Letter from the President's Desk: EE Global and Lighting Standards
Dear Friends,
If you haven’t yet registered and made plans to attend EE Global in Brussels from April 12 - 14, it’s not too late. And, with the expanding line-up of notables and dignitaries that already have agreed to speak and/or attend, I promise you that this is the one, MUST ATTEND energy efficiency event this year! European Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger, Member of European Parliament Bendt Bendtsen (Denmark), former Governor Bill Ritter of Colorado, IEA President Nobuo Tanaka, U.S. Ambassador to Finland Bruce Oreck, and Fiona Harvey of the Guardian are among a long list of other notable CEOs, politicians and thought leaders who will headline the event.
Moreover, sponsors and exhibitors – which include Siemens, Whirlpool, Danfoss, Schneider Electric and a host of others – represent the elite businesses and organizations engaged in energy efficiency across the globe. Also, as so many of our Associates have operations in Europe, I’m hopeful that you will help us spread the word to your colleagues and business contacts in Europe. Remember, you – and they – get a special registration discount as Alliance Associates. So make plans today to sponsor, exhibit or just attend; I promise it will be one of the best investments of your time and money that you make in 2011!
On the policy front in the U.S., things are starting to heat up! Last week, I appeared on a syndicated TV program, Platt’s Energy Week, to discuss the prospects for energy efficiency legislation in the 112th Congress. In the interview, I touch upon a number of key priorities for the Alliance in these early days of the Congress: ensuring adequate funding to federal energy efficiency programs, fending off ill-conceived efforts to roll back the light bulb efficiency standards and advocating for consensus appliance standards.
We have been working alongside our Honorary Vice Chairs, Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and other energy efficiency advocates to pave the way for passage of Implementation of National Consensus Appliance Agreements Act (INCAAA) of 2011, also known as the appliance standards bill, which has been introduced in the U.S. Senate. The bill puts forth a set of appliance standards that have been agreed upon by appliance manufacturers, consumer groups and energy efficiency advocates. If passed, the bill would save consumers a net $43 billion through 2030, according to ACEEE. The Alliance is submitting a statement in support of the bill to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which is holding a hearing on it tomorrow. We expect an early markup on this important legislation.
Tomorrow’s Senate Energy Committee hearing also will cover the issue of the light bulb efficiency standards that were enacted as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007. There is an alarming growth in the amount of misinformation about these standards and their impact on American consumers, and we are working hard to set the record straight. Working over 40 partners, the Alliance, NEMA and ALA just launched a consumer education and outreach campaign, dubbed LUMEN (“Lighting Understanding for a More Efficient Nation”). LUMEN aims to help Americans understand the many benefits that will accrue from these new, technology-neutral standards, and to inform policy and opinion leaders and the press about the enormous energy and dollar savings that arise from the standards – and are at risk if the standards are delayed or repealed. If you live here in the D.C. area, you can see an example of the messages we are delivering by tuning into NBC4 on Monday, March 14, at 11 p.m. to hear our very own Jeff Harris discuss the lighting changes sweeping the country, along with products generously provided by Alliance Associates OSRAM SYLVANIA, Philips Lighting and Cree. In addition, I will be setting that record straight about the new light bulb efficiency standards tomorrow morning on American Public Media's "Marketplace Morning Report" radio show – if you live in D.C., tune in from 7:50 a.m. to 8 a.m. on WAMU 88.5; if you live outside of D.C., check your local NPR affiliate.
As you can see, there is much to be excited about here at the Alliance and much, much work to be done. If you can help, particularly if you and/or your organization want to engage on the LUMEN campaign or any of the important policy and communications work we have underway, please let me know. And, to close as I began, please register TODAY for EE Global. I promise that you will find the ideas, intersections and solutions that will help you to advance your organization’s energy efficiency agenda.
Best,
