Member-owned cooperatives have traditionally had an incentive to promote energy efficiency: reducing energy usage helps members lower their electricity bills.
Now cooperatives have another incentive: by increasing efficiency and reducing demand, cooperatives can avoid or postpone building expensive new power plants.
Cooperatives aggressively promote energy efficiency and conservation:
- 77 percent of co-ops offer free or low-cost residential energy audits
- 92 percent actively educate members on energy conservation
- 64 percent offer commercial and industrial energy audits
- 49 percent offer financial incentives for member efficiency/conservation efforts
- 41 percent offer weatherization services such as adding or replacing insulation
The Cooperative Research Network (CRN) has helped make cooperatives leaders in energy efficiency. With a portfolio of over 16 efficiency research projects, CRN is working with cooperatives on new approaches to demand response programs, converting waste heat to power and evaluating new heating systems.
NRECA believes that any plan to address carbon emissions should include provisions to increase and incentivize efficiency and conservation.
NRECA supports measures that encourage homeowners to invest in energy efficiency improvements.
More than 13 percent of co-op members across the country – and as many as two-thirds of residential consumers at some rural electric systems – reside in factory-built housing. Inefficiencies in these houses lead to high electric bills for those who can least afford it. NRECA supports better energy efficiency standards for manufactured homes.
Co-op Voices
Audio and video clips from Ray Beavers of United Cooperative in Texas, Mark Farnsworth of Highline EC in CO, Troy Widmore of United Power, Inc. in CO, Donald Neiser of Wharton County Electric Cooperative, Inc. in TX, Burns Mercer of Meade Co. RECC in KY.
News:
A New Estimate by the Energy Information Administration Shows Annual Growth in Electricity Demand Dropping from 1.5 Percent, as Projected in 2007, to 1.1 Percent
March 10, 2008 - New lighting efficiency standards included in last year’s energy bill lowers a previous 2008 estimate of residential electricity usage in 2030, according to Senate testimony by Administrator Guy Caruso. more >>
NRECA congratulates the U.S. Congress on passage of H.R. 6, the “Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007”
December 20, 2007 - New federal energy efficiency provisions will help nation’s electric cooperatives keep members’ electric bills down. more >>
Cooperatives Gain New Incentive to Promote Efficiency and Renewable Energy
October 16, 2007 - National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) and U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) have signed an agreement to provide financing for co-op projects to reduce energy usage at DOI facilities. more >>
Documents:
FAST FACTS on Cooperatives and Energy Efficiency
Squeezing More Out of Coal
September 2007 - This special report published in RE Magazine examines electric co-ops' $5 billion dollar investment in new technologies aimed at burning coal more cleanly and more efficiently.
Co-ops Lead on Boosting Energy Efficiency
July 2007 - This in-depth feature published in RE Magazine offers ample evidence of the leadership role co-ops are playing to squeeze more energy from the nation's current system.