Improving Energy Efficiency

While the nation considers various options for providing energy supplies, opportunities exist to reduce the demand for such supplies through improved energy efficiency and conservation. The ultimate potential for energy efficiency has not been achieved, and the nation still uses 22 percent of the entire world's energy while only accounting for about 5 percent of the world's population. Federal energy efficiency programs include the efforts of multiple federal agencies, including DOE, the Department of Transportation, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Federal Trade Commission, that play a key role in national energy conservation; among other things, the agencies establish national standards and incentives for efficiency, sponsor energy efficiency research and development, and establish energy savings goals for its own operations.

Highlights of GAO-07-106 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-07-42 (PDF), Full Report of GAO-07-1162 (PDF, 88 pages)

In addition to these activities,

• Through the tax code, citizens are encouraged to make investments in energy efficiency, and public utilities have income-tax preferences for the purchase or installation of conservation measures.

  Highlights of GAO-05-379 (PDF)

• The federal government is the largest institutional user of energy in the world and sets goals for its own buildings and vehicles to save energy. To purchase the capital improvements needed for these conservation efforts, it uses funds appropriated by Congress but also relies heavily on financing mechanisms that can be complicated and costly.

  Highlights of GAO-05-340 (PDF)

^ Back to topWhat Needs to Be Done

• To better provide consumers with information about the energy efficiency of household products, DOE and FTC should include those products that are significant consumers of energy in the EnergyGuide program and regularly measure the effectiveness of the program.

  Full Report of GAO-07-1162 (PDF, 88 pages)

• Federal agencies should undertake only those energy savings performance contracts that will be the most cost effective.

  Highlights of GAO-05-340 (PDF)

^ Back to topKey Reports

Energy Efficiency: Opportunities Exist for Federal Agencies to Better Inform Household Consumers

GAO-07-1162, September 26, 2007

Summary (HTML)   Full Report (PDF, 88 pages)   Accessible Text   Recommendations (HTML)

Energy Efficiency: Important Challenges Must Be Overcome to Realize Significant Opportunities for Energy Efficiency Improvements in Gulf Coast Reconstruction

GAO-07-654, June 26, 2007

Summary (HTML)   Highlights Page (PDF)   Full Report (PDF, 41 pages)   Accessible Text

Energy Efficiency: Long-standing Problems with DOE's Program for Setting Efficiency Standards Continue to Result in Forgone Energy Savings

GAO-07-42, January 31, 2007

Summary (HTML)   Highlights Page (PDF)   Full Report (PDF, 45 pages)   Accessible Text   Recommendations (HTML)

Energy Savings: Performance Contracts Offer Benefits, but Vigilance Is Needed to Protect Government Interests

GAO-05-340, June 22, 2005

Summary (HTML)   Highlights Page (PDF)   Full Report (PDF, 76 pages)   Accessible Text   Recommendations (HTML)

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