Commonwealth Earns Top Ranking on American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy Scorecard for 8th Consecutive Year
The Baker-Polito Administration today announced the Commonwealth has been named the most energy efficient state in the nation by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) for the eighth consecutive year. Massachusetts continues to receive top marks for its energy efficiency policies and programs, particularly the energy efficiency programs offered by the Commonwealth’s utilities under the Mass Save® brand, for leading by example with state buildings and for implementing a stretch building energy code for towns and cities and promoting combined heat and power for commercial facilities. The full 2018 ACEEE State Energy Efficiency Scorecard can be found here.
“We are proud Massachusetts leads the nation in energy efficiency for the eighth year in a row, and we will continue to adopt and pursue measures that deliver billions of dollars in savings to our residents and businesses each year,” said Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker. “Through the largest single procurement of offshore wind in the nation, approving the largest procurement of hydropower in the Commonwealth’s history, funding community clean energy projects, and working with utilities to invest over $220 million in grid modernization technologies, Massachusetts remains committed to leveraging energy efficiency and clean energy to meet climate goals, reduce costs and grow the Commonwealth’s economy.”
“Energy efficiency is the most effective way to save money on energy bills and we are proud that in Massachusetts energy efficiency is a top priority not only for state government but for our local cities and towns too,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Through the Commonwealth’s Green Communities program, residents across the state live in a city or town that has adopted the program and are developing creative, cost-effective energy reduction measures that lower emissions and reduce the cost of government, ultimately benefiting residents and businesses.”
The ACEEE Scorecard measures states on six categories of energy efficiency policy and programs, including utility programs, transportation, building energy codes, combined heat and power, state government policies, and appliance standards. Key to Massachusetts’ ongoing leadership is its utility-run nation-leading energy efficiency programs. The Commonwealth’s current 2016-2018 Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan, approved in 2016, sets nation-leading goals for energy savings, with goals of 2.94% of electric sales and 1.24% of gas sales, with an estimated $8 billion in savings. In 2017, these goals were met with over $2.6 billion in benefits to Massachusetts customers from an investment of almost $740 million.
“Massachusetts’ leadership in energy efficiency is due to the ambitious and achievable goals set and met through the Commonwealth’s successful statewide energy efficiency programs,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “Being named the nation’s most energy efficient state means the Baker-Polito Administration, working with legislative partners and stakeholders across the state, has been able to deliver significant reductions on ratepayers’ energy bills year after year.”
Following the enactment of An Act to Advance Clean Energy in August 2018, Massachusetts continues to work towards improving and expanding its energy efficiency programs for the 2019-2021 Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan. This will include new emphasis on peak demand management and converting customers from unregulated fuels to efficient, renewable and alternative heating options such as cold climate air source heat pumps.
“By partnering with our utilities on our Mass Save® energy efficiency programs, we have made a commitment to creating an affordable, resilient and clean energy future for Massachusetts,” said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Judith Judson. “This ranking is the result of collaboration between many public and private stakeholders in transportation, technology, building and energy providers that is setting a higher bar for our energy future.”
Last April, Governor Baker announced $10 million in funding for a suite of six new programs aimed at increasing affordable access to clean energy and energy efficiency programs, part of the Administration’s $15 million Affordable Access to Clean and Efficient Energy (AACEE) Initiative. Additionally, last year DOER announced over $4.6 million in grants to nine innovative peak demand reduction projects seeking to demonstrate business models that include both geographically targeted reductions to avoid and delay electric transmission and distribution investments, and broader strategies in electricity and gas peak load reduction.
“ACEEE congratulates Massachusetts for being number one in energy efficiency for the eighth year in a row. Staying at number one requires continual improvement, something Massachusetts takes seriously,” said Steven Nadel, Executive Director of ACEEE. “We are pleased that the state took steps to keep pushing efficiency ahead this year, for example by enacting legislation that will revitalize efforts to slash greenhouse gas emissions through deployment of clean energy and energy efficiency.”
“For the eighth consecutive year ACEEE has recognized Massachusetts as the national leader in energy efficiency because of the state and MassSave®’s innovative, customer-centric solutions,” said National Grid SVP and Chief Customer Officer Terry Sobolewski and Eversource SVP and Chief Customer Officer Penni McLean-Conner. “Congratulations to the Commonwealth and all of our partners in achieving this unparalleled level of success. Energy efficiency continues to be the most cost-effective method of ensuring that all residents of Massachusetts are able to participate in our clean energy future.”
“Massachusetts serves as a premiere example to other states and continues to lead the charge in making a cleaner and more efficient energy future for our cities and towns,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “The House is proud of the landmark and nation-leading energy efficiency policies driving this success and will continue its work to insure the benefits of energy efficiency reach communities across the Commonwealth.”
“I am proud of the Commonwealth’s commitment to addressing climate change and leading the way to a clean energy economy in an equitable way,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Striving for energy efficiency is good for our environment, our health, and, ultimately, our economy.”
“The state continues to forge ahead as a national leader in our energy efficiency programs, which lowers our energy usage, saves customers money on bills, and stimulates our clean energy economy,” said State Representative Thomas A. Golden, Jr. (D-Lowell), Chairman of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy. “I am particularly proud of the recent bipartisan effort which culminated in the signing of An act to advance clean energy, which aims to further enhance our successful programs by allowing them to utilize the latest advances in green technology and energy management.”
“Over the last four years, the Baker-Polito Administration has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to pursuing energy efficiency policies that will benefit the residents of Commonwealth,” said House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading). “The latest ACEEE designation is an acknowledgment that Massachusetts continues to be a national leader on this issue.”
“Conserving energy is an important and cost-effective strategy to save money and help our environment,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester). “Massachusetts is leading on this front because our state has a strong combination of plans, regulations, incentives and public awareness that have created a culture that prioritizes the goal of saving before consuming.”
In 2016, the Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards voted unanimously to adopt the latest national model building energy code together with a streamlined update to the Massachusetts stretch energy code. This code update keeps the Commonwealth on the leading edge in adopting the latest national model energy code, allowing Massachusetts to attain full points in this ACEEE Scorecard category, as well as offering towns and cities the opportunity to adopt a stretch energy code. To date, 241 municipalities have elected to adopt the stretch energy code, a key component of receiving a Green Communities designation.