Earlier this year, Gov. Ritter signed House Bill 1037, a CoPIRG-backed measure to expand energy efficiency programs throughout the state. We applaud the governor and the Legislature for supporting this critical bill, but we believe that there’s more work to be done.
“House Bill 1037 is a great start,” said Kirpal Singh, CoPIRG’s staff attorney and energy policy advocate. “But if we continue to expand on this victory, we can make energy even more affordable and efficient for Coloradans and ensure that the state meets its energy needs for years to come.”
CoPIRG is excited to announce the creation of their Campaign for an Energy-Efficient Colorado. Over the next two years, CoPIRG advocates will work to increase electricity energy efficiency throughout the state, save Coloradans money on their utility bills, and ensure a bright energy future for Colorado.
CoPIRG advocates will be working toward three different goals:
Energy-Efficient Appliances
While Colorado requires many appliances to meet certain standards for energy efficiency, many common products are not yet covered. Products not currently covered by efficiency standards include commercial heating and refrigeration equipment, some residential lighting fixtures, and consumer electronic products that “leak” electricity when not in use, like DVD players and cable boxes.
If efficiency standards were adopted for products like these, consumers and businesses across the nation would use about 5 percent less electricity each year by 2020, an output equivalent to approximately 200 power plants running at 300 megawatts. These standards would provide consumers and businesses a net benefit of more than $80 billion, five times what the initiatives would cost to implement.
Energy-Saving Building Codes
Energy Efficiency Building Codes (EEBCs) can potentially save substantial amounts of energy within both commercial and residential building sectors. In 2005, California adopted building efficiency standards that now save the state enough electricity to power 180,000 average-sized homes. CoPIRG will work to implement similar standards in Colorado. CoPIRG will also work to increase potential energy savings that could be gained through retrofitting commercial buildings.
Programs For Rural Coloradans
Rural Electric Associations in Colorado do not have to provide energy efficiency programs that are as comprehensive as the ones investor-owned utilities, such as Xcel Energy, have to provide to their customers. We want the Rural Electric Associations to increase energy efficiency programs for their customers, with electricity savings requirements of 2 percent each year.
