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NH Struggling With Energy Policy

Published Tuesday Nov 8, 2011

Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) released its first Regional Roundup, a new report examining overall trends and which states are leading and lagging in capturing cost-effective energy efficiency to help meet energy demand as cleanly and cheaply as possible. While not a ranking, the Roundup uses icons to denote a state's overall progress in terms of best practices in efficiency policy and in the context of the state's own recent history.

The report shows New Hampshire as struggling. According to NEEP, the biggest hurdle for New Hampshire is the absence of a policy directive making energy efficiency a first-order resource. A recent independent review www.puc.state.nh.us/EESE.htm of the state's energy policy lists enacting such a policy directive as a top priority to move the state forward.

New Hampshire is poised to make landmark progress with its energy policy, if the state can seize upon some of the common-sense recommendations laid for in the Independent Study of Energy Policy Issues, presented to the legislature yesterday. said Natalie Hildt, NEEP's policy outreach manager. We hope that our Regional Roundup will help more folks in Concord and across the Granite State see what's possible when everyone's rowing in the same direction with regards to energy efficiency policy.

Examining the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region as a whole, the Regional Roundup provides a summary and analysis of some of the biggest building energy efficiency successes and setbacks in states from Maine to Maryland, including key energy efficiency laws and regulations, and changes in funding levels and savings goals for customer energy efficiency programs.

The Roundup is intended to give policymakers, efficiency advocates, program administrators and other stakeholders a comparative view of efficiency progress and pitfalls across the region, said Jim O'Reilly, director of public policy at NEEP. Along with state-level highlights, this paper reveals regional trends and shared challenges in harnessing the potential of energy efficiency to meet multiple public policy goals - controlling energy costs, improving system reliability strengthening the economy, growing jobs, improving public health and curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

Key Findings:
  • The Northeast continues to lead the nation in innovative energy policy, public and private support and per capita investment in efficiency programs.
  • Even in a slow economy, much of the region continues to ramp up efficiency, with investment levels expected to reach $2.5 billion this year.
  • States are grappling with the same challenges - how to fund efficiency for oil heated homes, how to coordinate state-wide programs to make access easier for customers, how to reach more homes and businesses and go deeper with efficiency projects.
  • In states like NH, ME, NJ and PA, fossil fuel and anti-regulatory interests threaten states' efforts to harness efficiency as the most cost-effective energy resource.
  • In states like MA, VT, NY, CT and RI, major efficiency commitments are helping to drive down utility costs for all, create local jobs and build the clean energy economy.
The full report including state-by-state information and regional data can be downloaded at neep.org/public-policy/policy-outreach-and-analysis/regional-roundup or visit www.neep.org.
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