The report says that, even taking policy constraints into account, and rolling out less than half of the energy-efficiency measures that are cost-effective given current electricity rates, Virginia can achieve almost 28 million kilowatt hours (kWh) in energy savings by 2025.

Press Statement
September 19, 2008

Sarah Rispin Staff Attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center, 434-977-4090
Kayti Wingfield Sierra Club, Virginia Chapter, 540-470-0643
Tom Cormons Appalachian Voices, 301-910-8973

Richmond, Va. –  The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) submitted a report today to Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, following months of analysis, showing that energy efficiency is a cheap, accessible and low-impact way to provide for the lion’s share of the growth in Virginia’s projected energy use through 2025.  The report says that, even taking policy constraints into account, and rolling out less than half of the energy-efficiency measures that are cost-effective given current electricity rates,  Virginia can achieve almost 28 million kilowatt hours (kWh) in energy savings by 2025. At the same time, such a program would save ratepayers $15 billion in energy bills, pump $11 billion in investments into the Virginia economy, and create over 9,800 jobs in the state.  This is more than double the rate of savings that Virginia’s 2007 electric utility restructuring legislation recommends.

Wise Energy for Virginia lauds the report, which shows clearly that energy efficiency-the wise use of energy produced with existing generation facilities already in use by Virginia residents, businesses and industry-will more than offset the “need” for new generation facilities that Dominion Power has cited as the main motive behind building its planned $1.8 billion coal-fired power plant in Wise County, Virginia.

Based on conservative assumptions, the report suggests that Virginia can offset the need for 6,048 megawatts (MW) in peak demand by 2025.  At the same time, it can reduce the amount of carbon that Virginia pumps into the atmosphere by 240 million tons per year.  In contrast, the Wise County plant would increase Virginia’s carbon footprint by more than 5.4 million tons per year.

Wise Energy for Virginia urges the Virginia government to embrace the lessons of the report, and move in the right direction by investing in energy efficiency, which will provide a needed boost to the economy, help Virginia businesses compete in an increasingly high-cost environment, and allow the state to catch up with the rest of the nation in easing its global warming impact.

View the report here>>