Agencies are challenged at a time of shrinking budgets to make energy savings, the White House has encouraged cooperation with private entities to finance ventures to save energy. A Energy Policy Act from 2005 forces Agencies to cut energy use by 30% over the next 10 years, as well as increasing renewable energy ad cutting water consumption. While some appropriations wil be made to aid the agencies in finding ways to cut 20% of their $14.5 billion USD power bill, they will have to find a great deal of the estimated $2.9 billion USD a year needed to make these reductions in the private market. The idea is to use share in savings contracts which are long term and allow energy companies to come in and help the agencies save money financing this. Then afterwards recouping their investment by taking a share of the energy savings and upon recovering their costs letting the agencies take the savings.
On another front an analysis of the recently passed energy bill by the American Council for an Energy efficient economy showed that the energy efficiency provisions would reduce the total C02 emissions in the United States by 8% or 670 million tons by 2030 relative to current forecasts. Combing the best of House and Senate bills could save 19% when compared to current forecasts without action. The energy savings for commercial businesses and consumers would yield $420 billion dollars from 2008 to 2030 if the best of both the senate and house bills were combined this amount
For additional information:
http://aceee.org/ http://www.aceee.org/press/0707house-update.htm
