Obama Admin Unveils Energy-Efficiency Efforts, Investments

June 30, 2009

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

President Barack Obama and U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu have announced new plans to drive energy efficiency and save American consumers billions of dollars per year by setting energy conservation standards for certain types of fluorescent lamps and incandescent reflector lamps, and investing $346 million in energy-efficient building technologies (transcript of Obama’s remarks – video at bottom of story).

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) says seven percent of all energy consumed in the U.S. is for lighting. The ruling for energy-efficient lighting sets major changes to energy conservation standards for general service fluorescent lamps (GSFL), which are commonly found in residential and commercial buildings, and incandescent reflector lamps (IRL), which are commonly used in recessed and track lighting. These fluorescent and incandescent lamps represent approximately 38 and 7 percent of total lighting energy use respectively. The ruling takes effect in 2012.

The final rule is expected to result in several major benefits including:

Avoiding the emission of up to 594 million tons of CO2 from 2012 to 2042
Saving consumers $1 to $4 billion annually from 2012 to 2042
Saving enough electricity from 2012 to 2042 to power every home in the U.S. for up to 10 months
Eliminating the need for up to 7.3 gigawatts of new generating capacity by 2042

In addition, the DOE says decreasing the electricity used in GSFLs by 15 percent will save consumers up to $8.66 per lamp over its lifetime; and decreasing electricity used by IRLs by 25 percent, will save $7.95 per lamp over its lifetime.

In February 2009, President Obama also tasked the DOE to speed up the pace of energy conservation standards for appliances.

In addition, President Obama and Secretary Chu announced a $346 million investment from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to expand and accelerate the development, deployment, and use of energy-efficient technologies in all major types of commercial buildings as well as new and existing homes.

According to the DOE, residential and commercial buildings consume 40 percent of the energy and represent 40 percent of the carbon emissions in the United States. With the application of new and existing technologies, the DOE believes buildings can be made up to 80 percent more efficient or even become “net zero” energy buildings with the incorporation of on-site renewable generation.

The funding includes $100 million for Advanced Building Systems Research, $70 million for Residential Buildings Development and Deployment , $53.5 million for Commercial Buildings Initiative, $72.5 million for Buildings and Appliance Market Transformation ($72.5 million), and $50 million for Solid State Lighting Research and Development.

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Enhance Sustainability. Improve Profitability.

Learn how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Product Environmental Compliance Best Practices

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Reader Comments

And will, noting the last paragraph, this get us to a long overdue acknowledgement of aerated autoclaved concrete as an essential building material for our high performance building requirements?

Jeff Ramsdell | July 1st, 2009

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/20/2009
11/19/2009
11/18/2009

Charts [ see all ]

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Nike Tops Annual Climate Action Scores

Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Trade Association on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Seriously… that..."

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

peter dublin on California City’s Green Building Ordinance Applies to Commercial Buildings
"Why energy efficiebnt regulation on buildings –..."

Environmental Leader