03 April 2009
U.S. Energy Efficiency Advances in 2009
A summary of efficiency initiatives in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The economic stimulus law enacted in February 2009 recognizes the close ties between the economy and energy production, and provides a variety of funding sources and incentives to increase efficiency and encourage broader adoption of renewable energy technologies.
In announcing his budget plan for the forthcoming year, President Obama also emphasized his commitment to greater investments in renewable technologies. “We will invest $15 billion a year to develop technologies like wind power and solar power; advanced biofuels, clean coal, and more fuel-efficient cars and trucks built right here in America,” the president said in his February 24 speech to Congress.
Highlighted below are selected new measures targeting efficiency initiatives.
• $5 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program. This 30-year-old program pays for improvements to the homes of low-income families to increase energy efficiency. More than 5.6 million low-income families have received these services since the program began in 1976. The program increases the comfort of these homes and lowers families’ energy bills for the long-term.
• $4 billion for energy efficiency retrofits in public housing units maintained by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
• $300 million for rebates paid to consumers who purchase energy-efficient appliances.
• $3.2 billion in grants to states and local governments to support energy efficiency and conservation projects in government buildings.
• $4.2 billion to the U.S. General Services Administration to convert federal buildings into high-performance green buildings, combining increased efficiency techniques and renewable energy production.
• $6.9 billion to the Federal Transit Administration for distribution to local public transit agencies’ investments in conservation and expansion of mass transit options.
• $50 million for efforts to increase the energy efficiency of information and communication technologies.
• Increased tax credits for homeowners and businesses that make efficiency improvements to their own properties.
For a full account of stimulus law measures targeting increases in renewable energy, see http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/archive.cfm/pubDate=%7Bd%20%272009%2D02%2D18%27%7D.
