Energy Efficiency: America's Greatest Energy Resource

Energy efficiency is the nation’s greatest energy resource—we saved 54 quads in 2011 due to energy efficiency and conservation efforts taken since 1973. This is more energy than we get from from any single energy source, including oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear power.  

The Alliance to Save Energy estimates that if we tried to run today’s economy without the energy-efficiency improvements that have taken place since 1973, we would need 55 percent more energy supplies than we use now.  Much of these savings result from federal energy policies and programs like appliance and motor vehicle standards, research and development, and the Energy Star program.