and Job Creator
Contact: Andrew deLaski, 617.363.9470
Steven Nadel, 202.507.4011
Media Contact: Glee Murray, 202.507.4010
Washington, D.C. (January 26, 2010): National appliance energy
efficiency standards for common household and business products
generated about 340,000 jobs in 2010, or 0.2% of the nation's jobs,
according to a report released today by the American Council for an
Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the Appliance Standards Awareness
Project (ASAP). The energy and related utility bill savings from
standards will continue to contribute to a healthy economy over time,
and in 2030, the number of jobs generated will increase to about
380,000 jobs-an amount about equal to the number of jobs in Delaware
today.
"Last night, the President spoke about 'winning the future'," said
Steven Nadel, Executive Director of ACEEE. "Our new study shows that
cutting energy waste with strong appliance standards is a proven way
to increase domestic jobs and strengthen the American economy for the
future."
The report, Appliance and Equipment Efficiency Standards: A Money
Maker and Job Creator, estimates net employment and wage impacts of
U.S appliance, equipment, and lighting efficiency standards. The
standards contributing to the job creation include those put in place
between 1987 and 2010, new standards and revisions DOE will complete
by 2013, and consensus standards in pending legislation.
Appliance and equipment standards save consumers and businesses energy
because the standards increase the average efficiency of new products
relative to what the efficiency would have been without new or updated
standards. As a result, consumers and businesses spend less money on
utility bills. This moves money from the utility sector, with
relatively few jobs per dollar of revenue, to other sectors that have
higher jobs per dollar of revenue. As existing standards affect more
product purchases, and as new standards take effect, the number of
jobs generated will increase along with energy bill savings.
"If we want more jobs and more money in the hands of our small
businesses and families, we need to waste less energy," said Skip
Laitner, report co-author and Economic and Social Analysis Program
Director of ACEEE. "This report demonstrates that investing in
lighting, appliance, and equipment standards makes our economy
stronger and helps get Americans back to work."
These existing and new standards also are making a big contribution to
U.S. efforts to reduce energy use, with savings growing to 6.1 quads a
year in 2030, or roughly enough to meet the total energy needs of
one-quarter[1] of all U.S. households for a year. Standards cover a
wide range of consumer and commercial products, ranging from
refrigerators, to light bulbs, to commercial air conditioners, to
industrial motors.
"Appliance standards have long had bipartisan support," said Rachel
Gold, lead author of the report and an ACEEE researcher. "The jobs
mentioned in this study are a result of standards legislation signed
by Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush."
The Obama administration has already updated many important standards
and additional improved standards are under development.
In order to reach the level of employment estimated in the report,
Congress must pass the consensus appliance standards contained in the
Implementation of National Consensus Appliance Agreements Act (INCAAA)
of 2010, a bill with broad support but not yet enacted into law. This
agreement, negotiated by manufacturers and efficiency advocates, would
provide market certainty for manufacturers and energy savings for
consumers and would generate over 1.1 quadrillion BTUs of energy
savings in 2030, about the annual energy use of the state of Oregon.
In addition, DOE must follow through on scheduled updates to existing
standards.
"With unemployment still way too high, jobs are on everyone's mind
right now," said Andrew deLaski, Executive Director of ASAP. "Our
study shows that the energy-saving standards created by Congress and
DOE are one policy we know is already helping to bring down long-term
unemployment."
[1] Total residential household energy consumption = 21.68 quads,
according to EIA's Annual Energy Outlook 2010.
###
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy is a nonprofit
organization dedicated to advancing energy efficiency as a means of
promoting economic prosperity, energy security, and environmental
protection. ACEEE was involved in the legislation establishing federal
efficiency standards, and has been active in all rulemakings since
then. For information about ACEEE and its programs, publications, and
conferences, contact ACEEE, 529 14th Street N.W., Suite 600,
Washington, D.C. 20045 or visit aceee.org.
The Appliance Standards Awareness Project is dedicated to increasing
awareness of and support for cost-effective appliance and equipment
efficiency standards. Founded in 1999, ASAP is led by a steering
committee that includes representatives from energy efficiency
organizations, the environmental community, consumer groups,
utilities, and state government. See standardsASAP.org.
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