Dive Brief:
- Energy efficiency is the Northwest's second largest supply resource behind hydroelectric generation, according to the Northwest Power & Conservation Council (NPCC), a Northwest grid planning organization.
- The Northwest's energy efficiency savings hit 253 average MW (2.2 million MWh) in 2012, about 5.4% more than expected but down somewhat from the year before.
- The efficiency investments in 2012 cost about 1.8 cents/kWh, according to NPCC.
- Reflecting a trend, commercial and industrial savings grew faster than residential, agricultural, and other sectors in 2012.
Northwest Power & Conservation Council
Dive Insight:
The Northwest has been a regional leader on energy efficiency for years. The region spent $28.02 per person on efficiency measures in 2012, nearly double the U.S. average of $16.17, according to the NPCC's staff.
“Once again, the region’s utilities, Bonneville Power Administration, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, Energy Trust of Oregon, electricity consumers, and businesses that install energy efficiency worked together to exceed the Council’s ambitious annual target,” NPCC Chair Bill Bradbury said.
