2010 Energy Efficiency Gains Set Impressive Pace

The Council's annual report on energy efficiency savings will be presented at next week's meeting, and the numbers are very encouraging.

In 2010, the region acquired 254 average megawatts of efficiency savings, the largest total ever achieved in the past three decades, almost 25 percent more than the Council's target of 200 average megawatts set in its power plan.

The Council conducts a survey of utilities, the Energy Trust of Oregon, the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, and the Bonneville Power Administration to determine the region's aggregate efficiency savings and investments.

Another promising trend is improved savings in the commercial and industrial sectors, indicating that less reliance is now being placed on the residential sector, where savings from compact fluorescent lighting still dominates. Bonneville, and the public utilities it serves, had targeted the industrial sector, in particular, which seems to have paid off.