The “Alaska Energy Efficiency Program and Policy Recommendations” report was completed by Information Insights, Inc. for the Cold Climate Housing Research Center in June 2008. The report was funded by the Alaska Energy Authority and the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. It is a comprehensive review and analysis of the energy efficiency policies and programs in the State of Alaska. The review focuses on programs that address end-use energy consumption in space heating and electrical needs of residential and commercial users, with primary emphasis on Railbelt communities.
The need for such a report was recognized because demand side management (energy efficiency measures) and conservation are often overlooked by decision makers in favor of supply side solutions, which offer constituents new projects and funding opportunities. The report states that supply side solutions are necessary in Alaska, but efficiency measures should be step one in any energy plan. Efficiency measures are the best way to decrease demand and save money.
The report outlines energy efficiency measures that can be rolled into the Alaska State Energy Plan and implemented immediately. These energy efficiency measures, undertaken at low cost, pay back initial investment in a matter of months or a few years and provide long-term cost savings.
The report also points out, that using energy more efficiently does not necessarily mean seeing a decreased level of service. With advances in technology and simple changes in behavior, significant savings can be realized without compromising level of service.
The authors evaluated possible policy recommendations based on:
- Return On Investment (ROI)
- Benefit/Cost Analysis (B/C)
- Carbon Reduction
- Present Value of Savings (PVS)
- Ease of Implementation
These recommendations are broken out into nine categories:
- State Leadership
- Funding Energy Efficiency Programs
- Public Education and Outreach
- Collect Baseline Data
- Existing Residential Buildings
- New Residential Construction
- Existing Commercial Buildings
- New Commercial Construction
- Public Buildings
The report also provides a preliminary budget for costs of implementing and maintaining recommended energy efficiency programs and policies.