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Combining Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Will Address Energy Crisis

June 1, 2007 | 7 Comments

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The latest research showing how to combat global warming while improving U.S. energy security is pinpointed in a new report co-written by the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) and the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

"Policies and programs for energy efficiency and renewable energy generally have been sought on separate tracks. This report demonstrates that their agendas can and should be combined to complement the progress each can make toward a shared goal."

-- Bill Prindle, ACEEE, Acting Executive Director

"The Twin Pillars of Sustainable Energy: Synergies Between Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technology and Policy," the 53-page report that was funded by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, was prepared by Bill Prindle and Maggie Eldridge of the ACEEE, and by Mike Eckhardt and Alyssa Frederick of ACORE. It documents the short- and long-run synergies between aggressive investments in energy efficiency and growing purchases of renewable energy as the powerful one-two solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions now.

"Efficiency and renewable resources need each other to win the race for clean and secure energy," said ACEEE Acting Executive Director Bill Prindle. "Efficiency keeps demand growth in check so that renewables can begin to cut emissions and oil imports."

Using a compilation of resource assessments, policy analysis, and case studies, the report underscores the dangers of energy use growing too fast and the higher hurdles renewable energy development faces without efficiency gains.

Under realistic technology scenarios and the types of policy commitments that are emerging from many states and Congress, the U.S. can reduce its conventional electricity generation and carbon emissions by almost half in a 20-year timeframe.

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7 Reader Comments

Comment
1 of 7

ken-regelson-13934

June 5, 2007

I believe 4 pillars will be required to support a sustainable energy economy:
- Energy Efficiency
- Renewable Energy
- Energy Storage - both utility scale and seasonal storage of low-grade heat. This is the area that needs the most research.
- Energy Management - so that energy is used most when intermittent renewables are generating.

EE and RE, whiile essential, are not sufficient by themselves to achieve the level of sustainability we need. In addition, I believe that a sustainable energy economy is within our reach and will be great for us as a species.

http://www.fivestarconsultants.com/Home.html
Ken

Comment
2 of 7

william-hughes-66196

June 6, 2007

It is interesting to speculate  how  much closer to energy  independence  America  would be today if all the wealth  expended in the  Gulf  Wars had been used to build wind turbines, install LED lights, research energy efficiency and so forth.  One could even speculate on what would have happened if all the soldiers lost in these wars had been trained in various aspects of renewable energy and energy efficiency and set loose to work in these fields.What a huge waste.

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3 of 7

paul-johnson-34828

June 6, 2007

I am interested in reading this when I get home tonight.  Clearly both are a must for energy independence and reduced environmental damage.Ken I believe energy storage and management are semantics.  Maximizing the allocation and use of energy is after all - efficiency.

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carlos-a-gaviria-66098

June 6, 2007

This is FUEL CELL.

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ravindranath-palavallu-53771

June 6, 2007

i have been blowing horn about this  here in India in all connected  seminars etcfor last one decade !!!It is often forgotten  that energy  efficiency  policies  can bring Renewable Energy targets closer as well . Lowering  the total energy consumption will make it easier to reach a share of 20% through renewables  by the year 2020  !!we manufacture highy energy efficient streetlights 55 W / 11000 Lumens , we have practically  proven that a 5 KW hybrid system ( 3 KW WIND + 2 KW SOLAR ) can power up about 40 street lights and effectively save about 35000 KWH per annum equates to about 4500 USD , which means the captial invested on RENEWABLE energy is paid back in < 5 YEARS !!!i hope will be a way forward clubbing  RE & EE in the near future RAVINDRANATHunitron@pn3.vsnl.net.in

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john-nicholson-46055

June 9, 2007

I think we should call the combination of energy efficiency and renewable energy a new name progressive energy. Progressive in that after doing all the energy efficiency then all of the renewables that one can, then the excess can be stored or used by others. This means that you can make money selling your power.

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thomas-schmidt-36371

June 10, 2007

Ha ha ha ha ha.Reading this one with its commentaries remindes me of Elmer Fudd! "Ooohh! I'am going to get that rascally rabbit." But of coures, he never does. Bugs Bunny simply and repeatedly makes a fool of Mr. Fudd.Try this expeirement. Take a bucket of dry sand and with one hand move all the sand to another bucket as efficiently as possible. You should learn through deductive reasoning that an up turned cupped hand will move more sand than a clinched fist. Do we agree on this?I do not claim to have the answers to the worlds energy fixation, but then, like alcoholism the fixation first has to be admitted before healing can begin. Hello. My name is John Doe, and I have an energy problem.Get the picture?

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