The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 was signed into law Dec. 19, 2007. It phases out the use of inefficient incandescent lights and imposes more efficient standards on a variety of products. We asked the following regional leaders in the field of energy efficiency their thoughts on the Act:

Michael Grainey, Director of the Oregon Department of Energy

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 has many important provisions that will benefit the entire region and Oregon in particular. Oregonians spend nearly $10 billion a year on energy.  Most of that money currently goes out of state and much out of the country.  The measures passed by Congress in this bill can help Oregonians keep more of their energy dollars in state by using energy more efficiently and by developing local, cleaner, renewable energy resources. Congress provided for energy efficiency standards in new appliances, measures for energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings, and a block grant for state and local governments for energy efficiency. It is a good start, but only a start. Congress needs to take the following actions to make this Act a foundation for a better energy future.
[Read Michael Grainey’s full comments here]

Tom Eckman, Conservation Resources Manager, Northwest Power and Conservation Council

This legislation will help complete the transformation of the residential lighting market by requiring at least a 30% improvement in the most common light bulbs used in the country by 2014, and a 60% improvement in those bulbs by 2020. In its (?4th, 5th?) Northwest Power Plan, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council identifies more than 600 average megawatts of conservation potential in residential lighting. The plan calls for these savings, which account for 25% of the total regional conservation potential in the plan, to be achieved by 2025. Thanks to the energy bill, these savings will be achieved five years earlier than the Council envisioned.

Susan Hermenet, Interim Executive Director, NEEA

All in all, we are pleased that the Energy Act of 2007 includes several areas in which NEEA is already working or has advanced in the past. For instance, the new legislation calls for improved federal efficiency standards for appliances such as clothes washers, an area where NEEA has participated in promoting in the region for many years. The Act addresses lighting, another area where the Northwest is already a leader in the adoption of energy-efficient compact florescent lighting. It also focuses on improving the efficiency of commercial buildings, an area addressed by our BetterBricks’ initiative in the new construction and retrofit markets. While NEEA is active in many of the areas detailed in this Act, we will be closely monitoring the next steps of implementation and funding of it, which is where the rubber meets the road. NEEA will seek opportunities for synergies with existing NEEA programs and look for where we can enhance them. And as we always do, NEEA also will be looking to share what we have already learned in the region with national energy efficiency participants as broader implementation continues to happen.