Massachusetts Ranks #1 as Most Energy Efficient State for 8th Year in a Row
As the US government loosens environmental rules, states are investing more in energy efficiency and delivering increased power savings, according to the 2018 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard. This 12th annual report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), identifies the leaders and once again, Massachusetts came out on top.
The scorecard offers mostly good news about energy efficiency — the nation’s third-largest electricity resource. In response to federal efforts to freeze US vehicle and appliance standards, quite a few states worked to retain their own standards and to promote zero-energy buildings. Many states unveiled plans to boost investments in efficiency and clean energy, often driven by concerns about climate change.
The scorecard, which ranks states based on 32 metrics in six areas, had these key findings:.
- Massachusetts continued to rank #1 overall. It launched a plan to set new three-year energy savings targets and approved utility spending for grid-scale modernization. A close second is California, which led efficiency efforts in three areas: buildings, transportation, and appliances. These leaders are followed by Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, Oregon, Minnesota, Washington, and Maryland.
- More states pushed for zero-energy construction (buildings that produce as much power as they use) largely through tougher building codes. Vermont, Rhode Island, Oregon, Washington, the District of Columbia and Massachusetts have incorporated net zero-energy construction into long-range plans.
Massachusetts’ Governor Charlie Baker said: “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. Massachusetts remains committed to leveraging energy efficiency and clean energy to meet climate goals, reduce costs and grow the Commonwealth’s economy.”
Preview the ACEE 2018 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard
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