Efficiency & Demand Response

Businesses, lawmakers urge $22B in federal clean energy investment as sector job losses top 600k

In a letter to Congressional leadership, dozens of companies and advocacy groups have proposed $22 billion in federal appropriations over five years to improve the safety, energy efficiency and resilience of critical public facilities.

By Robert Walton • June 03, 2020

Efficiency significantly cheaper than natural gas, DOE study concludes

Gas utilities in the U.S. spend about $1.4 billion a year on energy efficiency programs, which new research shows may be the most cost-effective way of meeting demand.

By Robert Walton • June 01, 2020

Deep Dive

Observing recovery through a climate 'magnifying glass'

COVID-19 presented cities with fresh observations of climate trends, marking a crucial time for leaders to weave climate change mitigation into recovery efforts.

By Chris Teale • May 29, 2020

A sneak peak at San Francisco's new low-carbon neighborhood

The city unanimously approved plans to build a 29-acre sustainable, transportation-efficient community on the site of a former century-old fossil fuel power plant. 

By Cailin Crowe • May 29, 2020

Retail co-location may prove key to sustainable funding for EV charging, panel finds

Grants and partnerships get the ball rolling, but retail businesses and restaurants may be the sustainable solution to a widening adoption-infrastructure gap, analysts concluded during a May 27 webinar by C2ES.

By Emma Penrod • May 29, 2020

Columbus, OH exceeds EV adoption goal

Local residents have purchased more than 3,300 electric vehicles over the past three years as part of its $10 million Paul G. Allen Family Foundation grant. 

By Cailin Crowe • May 28, 2020

Opinion

The (energy) efficient road to small business recovery

A Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant program, to supplement available utility incentives, represents the type of innovative but practical policy solutions that can get the U.S. economy going again, the authors write.

By Ralph Cavanagh and John Di Stasio • May 27, 2020

Powering EVs is cheaper than diesel, gas in the largest US cities — Atlanta and Boston are exceptions

A report found powering electric vehicles could save fleet operators in 21 out of 25 U.S. cities compared with diesel and gas options, with EVs clear winners in Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle.

By Guy Burdick • May 27, 2020

New Jersey EV infrastructure plan targets private capital over ratepayer dollars 'wherever possible'

The approach is likely to cause some tension, as utilities naturally seek to own more of the infrastructure, including stations, the head of Sierra Club's New Jersey chapter said.

By Robert Walton • May 26, 2020

Deep Dive

As utilities tackle immediate COVID-19 impacts, analysts stress need to focus beyond the pandemic

Power systems across the country need new approaches for today's shifting loads, but focusing on recovery and tomorrow’s resources can be even better, analysts say.

By Herman K. Trabish • May 20, 2020

Con Edison commits $1.5 billion to energy efficiency

The pledge amounts to a tripling of the utility's current investment in such programs and will include customer incentives for ground and air-source heat pumps.

By Guy Burdick • May 20, 2020

Opinion

Energy efficiency has been hit hard by COVID-19; don't question its merits

The goals of reducing energy waste and maintaining affordability are not at odds with each other, the president of the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council writes.

By Laura Sherman • May 20, 2020

Electric trucks are the 'inevitable future,' fleets say

Despite the pandemic environment, states and fleets push forward on electric tractors.

By Jim Stinson • May 19, 2020

New York grants flexibility, works to limit 'bad actors' in demand response programs hit by COVID-19

Experts say the economic shutdown and uncertainty related to COVID-19 have created "a real concern" for the demand response industry, which profits by delivering predictable reductions in electricity usage.

By Robert Walton • May 19, 2020

Miami pilots e-cargo bikes to reduce congestion, pollution

The city partnered with DHL and Reef Technologies to pilot the bikes for last-mile deliveries, a move that's expected to reduce 101,000 kg of CO2e annually.

By Cailin Crowe • May 19, 2020

Opinion

6 reasons why California needs to deploy dynamic pricing by 2030

The state's mandate for 100% renewable energy by 2045 will create challenges for system reliability, which can be maintained if load responds dynamically to changing system conditions, a Brattle Group Principal writes.

By Ahmad Faruqui • May 19, 2020

Opinion

The risk to beneficial electrification: residential demand charges

Electrification is only beneficial if it achieves one of society's goals without harming another, the author writes.

By Patty Durand • May 18, 2020

Opinion

Time to revisit utility energy efficiency programs

Utility regulators should consider whether energy efficiency programs should be scaled down or even exist at all, the author writes.

By Kenneth W. Costello • May 13, 2020

St. Louis' building efficiency standards pave way for the Midwest

New legislation in St. Louis marks a major step forward in reducing building emissions, which make up 80% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the city.

By Chris Teale • May 12, 2020

Opinion

Energy optimization: Shaping — and increasing — electricity use to reduce emissions

Meaningful carbon emissions reductions will require fuel-switching as well as prioritizing efficiency at certain times more than others, the authors write.

By Mike Henchen and Sherri Billimoria • May 12, 2020

Cities 'finally waking up' to the benefits of smart streetlights: survey

The Northeast Group found 59% of the largest U.S. cities are actively converting to LED streetlights, which could help lead to an $8.2 billion investment in smart street lighting over the next decade.

By Chris Teale • May 07, 2020

MISO: Majority of coal is self-committed, 12% was uneconomic over 3-year period

Advocacy groups say the numbers support their arguments that running coal plants uneconomically is costing ratepayers billions of dollars.

By Catherine Morehouse • May 07, 2020

Buildings are huge sources of load flexibility, but what's that worth to utilities? DOE investigates

Buildings account for 75% of U.S. electricity consumption, making them key to an interactive grid, a report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory finds.

By Robert Walton • May 05, 2020

Tesla delays electric semi truck delivery to 2021, citing battery supply issues

CEO Elon Musk said the production schedule slowed as the company needed to increase battery production to serve all its products. 

By S.L. Fuller • May 05, 2020

Google machine learning shifts data center operations to maximize efficiency, renewables use

Data centers consume about 1% of worldwide electricity, but while the computing power to run the internet has grown steadily over the last decade, its energy demand has remained relatively consistent.

By Robert Walton • May 04, 2020