State Tool for Recognizing Energy Efficiency's Air Quality Benefits
Energy efficiency (EE) programs—state, local, and voluntary as well as utility initiatives—deliver multiple benefits to states, communities, companies, and households. Cost savings, enhanced energy reliability and security, and improved building quality and performance are among these benefits. And there are environmental benefits too, including reduced pollutant emissions that can help states achieve air quality goals.
The NASEO Energy Efficiency Pathway Templates, developed with U.S. Department of Energy support, are designed to help State Energy Offices engage state air quality regulators on opportunities for EE programs to help states attain air quality management objectives, such as meeting National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), Regional Haze Rule requirements, and state and local greenhouse gas targets.
Completed NASEO Energy Efficiency Pathway Templates summarize key facts and features of EE programs and policies. These include discussions of program goals, authorities, funding, and implementation. The templates discuss issues of quantifying energy savings and avoided emissions, and how EE-derived emissions reduction and prevention can be useful to air quality managers for planning and projection purposes or for formal regulatory crediting.
The intent of the templates is to promote dialogue among State Energy Offices, environmental agencies, and other relevant bodies on potential roles for EE to support air quality management objectives.
NASEO has created several “blank” templates and filled in three samples based on state programs. These include:
NASEO plans to develop an additional sample for city-/local-led energy efficiency initiatives. The existing “blank” templates can also be adapted for other EE program and policy types.
The templates also include links to additional resources that are useful for describing EE program opportunities, potential energy savings, savings and emissions quantification, and air quality regulatory consideration.
NASEO has a long history of working to recognize air quality benefits of energy efficiency, including through the “3Ns” series of dialogues with the National Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA) and National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). NASEO continues its cooperation with these and other associations and stakeholders on these topics.
NASEO is available to help State Energy Offices with these templates and, more broadly, to work with their state air quality colleagues on energy-air quality topics. If you have questions, comments, or need assistance in this area, please contact NASEO Senior Program Director, Rodney Sobin (rsobin@naseo.org 703-299-8800).
Helpful Resources
- Energy Efficiency Savings Opportunities and Benefits
U.S. Department of Energy
- State and Utility Pollution Reduction Calculator Version 2 (SUPR2)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, 2016
- “Estimating Customer Electricity and Fuel Savings from projects installed by the U.S. ESCO Industry,” Energy Efficiency
Carvallo, Juan Pablo, Peter H. Larsen, and Charles A. Goldman, 2015, vol. 8, pp. 1251-1261
- Clean Power Plan Energy Code Emissions Calculator
Energy Efficient Codes Coalition, 2015
- “Implementing EPA’s Clean Power Plan: Model State Plans.”
National Association of Clean Air Agencies, 2016
- "Attributing Building Energy Code Savings to Energy Efficiency Programs."
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships and Institute for Market Transformation, 2013
- “Impacts of Model Building Energy Codes: Public Review Draft”
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 2016, PNNL-25611
- “Guide for States: Energy Efficiency as a Least-Cost Strategy to Reduce Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollution, and Meet Energy Needs in the Power Sector.”
State and Local Energy Efficiency (SEE) Action Network, 2016
- Current Size and Remaining Market Potential of the U.S. Energy Service Company Industry,
Stuart, Elizabeth, Peter H. Larsen, Charles A. Goldman, and Donald Gilligan, 2013, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Better Buildings Accelerator: Energy Savings Performance Contracting
U.S. Department of Energy, 2016
- Energy Savings Performance Contracting
U.S. Department of Energy, 2016
- “How Building Energy Codes Can Support Climate and Energy Planning.”
U.S. Department of Energy, 2016
- “How Energy Savings Performance Contracting Can Support State Climate and Energy Planning.”
U.S. Department of Energy, 2016
- “Achieving Energy Savings and Emission Reductions from Building Energy Codes: A Primer for State Planning.”
U.S. Department of Energy, 2015
- “Building Energy Codes Program: National Benefits Assessment, 1992-2040.”
U.S. Department of Energy, 2014
- “Building Energy Codes Resource Guide for Policy Makers”
U.S. Department of Energy, 2011
- State and Local Solution Center
U.S. Department of Energy
- Draft Evaluation Measurement and Verification (EM&V) Guidance for Demand-Side Energy Efficiency
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2016
- “Roadmap for Incorporating Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Policies and Programs into State and Tribal Implementation Plans”
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2012
- AVoided Emissions and geneRation Tool (AVERT)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Emissions and Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- “Including Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Policies in Electricity Demand Projections: A Resource for State & Local Air Agencies Preparing NAAQS SIPs.”
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Incorporating Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy into State and Tribal Implementation Plans
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- “Technical Support Document – DRAFT Demonstrating NOx Emission Reduction Benefits of State-Level Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policies.”
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency