California ranked first in a 50-state scorecard from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) that measures progress states have made in instituting energy efficiency policies that cut utility bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
California, which earned 47 of 50 points possible, centers equity in its energy policies and administers wide-reaching programs to reduce emissions from transportation, buildings and industry. Rounding out the top 10 are Massachusetts (2), New York (3), Vermont (4), Maine (5), Washington, DC (6), Maryland and Rhode Island (tied at 7), Connecticut (9) and Minnesota (10).
Regional leaders are California (1) in the West, Massachusetts (2) in the Northeast, Minnesota (10) in the Midwest, Colorado (13) in the Southwest, and Virginia (20) in the Southeast. Each of these states has enacted sweeping clean energy laws in recent years and expanded energy efficiency efforts to achieve climate goals. The scorecard is accompanied by one-page evaluations of each state’s performance, including possible ways to improve performance.
This year’s scorecard has an expanded focus on equitable energy efficiency policies that reduce energy burdens for low-income and disadvantaged households and historically underserved communities. The report evaluates states on 12 equity-focused actions, which represent 20 percent of total points available. ACEEE developed the scorecard’s new equity metrics through a multi-year consultation process with community-based organizations. Thirty-four states earned less than one-half the points on equity, showing there is significant room for improvement.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor of the facilities market. He has more than 25 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.
