It’s time to unlock the United States’ energy efficiency potential

Opportunity and action are on the agenda at Climate Week NYC

Climate Week NYC, an annual summit that takes place alongside the UN General Assembly kicked off this week, with an important theme: “We Can. We Will.”

For several years, scientists, associations and businesses have been stating that the technologies to bend the curve on global emissions and global warming are available. This year’s weather anomalies have shown more clearly than ever the stark reality of climate change. “We Can. We Will.” is an urgent call to focus on solutions and actions rather than problems and complexities.

While greenhouse gas reduction targets and regulatory frameworks are set at global and national levels, the transition to energy efficiency can take root at the state and municipal levels.

Complementary measures to create demand for both passive and active energy-efficiency technologies and solutions also offer an important opportunity for significant and quick emissions as well as cost reductions. Passive efficiency measures entail installing insulation and double or triple-glazing windows, while active efficiency measures include installing building management systems and changing the lights in the ceilings and streets. These measures can create jobs, while lowering energy bills and helping to improve comfort and safety.

“The solutions to the current crisis are well-known and need to be rapidly scaled up. Clean electricity will be the backbone of the net-zero economy, enabling us to electrify almost everything which currently emits carbon,” explains Alice Steenland, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer at Signify. “This, combined with energy-saving technologies, will mean we can go much further and faster than we are today. These developments can also help yield additional benefits, from cleaner air to improved living and workspaces.”

In the US, we estimate that replacing all conventional light sources with connected LED lighting would bring an annual reduction in 70 million tons of carbon emissions and save $28 billion in energy costs. Those savings offer the potential to add capacity in energy networks for other purposes, most importantly, the electrification of transportation and heating. By transitioning all traditional light points to LED or connected lighting, the US could save enough energy to power almost 42 million heat pumps or charge 49 million electric vehicles per year.

If we take New York State as an example of the effect at the state level, the numbers are equally significant and relevant. For example, a statewide switch to connected LED lighting offers the potential to save enough electricity to operate 2.6 million heat pumps or charge three million electric vehicles per year.

“The impact that energy efficiency has made and can make toward climate change mitigation is often overlooked and understated,” explains Paula Glover, President of the Alliance to Save Energy. “Were it not for the energy efficiency investments made since 1980, annual emissions would be nearly 80% higher than what they are currently. Additionally, the IEA estimates that energy efficiency alone can deliver 40% of the emission reductions required by the Paris Agreement.”

But there’s more, says Glover: “The value of energy efficiency goes far beyond reducing carbon emissions – and includes billions of dollars in energy cost savings annually, in addition to adding greater reliability to US energy systems. As we invest in climate strategies that lead with energy efficiency first, we better define future capacity and supply needs; positively impact utility rates; lower energy costs behind the meter; drive emissions downward; and lay the foundation for a just energy transition.”