Today, Public Citizen and Environmental Defense Fund sent a letter to the Legislature calling on them to support the creation of a new state agency dedicated to efficiency. I tend to think in the problem-cause-solution framework about public policy issues so here’s the short version:
Problem: Energy efficiency languishes in Texas after years of progress. Indeed, the way Texas oversees its efficiency programs is ineffective, and ironically, inefficient.
Cause: There are at least five and potentially six state agencies that are involved in efficiency programs. They do not coordinate with each other. Many state employees probably do the same job. Meanwhile, the PUC fails to pass strong energy efficiency goals and they do not recognize energy efficiency as a pro-consumer and pro-business investment.
Solution: Consolidate all state efficiency programs into an entity that could independently review, approve and assess the current PUC and other state programs.
For the full letter sent to the Lege, click here.
What you can do about it: Call, email, your State Rep. and Senator. Tell them it’s time for energy efficiency reform. We can make it work better for all Texans.
-Matt
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.
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[...] week, Environmental Defense Fund joined Public Citizen and the SEED Coalition to call for the Texas Legislature to create a single independent efficiency [...]
The reason “energy efficiency” as you call it languishes is because it is not energy efficiency, it’s energy *rationing*.
Most normal people don’t like having their thermostats and appliances monitored so that the government can shut them off at its whim…
You’re referring to a specific type of load management–also called demand response. Those types of programs exist to manage peak load when virtually all available supply generation is being used.
Energy efficiency comprises a much larger set of tools–like rebates and low-interest loans–that consumers use to invest in newer, more efficient appliances or insulation/duct repair/weatherization that improves the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of the house.
-Matt
[...] week, Environmental Defense Fund joined Public Citizen and the SEED Coalition to call for the Texas Legislature to create a single independent efficiency [...]
[...] the efficiency agency idea (we’ve had something to say about it here, here and here in conjunction with the rather lame energy efficiency rule adopted on July [...]