According to the Consortium for Energy Efficiency, it looks like program budgets are going up for Energy Efficiency programs exceeding 3.7 billion. That's right. That's a B for billion. This takes into account Canada as well. I am hoping south of the border can be quoted next year as it will be interesting what Mexico is doing around this. I went to CEE last month and found it very helpful in learning the landscape. It gave me a lot of insight and their website is very helpful resource.

2007 Efficiency Program Budgets Exceed $3.7 Billion
CEE Reports on Budget Data for Third Year

This year’s report on the size of efficiency program industry in 2007 shows the magnitude of programs in both the U.S. and Canada. Taken together, these programs, all ratepayer-funded, are now an industry, shaping both supply and demand for efficient products in both markets.

U.S. programs reached $3.1 billion, an 18 percent increase over 2006. While Canada has long sponsored efficiency programs, this is the first year the data have been aggregated in one place. Canada adds another $.6 billion, bringing the total to $3.7 billion. Budgets include commercial and industrial, residential, low income, and load management programs, along with the other expenditures necessary in different regions with varying conditions.

The impact of these programs is also available for 2006. The efficiency program industry saved Canadian and U.S. ratepayers an astounding $5.4 billion in 2006. That figure is based on energy savings of 59,800 GWh of electricity and 162.6 million therms of gas. Thus, efficiency programs abated 36 million metric tonnes of CO2, an increase of 7 million tonnes over 2005 savings.

The CEE report is available in two formats. You can request a printed overview report from CEE, or you can visit the Web site at http://www.cee1.org/ee-pe/2007/index.php3 for details by state, region, and province and by sector.



CEE
CEE is a consortium that brings together efficiency program administrators from across the U.S. and Canada to discover, through conversation, credible, unbiased solutions to issues in the efficiency program industry. As a collective entity, the individual efficiency programs of CEE are able to partner not only with each other, but with other industries, trade associations, and government agencies. By working together at CEE, administrators multiply the effect of their funding dollars, exchange information on best practices and, by doing so, achieve greater energy efficiency for the public good.