energy efficiency

By Sasha Abelson, Sustainability and Climate Policy Advisor

As the US, Germany, and other nations pay people to scrap their polluting cars, what other clunkers are in the marketplace that might respond to an incentive? How about buildings?

Friday, August 1, 2008

WIND ENERGY: Wind energy: Much potential, but also daunting challenges. Pioneers in the emerging wind-power industry are touting their product as The Next Big Thing as they chart a course to produce at least 20 percent of the nation's electricity in just over two decades. McClatchy Newspapers. 1 August 2008.

STATES/EPA - LEGAL: California moves ahead with plan to sue EPA. Fed up with the federal government's refusal to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, California announced it will lead five states and New York City in a landmark lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency. Long Beach Press-Telegram, California. 1 August 2008.

CALIFORNIA UTILITIES: L.A. utility wary of California's emissions strategy. Hailed as a step in the right direction to fight climate change, California's proposed greenhouse gas reduction policy has worried some of its most valued customers. Associated Press. 1 August 2008.

I was in Beijing last week and noticed the smog, of course, but as China grapples with Olympics and air quality I also saw something much more important. China is serious about energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gases.

In recent months, the Chinese government has closed over 21 gigawatts of the dirtiest, most inefficient power plants. They didn't do this just for a temporary clean air benefit around Beijing - - it was done permanently all across the country. They also closed inefficient foundries, furnaces, and cement makers in huge numbers.

The government is in talks with major manufacturers, provincial leaders, and experts from places like California's Energy Commission (the agency that is largely responsible for making the Golden State 40% more energy efficient than the rest of America) to squeeze out all of the inefficient machinery, power generators, and heating/air conditioning equipment. They're also doing the obvious - - one official told me that the government will replace 2 billion incandescent light bulbs in the next year with more efficient ones.

It's a foggy Sunday morning in Maine, and I was struck by both the truth and the missing pieces in Ben Stein's column in today's New York Times. Stein points out that while the increase in gasoline prices has very little effect on him (and other members of the professional classes), it can be devastating to the "average private worker [who] now earns very roughly $600 a week, not counting fringe benefits." His solution-which he quickly dismisses-is to balance the budget. In the meantime, he says, "the only thing for workers to do is to drive less, buy fuel-efficient cars and trucks and, above all, whip their children into a frenzy to get more education."

Accepting that Stein was to some extent engaging in hyperbole (we'll assume he's not urging corporal punishment), the steps he suggests may be necessary, but they're almost certainly not sufficient. In particular, self-help will not be sufficient.

This last year, I took a large step forward and bought my first house. Very exciting, and I love it! But wow, what a difference a mortgage payment is from rent. One of the crazy things about buying a house is all of the "knocks on your door" that you get -- unfortunately, not from neighbors welcoming me to the neighborhood with freshly baked cherry pies (but that's what happens in the movies!), but people wanting more of my money. For some reason, there is a misconception that after you buy a house, you have lots of extra money to spend. Some of these people who described their products sounded like major scam artists, but there was one product that I found interesting and agreed to let the seller come back and give me a demonstration.

This man told me that he was going to assess the insulation of my house, and let me know what upgrades I qualify for to be paid by The Gas Company. Yes, this sounded great, but too good to be true?