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

“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.”

Switching traditional light sources to energy-efficient LED or connected LED lighting is one easy area where states and cities can take action to quickly help reduce both emissions and costs. Road and street lighting as well as lighting in offices, schools, warehouses and factories, or other commercial and municipal buildings all present opportunities for upgrades.

There is more positive news. “The IRA and the bipartisan IIJA provided a monumental boost to energy efficiency funding,” said Lisa Jacobson, President of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy. “Notably, the pair of legislation provided US$3.5 billion to weatherize homes in underserved communities and US$8.8 billion for home energy-efficiency rebates, among other energy-efficiency incentives. These incentives are crucial for driving down energy costs for consumers, reducing US carbon emissions and building resilient electrical grids."

When delegates arrive in New York for this year’s week of climate deliberations, they need to keep this year’s theme of “We Can. We Will.” at the top of their minds. We need the world’s largest economy to accelerate rapid and positive change, and not only unlock the potential of energy efficiency but also decisively turn climate action into a race for the net-zero future that we need today and that future generations deserve.