. In 2020, NJ’s PUC issued an order r...
Resource Local Governments

PaceNation.org Model Rules and Database

PaceNation.us published a national database of successful PACE programs, as well as tutorials, program design options, and model language for developing a PACE program at the state or municipal level.
Example States and State Governments

Colorado’s HB 12-1931

Colorado’s HB 12-1931 (2019) updates and adopts standards for water efficiency and energy efficiency that apply to a list of consumer and commercial appliances and other products. The standards are ba...
Resource States and State Governments

Maryland’s GHG Reduction Requirements through EERS

Maryland’s HB 864 directs the state’s public service commission to establish GHG emissions reduction targets for utilities as part of a suite of revisions to the state’s EmPOWER Maryland efficiency pr...
Example States and State Governments

Massachusetts’ EERS

Massachusetts’ Green Communities Act requires that electric and gas utilities procure all cost-effective energy efficiency, which requirements the state’s PUC administers on a three-year planning cycl...
Resource States and State Governments

Database of State Efficiency Standards

The Appliance Standards Awareness Project maintains a database of state efficiency standards for products that are not federally regulated. At most recent check, it lists standards for thirty differen...
Example States and State Governments

Washington’s HB 1444

Washington’s HB 14444 (2019) establishes efficiency standards for products not federally preempted, including portable electric spas, residential pool pumps, showerhead tub spout diverter combinations...
Example Public Utilities

NY REV Proceeding

The Reforming the Energy Vision proceeding in New York is a comprehensive effort to change how utilities perform system planning, what financial incentives they face, how they make use of distributed ...
Resource Private Entities

Ceres Roadmap for Sustainability

The Ceres Roadmap for Sustainability is a resource to guide corporations toward corporate sustainability leadership. A high level summary of the roadmap’s targets is provided here.
Resource Local Governments

NRDC Report, On-Bill Financing

NRDC has written a policy brief on on-bill financing, providing an overview and key considerations for program design.
Example States and State Governments

Missouri tax deductions for home energy audits and efficiency improvements

In July 2008 Missouri enacted legislation (codified at Mo. R.S. 143.121(8)) allowing homeowners to take an income tax deduction (up to $1000, or $2000 for couples) of the cost of home energy audits an...
Example States and State Governments

New Mexico’s HB 291

New Mexico’s HB 291 requires utilities to enhance their energy efficiency programs. The law set a new 2025 target to achieve savings of 5% relative to 2020 sales, raised the cap on efficiency spending...
Example States and State Governments

Vermont H. 411

Vermont has followed California’s model, approving legislation that adopts current federal energy-efficiency standards for appliances and equipment “so that the same standards will be in place in Verm...
Resource Private Entities

NRDC Report, America’s Data Centers Are Wasting Huge Amounts of Energy

NRDC has written an issue brief advising on best practices for reducing emissions from data centers.
Resource States and State Governments

Maine’s Legislation Adopting California’s Appliance Efficiency Standards

In July 2021, Maine passed appliance standards legislation that effectively adopts California’s appliance efficiency regulations, as those regulations were in effect on January 1, 2021, for the follow...
Resource Congress

Expired Federal EE Tax Credits

Several federal tax credits for energy efficiency were allowed to expire recently, including Sec. 25C Nonbusiness Energy Property Credit for Existing Homes, the Sec. 45L Energy Efficient Home Credit, ...
Example Local Governments

DC Act A23-0539

This bill provides energy efficiency standards for various appliances that are offered for sale or installed in the District of Columbia. One year after this bill is enacted, new covered products must...
Example Local Governments

Tallahassee Energy Efficiency Loan Program

The Tallahassee, Florida, Energy Efficiency Loan Program provides on-bill financing for residential and commercial energy efficiency and solar projects. When contractors perform service calls, they pr...
Example States and State Governments

New Jersey Energy and Water Efficiency Regulations on Specific Products

New Jersey enacted 2022 legislation regulating energy and water efficiency for a suite of products that are not federally regulated, including showerheads, air purifiers, computer monitors, commercial...
Example Public Utilities

Ouachita Electric Cooperative HELP PAYS program

The Ouachita Electric Cooperative HELP PAYS program approved investments of $1.6 million by the end of 2016. The program caps the cost recovery charge added to customers’ utility bills at 80% of the e...
Resource States and State Governments

Report, Reimagining Energy Efficiency Resource Standards

This report examines how states consider energy efficiency in the context of four policy priorities: providing grid benefits, addressing load growth, reducing emissions, and promoting affordability. I...
Example Congress

Cash for Clunkers

The national Car Allowance Rebate System (“Cash for Clunkers”) authorized under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided consumers a voucher for trading in an older and less fuel-efficient ...
Example States and State Governments

New York Green Bank

New York’s Green Bank was authorized and capitalized in 2013 by the Public Service Commission. NY Green Bank offers structured wholesale financial products and solutions to support a suite of clean en...
Example States and State Governments

California’s SB 49

In 2019, California passed SB 49, which directs the California Energy Commission to develop standards for appliances related to flexible demand technologies that reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissi...
Example States and State Governments

Hawaii’s HB 556

Hawaii’s HB 556 (2019) sets minimum efficiency standards for common household products including computers, faucets, and showerheads.
Resource Private Entities

ISO Standard 50001:2018

ISO Standard 50001:2018 provides a framework for businesses to improve the energy efficiency of their operations through steps including establishing baselines, adopting performance indicators, target...
Example States and State Governments

New York’s EERS

New York’s 2019 Climate Mobilization Act established a 2030 goal to increase energy efficiency from 2012 levels by 23%. The Act also incorporated the governor’s previous target of 185 trillion Btus of...
Resource Public Utilities

NRDC Report, Removing Disincentives to Utility Energy Efficiency Efforts

NRDC has published a fact sheet on electric utility revenue decoupling and the potential value it provides to prioritizing energy efficiency investments.
Resource Congress

ACEEE Report on Recommended EE Code Changes

ACEEE prepared a 2013 report on recommended changes to the tax code that includes ways to refine (previously existing) energy efficiency tax credits, removing tax disincentives to efficiency investmen...
Resource Executive Branch

Report, Next Generation Standards

The Appliance Standards Awareness Project and American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy wrote a 2016 report on next generation EE standards that identified new categories of products which DOE ...
Example States and State Governments

Oregon legislation covering efficiency for certain appliances

In 2022, Oregon passed this legislation providing energy and water efficiency standards for a variety of products that are not federally regulated, including battery chargers, dishwashers, television ...
Example States and State Governments

Minnesota HF 164

This bill changes Minnesota’s current energy savings goal from 1.5% of annual retail energy sales of electricity and natural gas to 2.5%. These energy savings may be achieved through multiple measures...
Example Public Utilities

Rhode Island Power Sector Transformation Proceeding

In 2017, Rhode Island’s governor requested the PUC embark on a Power Sector Transformation proceeding. The PUC responded with a Phase One report later that year. The report identified existing incenti...
Resource Local Governments

Tracker on Gas Powered Lawn Equipment Regulation

PIRG has launched a new tracker showcasing a variety of policies from around the country regulating gas powered lawn equipment or incentivizing the use of electric alternatives. In a map display, it l...
Resource Public Utilities

Report, Beyond Carrots for Utilities: A National Review of Performance Incentives for Energy Efficiency

ACEEE has written a national review of performance incentives for energy efficiency, highlighting financial rewards or earnings opportunities to program administrators, utilities, and shareholders in ...
Example States and State Governments

EmPower Maryland

EmPOWER Maryland, the state’s energy efficiency program, requires utilities to achieve energy savings reductions equivalent to two percent of sales per year for the 2020-2030 program cycle based on 20...
Resource Congress

Proposed American Energy Efficiency Act of 2015

The proposed American Energy Efficiency Act of 2015 would have called for a 20% electricity savings and 13% natural gas savings by 2030, with annual added savings rising to 1.75% for electricity and 1...
Resource States and State Governments

ACEEE Primer, On-Bill Energy Efficiency

ACEEE breaks down the differences between on-bill financing, on-bill repayment, tariffed on-bill programs, and other nuances between various on-bill programs for energy efficiency.
Resource States and State Governments

Nevada AB 383 (2021)

In June 2021, Nevada’s Governor signed this bill requiring the Director of the Office of Energy to adopt regulations establishing minimum standards of energy efficiency for certain appliances. Covered...
Resource Local Governments

Report, Financing Clean Energy: Cost-Effective Tools for State Compliance With the Clean Power Plan

The Union of Concerned Scientists published a 2015 report, Financing Clean Energy: Cost-Effective Tools for State Compliance With the Clean Power Plan, which highlights the potential of “green banks” ...
Example Local Governments

Columbia MO’s Energy Efficiency Incentives

Columbia MO’s Code of Ordinances Chapter 27, Article III, Div. 8 provides a number of financial based energy efficiency programs including grants, rebates, and loans, which apply to residential and co...
Example States and State Governments

New York’s Appliance and Building Efficiency Standards

In May 2022, New York passed S9405, creating new appliance efficiency standards for products that are not federally regulated. It calls for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority...
Resource States and State Governments

Multistate Appliance Standards Collaborative

The Multistate Appliance Standards Collaborative unites several states that have adopted several similar appliance standards. Many of the standards are adopted directly from the California State Appli...
Example States and State Governments

Vermont’s H. 410 (2018)

In May 2018, Vermont passed H410 (Act 139) setting energy and water efficiency standards for 16 products not covered at the federal level. By 2025, these standards are expected to save consumers 435 m...
Resource States and State Governments

Consortium for Energy Efficiency Annual Industry Report

The Consortium for Energy Efficiency has prepares an annual industry report on US and Canadian program industry energy efficiency and demand response budgets, expenditures, and savings, including an a...
Resource States and State Governments

ACEEE Report, How Utility Energy Efficiency Programs Can Use New Federal Funding

The federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) together provide approximately $50 billion for energy efficiency implementation. The programs funded by these laws can...
Resource States and State Governments

EPA’s Clean Energy Finance Tool

EPA’s Clean Energy Finance Tool is an Excel Tool designed to help municipalities and states make informed choices about the best program(s) for their jurisdictions from among the following options: re...
Resource Local Governments

Report, Program Design Considerations for Developing an On-Bill Financing Program

An assortment of Michigan nonprofits and NGOs prepared a primer specifically for utilities on offering on-bill repayment programs, explaining different program design options.
Example States and State Governments

New York Energy Law 16-102

New York has codified a list of product efficiency standards outside the federal purview directly into statute at NY Energy Law 16-102.
Example States and State Governments

Washington’s Energy Code Incentives for Efficient Products

Rarely, a state has established a building code that effectively encourages builders to install products that exceed the efficiency of federal standards. This requires the code be designed to avoid pr...
Resource Public Utilities

Report, Recovery of Utility Fixed Costs

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has published a report surveying a panel of experts on traditional models of how utility fixed costs are recovered and the perverse incentives that system sends f...
Resource States and State Governments

Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP)

ASAP organizes the collective effort of efficiency proponents including efficiency, consumer, and environmental groups; utility companies; state government agencies; and others. Working together, the ...
Example Local Governments

GreenFinanceSF

Under San Francisco’s C-PACE program, known as “GreenFinanceSF”, (established 2011, updated 2016) commercial property owners can secure 100% financing for RE and EE improvements. Once the RE and EE im...
Example States and State Governments

Connecticut Green Bank

The Connecticut Green Bank was established in 2011 to promote investment in clean energy and efficiency, and includes a program to help homeowners purchase ENERGY STAR appliances.
Resource States and State Governments

Report, Green and Resilience Banks

NRDC has published a 2016 report, Green and Resilience Banks: How the Green Investment Bank Model Can Play a Role in Scaling Up Climate Finance in Emerging Markets, which shows how Green Investment Ba...
Example States and State Governments

Washington appliance efficiency legislation

Washington’s HB 1619 (2022) provides energy and water efficiency standards for a range of products, including dishwashers, commercial fryers and steam cookers, water heaters, portable air conditioners...
Example Local Governments

DC Green Bank

Washington DC enacted a green bank in 2018 through the Green Finance Authority Establishment Act.
Example Local Governments

DC’s PACE Program

Pursuant to DC’s PACE program, the initial investment is provided by private lenders, and the loan is repaid through an assessment on property taxes. D.C.’s Department of Energy and Environment admini...
Example Local Governments

Seattle City Light On-Bill Financing Program

Seattle City Light partnered with the local government and Craft3, a nonprofit CDFI, in 2011 to establish an on-bill repayment program that supports residential energy efficiency upgrades in Seattle. ...
Resource States and State Governments

ACEEE State Energy Efficiency Scorecard

ACEEE publishes an annual State Energy Efficiency Scorecard that ranks states on their policy and program efforts, not only assessing performance but also documenting best practices and recognizing le...
Example States and State Governments

California’s 20 CCR 1065

Historically the most aggressive state in pioneering efficiency standards for appliances outside the federal purview (See Article 4 under California Code of Regulations Title 20), California has also ...
Resource States and State Governments

EPA Guide to Action for State Best Policies

The EPA has written a Guide to Action for State Best Policies in efficiency, renewables, and CHP. At page 4-72, it contains a helpful guide for state appliance standard programs, including lists of re...
Resource Congress

ACEEE Policy Brief on Federal EERS

ACEEE has written a policy brief on the parameters that a federal EERS should take.
Example Local Governments

Pella IA’s Bright Energy Solutions

Pella’s Bright Energy Solutions (BES) offers multiple incentives to residents for the purchase of energy efficient appliances and other products. These incentives can include energy efficient washers ...
Example States and State Governments

Minnesota’s Efficiency Cost-Effectiveness Test

The Minnesota Department of Commerce adopted a new cost-effectiveness test last month that will be used to assess utility energy efficiency programs in the state. New features of the cost test, includ...
Example Public Utilities

California IDER Proceeding

The Integrated Distributed Energy Resources proceeding included a competitive solicitation incentive pilot and a utility regulatory incentive mechanism pilot which will facilitate the deployment of cu...
Resource Executive Branch

Report, Clothes Dryer Testing

ACEEE has written a study in the best practices of clothes dryer energy efficiency testing, focusing on improvements in DOE’s testing methodology.
Resource Executive Branch

Report, Climate Reregulation in a Biden Administration

This August 2020 report from the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law charts a course for executive action that, under a new presidential administration, would reverse the deregulatory agenda of the Tr...
Example Public Utilities

Southern California Edison Refrigerator Recycling Program

Southern California Edison once ran a program that offered customers a rebate on a new efficient refrigerator if they gave up their old one. NRDC published a comment on the program’s efficacy in 2012,...
Example States and State Governments

Colorado Bans State Agencies from Using Gas-Powered Lawn Equipment

State agencies in Colorado will be banned from using gas-powered lawn equipment with engines of engines of 25 horsepower or less during the summer, according to a rule adopted by the Colorado Air Qual...
Example States and State Governments

Rhode Island’s EERS

Rhode Island’s Comprehensive Energy Conservation, Efficiency and Affordability Act of 2006 establishes a Least Cost Procurement mandate, requiring utilities to acquire all cost-effective energy effici...
Resource States and State Governments

Natural Resources Canada Efficiency Regulations

Natural Resources Canada maintains a three-part energy efficiency program and is an international partner in EPA’s voluntary ENERGY STAR programs.
Example States and State Governments

California Phasing Out Gas Powered Landscaping Equipment

California’s AB 1346 will phase out the sale of new gas-powered small off-road engines in the state. Small off-road engines, primarily found in outdoor power equipment, emit smog-forming pollutants, i...
Example States and State Governments

Oregon SB 978

Senate Bill 978 created an open investigation into multiple aspects of the regulatory structure, including rate design, revenue regulation, grid modernization, integrated resource planning, and others...
Example States and State Governments

New York AB 7779

New York’s AB 7779 (2019) requires an annual state report on appliance and equipment energy efficiency standards and resulting energy and utility bill savings.
Resource States and State Governments

New Jersey’s Clean Energy Act

On May 23, 2018 Governor Murphy signed the Clean Energy Act P.L.2018, c.17. The Clean Energy Act adopts several measures, including: Renewable Portfolio Standard: Requires 35% of the energy sold in th...
Resource States and State Governments

ACEEE State EERS Database and Toolkits

ACEEE maintains a database of existing state EERS’s and recommends best practices. Their toolkits include model EERS language, guides to program construction, and progress reports on state experience.
Example States and State Governments

New Hampshire’s SB 284

In 2019’s SB 284, New Hampshire established a statewide, multi-use online energy data platform, allowing consumers to monitor their energy usage and encourage energy efficient behaviors.
Resource Executive Branch

Report, Making Smart Products and Systems Efficient

ACEEE has written a study on the efficiency of smart products, providing an overview of current policy measures worldwide, and noting drivers for the development and implementation of low power enabli...
Resource Executive Branch

Green Tax Incentive Compendium

Robinson and Cole, a large law firm with offices across the United States, maintains and annually updated Green Tax Incentive Compendium, which collects federal and state tax incentives for renewable ...
Example Local Governments

DC’s MEDSIS proceeding

The District commenced a Modernizing the Energy Delivery System for Increased Sustainability (MEDSIS) in 2015, which, in Phase 2, considered separate tracks related to data and information access and ...
Resource States and State Governments

Report, Next Generation Energy Efficiency Resource Standards Update

This report studies what are termed “next generation” elements of energy efficiency resource standards. Of the 26 states with an EERS, 23 (including DC) have next generation features to use the EERS t...
Resource States and State Governments

ACEEE Report, Energy Efficiency Resource Standards: A Progress Report on State Experiences

This 2014 ACEEE report tracks the progress of the 26 states with EERS policies in place as to determine whether they are meeting annual targets, and also examines complementary policy mechanisms that ...
Example States and State Governments

Vermont Fluorescent Tube Ban

A first-in-the-nation policy in Vermont phasing out most fluorescent tube lights in favor of LEDs points the way for other states to reduce energy costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and mercury pollutio...
Example Local Governments

Los Angeles PACE program

In 2010, Los Angeles County began offering Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs to both Commercial (C-PACE) and Residential (R-PACE) owners. All improvements that can be permanently fixed to...
Example Public Utilities

Hawaii Performance-Based Regulation Proceeding

In 2018, Hawaii engaged in a Performance-Based Regulation proceeding, seeking alternative regulatory mechanisms intended to focus utilities on performance and desired outcomes, such as increased renew...
Example Local Governments

Montgomery Green Bank

Montgomery County became the nation’s first local green bank in 2016. The Bank is codified at Montgomery County Code Chapter 18A Article 7.
Resource States and State Governments

Database of State Efficiency Screening Practices

The National Efficiency Screening Project provides a Database of State Efficiency Screening Practices. The purpose of the DSESP is to provide information regarding state cost-effectiveness screening p...