‘Energy Efficiency’ Projects & Programs are Logical if not Essential NOW

Roof top solar panels are practical now and increasing in efficiency!

From an Article by Sarah Vogelsong, Virginia Mercury, December 16, 2020

Virginia is the South’s “leading state” in energy efficiency efforts as a result of its 2020 passage of the Clean Economy Act and decision to join a regional carbon market, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy found in its annual ranking of states’ progress in reducing their energy loads.

The scorecard, which was released Wednesday, touted the Virginia Clean Economy Act as “a major victory for efficiency in the Southeast” and attributed Virginia’s rise in the rankings from 29th to 25th position largely to the legislation.

{West Virginia is tied with Mississippi and North Dakota for the 48th position.}

“In addition to putting Virginia on a path to 100 percent clean electricity, the bill establishes the state’s first-ever energy efficiency resource standard, making it one of only two states in the region, alongside Arkansas, with a mandatory” standard of this kind, the council wrote.

Within the U.S. broadly, 27 states have energy efficiency resource standards.

Also noted as a contributor to Virginia’s improved performance was the 2020 General Assembly vote to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a coalition of Mid-Atlantic and New England states that require fossil-fueled electric generators to purchase carbon emission allowances in an auction and then return the proceeds to state governments for reinvestment.

Under the 2020 Clean Energy and Community Flood Preparedness Act, Virginia has pledged to invest half of the carbon auction proceeds in low-income energy efficiency programs. An additional 45 percent of the proceeds will go toward assistance for localities affected by flooding and sea level rise.

Virginia’s Hampton Roads region is experiencing the second-fastest rate of sea level rise in the nation, trailing the Gulf Coast area.

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Tomorrow on FrackCheckWV — Here’s What Will Happen, if the Earth’s Ice Caps Actually Melt