Policy

Sound policy can break down barriers to energy efficiency at the local, state, regional and national levels. The Alliance promotes energy efficiency policies that are meaningful, politically viable and implementable.

Critical to the Solution

Barriers to energy efficiency — including the need for upfront capital investment, lack of consumer awareness and highly-subsidized prices for fossil fuels — often prevent even the "low-hanging fruit" from being picked. Fortunately, sound energy policy can break through these barriers and transform market conditions to create an energy-efficient nation.

Realizing energy efficiency's greatest potential is key component of the Alliance's mission and effective policy is a critical part of the solution. To achieve this goal, the Alliance Policy Team, which includes a research group and a government relations group, focuses on three main tasks:

Policy formulation and analysis;
Policy advocacy; and
Education of policymakers, consumers and the media.

Exec Order Sets Commendable Goals for Upping Fed Agencies Efficiency

Date:

February 1, 2007

The Alliance to Save Energy commended the Bush Administration’s recent Executive Order (EO) 13423 increasing energy efficiency in federal agencies while also emphasizing that the EO’s ambitious goals cannot be achieved without adequate budgets, staffing, technical support, and accountability.

Exec Order Sets Commendable Goals for Upping Fed Agencies' Energy Efficiency, but Success Requires Adequate Resources

Washington, D.C., January 30, 2007 – The Alliance to Save Energy commended the Bush Administration’s recent Executive Order (EO) 13423 increasing energy efficiency in federal agencies while also emphasizing that the EO’s ambitious goals cannot be achieved without adequate budgets, staffing, technical support, and accountability.

Topics: Federal Energy Management, Policy
Programs: Policy and Research Program

Bush's 20-10 Energy Plan Sets Laudable Efficiency Goals; Administration, Congress Must Collaborate to Make Them Real

Author:

Ronnie Kweller

Contact Email:

rkweller@ase.org

Date:

January 24, 2007

Administration and Congress must work together to codify new CAFE standards that can ensure realization of the gas savings sought by the President.

Washington, D.C., January 24, 2007 - President Bush's State of the Union address set important and laudable goals for decreased gasoline consumption to be achieved in part through increasing the fuel economy of passenger and light duty vehicles. The goal is set; the challenge now is to establish the programs and policies that will translate the goal into reality.

Topics: Codes and Standards , Policy, Transportation
Programs: Policy and Research Program

How Many Light Bulbs Does It Take to Change the World?

Author:

Ronnie Kweller

Contact Email:

rkweller@ase.org

Date:

January 22, 2007

The Power is in Your Hands campaign highlights the importance of energy efficiency in national energy policy and the idea that even simple actions can have a dramatic and meaningful impact when taken by millions of people.

Campaign Challenges Policy Makers to Advance Energy Efficiency
www.sixdegreechallenge.org

Topics: Information Technology, Lighting, Policy, Saving Money and Energy
Programs: Communications Program

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2006 World Energy Outlook Offers Prescription for Change

Date: Jan 09, 2007

World government leaders have the choice to set a global energy policy course that will reduce overall energy demand and drastically curb harmful greenhouse gas emissions. This course is outlined in a recently released report – The World Energy Outlook 2006 – by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and offers a compelling look at a sustainable energy future that can be accomplished by instituting measures and polices already under consideration by many countries.

As Gas Prices Surge Again, Alliance to Save Energy Urges New Congress to Increase Vehicle Fuel Economy

Author:

Ronnie Kweller

Contact Email:

rkweller@ase.org

Date:

January 4, 2007

With gas prices again on the upswing, the Alliance to Save Energy has called on Congress to focus on enacting cost-effective policies for achieving greater vehicle fuel economy.

Washington, D.C., January 4, 2007 – With gas prices again on the upswing, the Alliance to Save Energy has called on the new 110th Congress, convening today, to focus on enacting cost-effective policies for achieving greater vehicle fuel economy. The Alliance noted that in just two short months, from the end of October 2006 to January 1, 2007, the average retail price for regular gas rose from $2.20 to $2.30 per gallon, or 5 percent.

Topics: Codes and Standards , Policy, Transportation
Programs: Policy and Research Program

Energy Efficiency in Data Centers: A New Policy Frontier

data_center_energy.pdf

January 1, 2007

Thousands of high-density data centers nationwide house some 10 million computer servers and typically consume 15 times more energy per square foot – and in some instances up to 100 times more – than a typical office building.

This report offers a number of suggestions for how government can:

Topics: Evaluation Measurement & Verification, Information Technology, Policy
Programs: Policy and Research Program

One-Year Extension of Energy-Efficiency Tax Incentives A Positive But Limited Step, Says Alliance to Save Energy

Date:

December 11, 2006

Congress’s one-year extension of selected energy-efficiency tax incentives – expected to be signed into law shortly by President Bush – is a positive, but time-limited, step for promoting energy efficiency throughout the U.S. economy.

Washington, D.C., December 11, 2006 – Congress’s one-year extension of selected energy-efficiency tax incentives – expected to be signed into law shortly by President Bush – is a positive, but time-limited, step for promoting energy efficiency throughout the U.S. economy, the Alliance to Save Energy said today.

Topics: Homes and Buildings, Policy
Programs: Policy and Research Program

DOE’s Weak Energy-Efficiency Proposal for Furnaces Short-Changes U.S. Consumers on Potential Money Savings

Date:

October 6, 2006

The natural gas furnace energy-efficiency standards proposed today by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sacrifice significant potential energy and money savings that would benefit U.S. consumers and the nation’s economy and environment, the Alliance to Save Energy said.

How Ironic during Energy Awareness Month

Washington, D.C., October 6, 2006 – The natural gas furnace energy-efficiency standards proposed today by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sacrifice significant potential energy and money savings that would benefit U.S. consumers and the nation’s economy and environment, the Alliance to Save Energy said. Making matters worse on the already much-delayed regulation, the standard would not take effect until 2015. DOE will issue final regulations following a 75-day public comment period.

Topics: Federal Energy Management, Policy
Programs: Policy and Research Program