Newly Sitting Pretty in the Top 10

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy just released the 2009 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard, and along with New England neighbors Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and Maine, we in Rhode Island are enjoying the view from the Top 10.

Brown's Project HeatSave takes advantage of National Grid rebates for programmable thermostats

The ProJo newsblog reports:

According to a press release, the scorecard examines these six state energy efficiency policy areas: (1) utility-sector and public benefits programs and policies; (2) transportation polices; (3) building energy codes; (4) combined heat and power; (5) state government initiatives; and (6) appliance efficiency standards. States can earn up to 50 possible points in these six policy areas combined.

The Ocean State earned 27.5 points, and moved up two spots from last year. We held fairly well in the categories of Utility and Public Benefits Efficiency Programs and Policies (9th), Transportation, Building and Energy Codes, and Appliance Efficiency Standards. On the other hand, came up short in State Government Initiatives and Combined Heat and Power.

Within Utility and Public Benefits Efficiency Programs and Policies we did poorly in the Targets subcategory. The report notes that: “Rhode Island has a legislative requirement enacted for electric and gas utilities to acquire all cost-effective energy efficiency that costs less than new energy supply as the first priority resource, placing it first in a utility’s resource “loading order” and greatly increasing the role of energy efficiency in utility long-term planning.” This was implemented in ’06, but with no approximate annual savings target in place.

As far as decoupling, we’re the only ones in the top 10 who do not have a like mechanism in place for either Electricity or Natural Gas (our neighbors all have both).  Luckily we do have performance incentives in place for both.

In Transit, we are lacking in State Transit Funding (surprise!) and in High-Efficiency Vehicle Consumer Incentives (is that a cue for PGR?). Happily we’re one of the 14 states who joined California in adopting some dope GHG Vehicle Emission Standards.

State Government Initiatives, one of my favs. The subcategories: Financial and Information Incentives (out of 3), Lead by Example: Building Requirements (out of 1), Lead by Example: Efficient Fleets (out of 1), RD&D (out of 2).
And RI? The score: 0 … 1 …. 1…. 0. Disappointing. But still a nice time to highlight Rep Dennigan/Senator DiPalma’s Green Buildings Act this year (House Bill 5355/ Senate Bill 232). requiring that all new state buildings and renovations meet LEED Silver, including schools.

Doesn't help much to blow it up, either. At least we have a clear view of how we stand against archrival states, Texas and Vermont.

For your viewing pleasure, a nearly illegible graphic. Are you more surprised that Texas beat us or that we’re 26 spots ahead of Vermont?

The report in its entirety is well organized and definitely worth a skim for those who’ve been talking about the rejuventation of RISCC and developing some ambitious climate change state legislation, in the vein of this years Global Warming Climate Solutions Act.

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