This report showcases the innovation and leadership of 22 chambers of commerce that when faced with the challenge of ensuring the future strength of their economies, have employed creative new agendas that not only help reverse the effects of environmental degradation but leverage the occasion for valuable economic and social gain.

http://livable.org/storage/documents/reports/Sustainability/DollarsAndSenseOfGreenBusinessMay2010.pdf


The Long-Term Energy Efficiency Potential:
What the Evidence Suggests

Released January 11, 2012
ACEEE Research Report E121

Source:
Amercian Council for an Energy Efficient Economy

Authors:
John A. "Skip" Laitner, Steven Nadel, R. Neal Elliott, Harvey Sachs, and A. Siddiq Khan

Description:

The U.S. economy has tripled in size since 1970 and three-quarters of the new demand for energy comes from an amazing variety of advances in energy efficiency—not from other energy supplies. Going forward, the current economic recovery, and our future economic prosperity, will depend much more on energy-efficient behaviors and investments than we’ve seen in the last 40 years. In this report we outline three scenarios under which the U.S. could either continue along its current path, or by which we might encourage a greater level of productive investments in energy efficiency so that by the year 2050, we can reduce overall energy consumption by 40 to 60 percent. The savings would benefit all parts of the economy including the residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation sectors. These savings come from many current and advanced technologies but also from improved optimization of building, transportation, industrial, and electric power systems as existing systems are renovated or replaced.

Critically, a pattern of productive efficiency investments would drive a net gain of almost two million jobs even as consumers save an average of $400 billion per year (the equivalent of about $2,600 per household). Indeed, the evidence suggests that without a greater emphasis on the more efficient use of our energy resources, there may be as many as three jokers in the deck that will constrain the robustness of our nation’s future economy. These include the many uncertainties surrounding the availability of conventional and relatively inexpensive energy supplies, a slowing rate of energy and therefore economic productivity, and a variety of pending climate constraints that may create further economic impacts of their own. Given all of this, advances in large-scale energy efficiency are by far the smartest investment for America.

 Click here to download the report.


Adaptation Tool Kit: Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Land Use This report from the Georgetown Climate Center explores 18 different land-use tools that can be used to respond to the threats posed by sea-level rise to coastal development and infrastructure and discusses how governments may determine which tools are most useful in their unique socioeconomic and political contexts: http://www.georgetownclimate.org/resources/adaptation-tool-kit-sea-level-rise-and-coastal-land-use.

Advanced Energy Design Guide  This Guide has practical advice to help architects, engineers, and contractors design and build highly efficiency K-12 school buildings, achieving 50% energy savings in K-12 schools, saving taxpayer dollars. The Guide was developed through the collaboration of ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES), and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), with support from the Department of Energy (DOE), to help meet all of an owner's energy performance requirements :  http://www.ashrae.org/standards-research--technology/advanced-energy-design-guides/50-percent-aedg-free-download

Clean Cities Tools: Tools to Help You Save Money, Use Less Petroleum, and Reduce Emissions is a January 2012, four-page brochure from the Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) office at the U.S. Department of Energy which lists and briefly describes tools available to move cities and their residents toward cleaner and more economical transportation: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/pdfs/clean_cities_tools.pdf
 Clean Energy and the Economy:  Assessing the Many Benefits of State and Local Clean Energy Initiatives This four-page document from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides an overview on the economic benefits of clean energy, how to estimate the macroeconomic benefits of clean energy, quantitative examples the economic, air quality, and public health benefits of clean energy and where to go for more information: http://www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/documents/pdf/background_paper_8-4-2011.pdf

Clean Energy Financing Decision Tool and Guide The U.S. EPA's State and Local Climate and Clean Energy Program offers a Financing Program Decision Tool and a Financing Program Decision Guide.  The Tool is designed for state and local staff in the early stages of choosing a clean energy financing program. Answer a handful of simple questions, and the Tool highlights quickly the most promising program options for your jurisdiction. The Guide, which complements the Tool, describes the basics on financing-program options, as well as key considerations and factors for a state or community to weigh when starting up or expanding as a clean energy financing program.  Details at: http://epa.gov/statelocalclimate/state/activities/tool.html
 
Model Energy Efficiency Program Evaluation Guide This Guide from U.S. EPA describes approaches for calculating energy, demand and emissions savings from building/facility efficiency programs:  http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/documents/suca/evaluation_guide.pdf.  Additional information about measuring savings is at:  http://epa.gov/statelocalclimate/state/activities/determining-results.html

Decoupling for Electric and Gas Utilities: Frequently Asked Questions This publication of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) discusses regulatory approaches, such as decoupling utility revenues from energy sales, that better align the financial interests with delivery of efficiency programs by limiting the current regulatory “throughput disincentive” to utility investment in energy efficiency. http://www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/documents/pdf/supp_mat_decoupling_elec_gas_utilities.pdf

Opportunities for Greenhouse Gas Reduction Through Forestry and Agriculture in Florida
This study from the University of Florida study quantifies the economic benefits associated with Florida's forestry and agricultural sectors and bioenergy: http://snre.ufl.edu/research/greenhouse.htm

Renewable Energy in the South, A Policy Brief This paper from the Georgia Institute of Technology    This working paper assesses the economic potential of renewable electricity generation in the South under alternative policy scenarios: http://www.spp.gatech.edu/faculty/workingpapers/wp58.pdf

Texas Energy Office Informative fact sheets about renewable energy and energy efficiency: http://www.infinitepower.org/factsheets.htm

The State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network The Network is a state and local effort facilitated by the federal government that helps states, utilities, and other local stakeholders achieve all cost-effective energy efficiency by 2020. This initiative has engaged diverse stakeholders in the development and implementation of eight energy efficiency roadmaps across the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, as well as key crosscutting topics, including evaluation, measurement and verification; financing; building codes; consumer information and behavior; and utility motivation and energy efficiency.  Publications associated with this effort are here:  http://www1.eere.energy.gov/seeaction/




  “Breaking New Ground: Promoting Environmental and Energy Programs in Local Governments”

That’s the name of a newly released report from the International City – County Managers Association (ICMA) on the results of their nationwide survey of local governments. The results have great value for communities across the country.

See them at: http://www.businessofgovernment.org/sites/default/files/Promoting%20Environmental%20and%20Energy%20Programs%20in%20Local%20Government.pdf

Solar Prices Contine to Drop

Follow this link to learn how the price of solar continues to drop, and understand how Gainesville’s feed-in-tariff program works to provide a guaranteed income stream for homes using solar energy.

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20111108/ARTICLES/111109 545/-1/pets?template=printart

DOE Issues Report on Financing Solar Photovoltaic Systems
for K-12 Schools
October 20, 2011

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today released a report titled, "Solar Schools Assessment and Implementation Project: Financing Options for Solar Installations on K-12 Schools," detailing best practices for financing and installing photovoltaic (PV) systems on school buildings.

For details and the complete report: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=632

NACo offers counties new ways to save and purchase green products 
 
On October 13, 2011, the National Association of Counties (NACo) announced the launch of an interactive web-based resource to help county governments across the country save money while purchasing more environmentally-friendly products.

The County Green Purchasing Toolkit was developed to share the experience of innovative counties with other local governments interested in saving money and protecting the environment. Through the toolkit, county leaders can learn from county successes in finding green products, setting goals, developing effective policies, and educating staff and community members about how to save money while purchasing green.

To find out more and access the toolkit, visit
www.naco.org/greenpurchasing. For more information contact Jared Lang at 202.942.4224.

Program will help homeowners pay for energy efficiency

10.3.11 article from the Miami Herald talks about new rebates to come for solar installations -- over $15 million worth -- in mid-October through FPL. Check it out at:  http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/03/2430820/saving-on-solar.html

April 2008 University of Florida study titled "Opportunities for Greenhouse Gas Reduction through Forestry and Agriculture in Florida" which quantifies economic benefits associated with Florida's forestry and agricultural sectors and bioenergy.
http://snre.ufl.edu/research/greenhouse.htm

“Building Clean-Energy Industries and Green Jobs: Policy Innovations at the State and Local Government Level.”  August 2010 National-Science-Foundation-supported university-based research report from “The Greening of Economic Development” grant that enabled a summer training seminar led or supported by professors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Eight doctoral students were selected for participation in the seminar based on a national competition.
http://skill-works.org/documents/RensselaerPolytechnic_Policies_8-10.pdf

US DOE's Oct. 2010 issued Advanced Energy Design Guide with practical advice to help architects, engineers, and contractors design and build highly efficiency K-12 school building, achieving 50% energy savings in K-12 schools, saving taxpayer dollars.

DOE Announces Guide for 50 Percent More Energy Efficient K-12 School Buildings
October 12, 2011

"The U.S. Department of Energy today announced the release of the second installment in a series of four 50% Advanced Energy Design Guides (AEDGs). This latest guide will help architects, engineers, and contractors design and build highly efficient K-12 school buildings, saving taxpayer dollars. The 50% AEDG series provides a practical approach to designing schools and other major commercial building types that achieve 50% energy savings compared to the commercial building energy code used in many parts of the nation. These commercial building guides support President Obama’s goal to reduce energy use in commercial buildings 20% by 2020 and will help drive demand for energy-saving products made in the United States. The Advanced Energy Design Guide for 50% energy savings in K-12 schools is now available for download."
http://www.ashrae.org/publications/page/aedg50pct

                                            Stay tuned ... More publications to come soon