States and Communities
The most significant electricity savings usually result from successful state and community energy efficiency programs. These programs are needed to garner community-wide support for the application of energy efficiency measures. And with so many energy efficiency measures to choose from, they can help recommend the ones that can most cost-effectively reduce electricity loads.
Each state and community is different when it comes to resources, conditions, and energy efficiency goals. An energy efficiency measure that works well in one community might not in another. These factors should be taken into consideration when designing a community energy program.
DOE's State Energy Program provides funding and assistance to help states develop energy efficiency programs in their communities.
Utilities
Utilities can play an important role in the application of energy efficiency measures to reduce electrical loads. They can collaborate with state and local government energy efficiency programs, or develop their own.
Utility demand-side management programs are designed to encourage their customers to reduce energy consumption. Some typical program measures include energy audits, financial incentives for energy efficiency applications, and rate structuring. Rate structuring encourages customers to use more energy during off-peak periods by lowering rates during those times.
For more information, see communities and demand-side programs.
Electric utilities can also improve the energy efficiency of their power plant systems and equipment, such as distribution transformers.
The following organizations also provide information on the role of electric utilities in energy efficiency:
Industrial Processes
Industries can reduce electricity loads by improving the energy efficiency of their systems and equipment. For example, a collective manufacturing effort to improve motor system optimization has already saved 43,540 kilowatt-hours annually.
See BestPractices, a Web site developed by DOE's Office of Industrial Technology, for information on what energy efficiency measures are available to industry and how they're being applied.
Buildings
There are many energy efficiency measures available to reduce electricity use in buildings — from large, commercial and government buildings to single-family homes. Most of these measures concern the equipment, electronic devices, and appliances used in a building. Others concern the building envelope: walls, foundation, roof, doors, windows, and insulation.
The following Web sites provide information on energy efficiency measures for buildings:
Commercial
Homeowners
Web site
Government
Schools
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