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Friday, September 25, 2009
Energy Efficiency Provides Power To Save
By Jake Horowitz
Environment New Mexico
“Energy efficiency” — these words may end up saving you and our community more than any other provision up for debate in Congress' climate legislation. When you flick on a light switch, you're most likely thinking of little else than the need to light up a room. The vast energy infrastructure and electric grids that power your light bulb are probably the last things on your mind, but it's time we pay attention to these matters, because where and how we get our energy significantly impacts our economy, your wallet, and the landscape of our Land of Enchantment.
Right now, 91.8 percent of New Mexico's electricity is fueled from dirty energy that is changing our climate and raising utility bills. If we continue to act inefficiently and rely on old energy like oil, coal and gas for our electric needs, by 2030 the average New Mexican can expect to pay $1,894 more on utilities each year. Investing in energy efficiency now will not only cut our demand, it reduces the costs associated with fossil fuels.
Our national leaders recognized this need for action, and the House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act this past June. The bill contains a number of important measures to increase energy efficiency like requiring utilities to save energy, setting standards to make new buildings more efficient, and funding state programs that retrofit existing homes to save money on energy bills. New Mexico has already received more than $1.3 million in federal stimulus money for energy efficiency grants.
Unfortunately, special interests in the fossil fuel industry, and their cronies in Congress, have been working hard to generate opposition to these policies, claiming investment in clean energy and efficiency would cost too much.
Nothing could be further from the truth. When it comes to energy efficiency, economic and environmental interests are perfectly aligned: the less energy we use, the less we spend on energy bills. There may be initial investment required to install a more efficient furnace or purchase higher quality insulation, but these costs are recouped many times over in annual energy savings. Study after study shows that investing in energy efficiency yields the biggest dollar return and fuels more jobs than investing in traditional energy models.
The movement toward sustainable building practices is forging ahead at full speed. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, policies supporting energy efficiency lower energy costs and create jobs; the stronger the bill, the bigger the benefits. Voluntary approaches are falling by the wayside as mandates and subsequent education drives our culture toward compliance in meeting the goals of a sustainable future.
With strong energy efficiency improvements in the climate and energy legislation from the Senate, New Mexicans could save an average of $337 per year and benefit from 4,300 new sustainable jobs created over the next 10 years. Potential energy efficiency provisions would also prevent 3 million metric tons of global warming pollution from being emitted, protecting our vulnerable drought ridden climate.
Energy efficiency policies have massive potential to revitalize our economy and preserve our traditional cultures, and we can't afford to wait. We must call on Senators Tom Udall and Jeff Bingaman to push for strong efficiency measures in Congressional climate legislation — standards that require utilities to reduce energy demand by 10 percent by 2020 and push utilities like PNM to reinvest one-third of the credits they receive so that New Mexicans can benefit from the enormous potential to cut spending costs, make money, create jobs and protect our future.
We've known the benefits of energy efficiency for decades, but special interests have blocked any real progress at the national level until now. It's time for New Mexico to invest in a more profitable energy economy so that when we flick on our light switches, we're doing more than illuminating our homes. By repowering America with clean energy and efficiency, we're investing in a brighter future for all New Mexicans.
Co-authors of this op-ed column are Rebecca Sobel, grassroots director for WildEarth Guardians; and Faren Dancer, designer/builder of the Emerald Home, president of Sundancer Creations Custom Builders and president of the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association. Jake Horowitz is Mountain West field associate with Environment New Mexico.
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