Policies and programs that address customer end uses of energy are critical for achieving greater energy efficiency within the electric and natural gas utility sectors. In the information included in these state summaries, we primarily address the electric sector as it historically has been the main focus in most states for program funding and related initiatives. We include some selected information on natural gas sector policies and programs as these often are interwoven or otherwise closely related to electric sector policies and programs. Some states also have well-established natural gas efficiency programs. In future editions of these summaries we plan to include similar information specifically about policies and program in the natural gas sector.

The utility sector policies surveyed in these state summaries are those that support and facilitate the achievement of greater levels of customer end-use efficiency, from basic threshold issues of having such programs funded and available to customers to more comprehensive policies of addressing utility incentives for energy efficiency and explicit public policy goals for reducing energy use through higher levels of energy efficiency.

States Offering Utility Energy Efficiency Policies*

Energy Efficiency Resource Standards (EERS)

• State 3-page Summary & Map (November 2008)
• 6-page Summary Paper (Sept. 2007)
• E063 Energy Efficiency Resource Standards: Experience and Recommendations

Public Benefits Funds (PBF)

• Summary Table of Public Benefit Programs and Electric Utility Restructuring
  

Decoupling and Incentives for Utilities

• Aligning Utility Interests with Energy Efficiency Objectives: A Review of Recent Efforts at Decoupling and Performance Initiatives

For additional information, see the ACEEE Utilities Program web page.

*List under construction. Full listing of states will be available October 2008.

For more information contact:
Dan York, Senior Research Associate, ACEEE Utilities Program

Top of Page