Utah Energy Efficiency Strategy Policy Options

Governor Jon Huntsman announced on April 26, 2006 a goal of increasing energy efficiency in the state of Utah 20 percent by 2015. The goal covers all sectors and applies to all forms of energy use in the state, including electricity, natural gas, gasoline, and other petroleum products. It is intended to make Utah one of the nation's most energy-efficient states, thereby lowering energy bills paid by consumers, enhancing energy security and reliability, improving business profitability and competitiveness, and reducing air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions.

In order to help the state achieve the energy efficiency goal, the Governor's Office invited the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) and Utah Clean Energy (UCE) to prepare a Utah Energy Efficiency Strategy, in collaboration with state officials and other stakeholders. The primary objectives of the strategy are to examine the feasibility of achieving the goal for different forms of energy, develop and evaluate specific options for increasing energy efficiency in Utah, and estimate the economic and environmental impacts of achieving the goal.

The Utah Energy Efficiency Strategy contains 23 major policies, programs, or initiatives that could be implemented in order to accelerate energy efficiency improvements in the state and contribute to achieving the energy efficiency goal. The policies will save electricity, natural gas, motor vehicle fuels, and other petroleum products. These energy sources represent about 85 percent of primary energy use in the state (excluding energy used as an industrial feedstock). We do not consider options for increasing the efficiency of jet fuel use, LPG use, or coal used directly by industry.

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