{"id":2798,"date":"2012-06-14T20:35:57","date_gmt":"2012-06-14T20:35:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/?p=2798"},"modified":"2012-06-14T20:35:57","modified_gmt":"2012-06-14T20:35:57","slug":"let%e2%80%99s-improve-texas%e2%80%99-energy-efficiency-programs-instead-of-adding-more-red-tape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/2012\/06\/14\/let%e2%80%99s-improve-texas%e2%80%99-energy-efficiency-programs-instead-of-adding-more-red-tape\/","title":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s Improve Texas\u2019 Energy Efficiency Programs Instead Of Adding More Red Tape"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summer is upon us: in Austin on Monday the mercury hit 101 degrees<\/a>, with the humidity it felt like 110; this can be compared to a historical average high of 92<\/a> degrees this time of year.\u00a0 This weather report won\u2019t surprise anyone that follows global warming trends: according to a report earlier this week, Texas is one of the 10 fastest warming states in the U.S<\/a>. Since 1970, average temperatures have risen 2.3 degrees in the Lone Star state.\u00a0 Rising temperatures mean rising demand and more stress on our already strained electric grid, so you would think the state would be focused on near term solutions for rising energy demand, specifically energy efficiency and conservation.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
(Credit: www.poonamsagar.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The timing couldn\u2019t be better either: last year, the state of Texas passed legislation to increase and strengthen energy efficiency programs and the Public Utility Commission (PUC) is currently developing a new rule around that legislation.\u00a0 While this appears to be good news, some parts of the PUC\u2019s proposed rule actually would hurt energy efficiency programs and decrease the effectiveness of current programs by adding unnecessary red tape and discouraging\u00a0efficiency.\u00a0 At the same time, the PUC has contracted with outside consultants to ask citizens to turn up their thermostats during the hottest days of the summer.\u00a0 Such public appeals are commendable, but it doesn\u2019t make sense to add red tape to proven programs that allow customers to reduce energy use without turning up their thermostats, while at the same time spending money on unproven programs that are difficult to verify.<\/p>\n

At a PUC workshop last week, stakeholders voiced many of the concerns around proposed changes that would weaken energy efficiency programs.\u00a0 Most stakeholders seemed to agree that the PUC proposal creates new problems without resolving existing ones, like better monitoring of existing programs to ensure they are working. \u00a0With temperatures rising and our electric grid already strained, we can\u2019t afford those kinds of fixes. Given the broad stakeholder agreement, we hope the PUC will remember \u201cif it ain\u2019t broke, don\u2019t fix it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summer is upon us: in Austin on Monday the mercury hit 101 degrees, with the humidity it felt like 110; this can be compared to a historical average high of 92 degrees this time of year.\u00a0 This weather report won\u2019t surprise anyone that follows global warming trends: according to a report earlier this week, Texas …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1508,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[254,181],"tags":[],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-2798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-energy-efficiency","category-texas"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nLet\u2019s Improve Texas\u2019 Energy Efficiency Programs Instead Of Adding More Red Tape - Energy Exchange<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/2012\/06\/14\/let\u2019s-improve-texas\u2019-energy-efficiency-programs-instead-of-adding-more-red-tape\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Let\u2019s Improve Texas\u2019 Energy Efficiency Programs Instead Of Adding More Red Tape - 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