NEEA Publishes 2013 Annual Report

NEEA’s Annual Report highlights regional collaboration to accelerate energy efficiency in 2013; exceeds savings targets

Portland, Ore. – June 25, 2014 – Today Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) released its 2013 Annual Report. Working together with more than 140 Northwest utilities, Bonneville Power Administration and Energy Trust of Oregon, NEEA achieved a number of market transformation results across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors. These achievements resulted in NEEA exceeding its 2013 energy savings targets for initiatives funded in this business cycle, and demonstrated significant market progress over the past year.

The 2013 Annual Report highlights a number of regional results, including:

• NEEA launched its Next Step Home specification to provide a pathway to more rigorous energy codes in the future. It is now testing how this specification of advanced energy-efficient building practices and technologies will deliver the most reliable energy savings, and working to provide the industry with the tools to prepare for future code change.
• NEEA partnered with market actors to influence industrial and commercial business leaders to prioritize Strategic Energy Management (SEM) within their operations. By 2013, total regional savings from food processors applying SEM equaled 18.6 aMW; and 40 percent of Northwest healthcare organizations and 16 percent of leased commercial office buildings operate in accordance with SEM elements.
• NEEA and the Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association (RETA) launched the first certification program for industrial energy specialists to demonstrate low- and no-cost energy-saving activities. Certified Refrigeration Energy Specialist (CRES) operators will be able to save an estimated 3 to 12 percent of their facilities’ energy use by implementing these energy efficiency activities.

NEEA’s work, together with its funders, resulted in 112 average megawatts (aMW) of co-created savings in 2013 – enough energy to power 81,000 Northwest homes each year, throughout Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Since 1997, cumulative savings associated with NEEA’s initiatives have now surpassed the 1,000 aMW threshold.

“Energy efficiency has been the Northwest’s lowest-cost energy resource, saving consumers billions and creating jobs,” said Governor Steve Bullock, Montana. “NEEA has been a key contributor to this effort through its strong alliance of Northwest utilities and energy efficiency organizations. I commend NEEA for its impressive accomplishments in the last 18 years, and know it will continue to lead the effort in energy efficiency market transformation.”

“NEEA brings value to the Northwest by identifying and pursing energy efficiency opportunities that can only be achieved working regionally,” said Susan E. Stratton, NEEA’s executive director. “Together, we are creating the market conditions that support energy efficiency as a cornerstone of a vibrant, sustainable Northwest.”

NEEA’s 2013 Annual Report is available to the public online, and features interactive graphics, videos and maps. Read the full report at neea.org/annualreport.

About the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) is an alliance of more than 140 Northwest utilities and energy efficiency organizations working on behalf of more than 13 million energy consumers. NEEA leverages its strong regional partnerships to effect market transformation by accelerating the adoption of energy-efficient products, services and practices. Since 1997, NEEA and its partners – including Avista Utilities, Bonneville Power Administration, Chelan County PUD, Clark Public Utilities, Cowlitz PUD, Eugene Water & Electric Board, Energy Trust of Oregon, Idaho Power, NorthWestern Energy, Pacific Power, Puget Sound Energy, Seattle City Light, Snohomish County Public Utilities, and Tacoma Power – have saved enough energy to power more than 700,000 homes each year. Energy efficiency can offset most of our new demand for energy, saving money and keeping the Northwest a healthy and vibrant place to live. www.neea.org