Energy Efficiency and the 2012 Conventions

C​onvention Venues: Energy-Efficient Features The DNC’s Time Warner Cable Arena: Walkable from most related events Low-voltage system controls groups of lights Exterior and low-use lights have motion sensors Uses flourescent lights The RNC’s Tampa Bay Times Forum: Recently added an energy-efficient ventilation system The RNC’s Tampa Convention Center: Subpanel makes electrical distribution more efficient Generates its own electricity during peak demand periods through an emergency generator. Uses motion-sensor light fixtures Sources: Mother Nature Network, Time Warner Cable Arena.

Photo: Democratic National Convention, Sept. 6, 2012; courtesy of the DNC Flickr page.

The 2012 Republican and Democratic National Conventions both stressed the importance of an “all of the above” energy strategy , and Alliance to Save Energy leaders were on-hand at the conventions to advocate for energy policies that include a strong commitment to energy efficiency.

Although the speeches given and platforms adopted at the conventions compared types of energy sources, the Alliance to Save Energy’s mission focuses solely on advancing energy efficiency and not on any particular energy source.

Who Talked About Energy Efficiency?

All direct references to energy efficiency came from four Democratic National Convention (DNC) speakers, including President Obama. They spoke of energy efficiency in the same breath as economic competitiveness, and pointed to efficiency as one of, if not the most, important factor in saving America’s energy resources:

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: “We’re offering a [future] where construction workers build homes and factories that waste less energy.” Full speech.

BILL CLINTON, 42nd president of the United States: “The boom in oil and gas production, combined with greater energy efficiency, has driven oil imports to a near-20- year low and natural gas production to an all-time high... Now, the agreement the administration made with the management, labor, and environmental groups to double car mileage… will cut your gas prices in half, your gas bill.” Full speech.

JAMES ROGERS, chief executive of Duke Energy and speaker at the Alliance’s 2010 EE Global Forum: “We need to… to invest heavily in new zero-emission power sources… as well as new technologies, like electric vehicles. And we cannot lose sight of energy efficiency, because the cleanest, most efficient power plant is the one we never have to build. Here in Charlotte, we're committed to energy efficiency and a more sustainable future.” Full speech.

DEVAL PATRICK, governor of Massachusetts and speaker at the Alliance’s July 2012 Policy Perspectives event: “Today Massachusetts leads the nation in economic competitiveness, student achievement, health care coverage, life sciences and biotech, energy efficiency and veterans services.” Full speech.

Energy, Generally Speaking

According to The New York Times’ interactive word cloud, the speeches of 11 Republican National Convention (RNC) speakers and 23 DNC speakers mentioned “energy” in the context of America’s energy system.

• View a chart of what DNC and RNC speakers said about energy.

Energy in the 2012 Party Platforms

Although the Republican Party Platform does not mention energy efficiency specifically, it offers areas to potentially address energy efficiency in certain economic sectors. Key quotes from the platform document include: 

• “We are the party of sustainable jobs and economic growth — through American energy, agriculture, and environmental policy.”
•  “Our policies aim at energy security to ensure an affordable, stable, and reliable energy supply for all parts of the country and all sectors of the economy. Energy security is intimately linked to national security.”
• "It is important to … aggressively develop alternative sources for electricity generation such as wind, hydro, solar, biomass, geothermal, and tidal energy. Partnerships between traditional energy industries and emerging renewable industries can be a central component in meeting the nation’s long-term needs.”

​Above photo courtesy of RNC Facebook page.

The Democratic Party Platform mentions energy efficiency in a variety of contexts. Key quotes from the platform document:

•  “It’s not enough to invent clean energy technologies here; we want to make them here and sell them around the world. We can further cut our reliance on oil with increased energy efficiency in buildings, industry, and homes, and through the promotion of advanced vehicles, fuel economy standards, and the greater use of natural gas in transportation.”
•  “We have developed historic fuel efficiency standards that will limit greenhouse gas emissions from our vehicles for the first time in history, made unprecedented investments in clean energy, and proposed the first-ever carbon pollution limits for new fossil-fuel-fired power plants. As we move towards lower carbon emissions, we will continue to support smart, energy efficient manufacturing.”

Alliance Rings the Bell of Energy Efficiency

At both conventions, Alliance to Save Energy President Kateri Callahan and three Alliance leaders participated in policy briefings and panels to call attention to energy efficiency. The Alliance’s message – that energy efficiency is the quickest, cheapest and cleanest way to achieve America’s energy goals – went out to policymakers, delegates, campaign insiders, administration officials, journalists, business leaders, pollsters, and pundits in attendance, as well as audiences across print, web and social media channels.

In addition to hosting two National Journal briefings, the Alliance called a senior Romney campaign adviser’s attention to the lack of energy efficiency in his candidate’s energy plan, and extolled the bipartisan nature of energy-efficient policies to international diplomats.