Ensuring Efficiency

Last week a group dedicated to promoting energy efficiency in the Northwest met for the last time. The goal of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Taskforce was to draft an action plan to acquire efficiency and identify who should do what. The recommendations include improving data analysis and communication among partners.

Identifying where the next big energy savings will come from was another important topic of discussion. Compact fluorescent light bulbs have been a key reason we've achieved the large amount of efficiency we have in the last few years. So where will the next round come from?

A group of stakeholders has identified two key areas of interest: lighting and HVAC. As noted in the Council's Sixth Power Plan,"... recent advances in solidstate lighting--light-emitting diodes (LED) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLED)--appear to offer significant opportunities for savings in televisions and some lighting applications. The arrival in the U.S. market of ductless heat pumps for space heating also provides new savings opportunities."

Other areas to develop: expanding awareness of energy efficiency through online communities and social media. as well as an outreach campaign to consumers.

While NEET no longer exists, the work will continue to make sure the region meets its energy efficiency goals. We'll keep you informed on our progress.