Top 10 Energy-Efficiency States Named in New ACEEE Scorecard Report

More U.S. states have adopted or advanced new energy-saving targets and vehicle and appliance rules, but COVID-19 slowed other efficiency efforts, according to American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE’s) recently released 2020 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard. For the first time in four years, California took first place nationwide, edging out Massachusetts, the leader in the Northeast. Other regional leaders include Minnesota in the Midwest, Colorado in the Southwest, and Virginia in the South.

The 50-state scorecard (which also includes Washington, D.C.) found that states, many of which have set ambitious climate goals since 2018, had to abruptly shift their focus this year to mitigate the health and economic impacts of the deadly global pandemic. Across the country, energy efficiency workers lost jobs — with an estimated more than 300,000 still unemployed.

While some efficiency efforts stalled, others advanced before or during the pandemic. In California, for example, utility regulators in January approved $45 million in incentives for high-efficiency heat pump water heaters, a crucial technology for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In September, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order calling for the phase-out of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035.

Rounding out this year’s top 10, are Massachusetts (No. 2), Vermont (No. 3), Rhode Island (No. 4), New York (No. 5), Maryland (No. 6), Connecticut (No. 7), Washington, DC (No. 8), and Minnesota and Oregon (tied for No. 9).

The report, which examines policies and programs adopted through July, scores states on 32 metrics in five areas. No state earned all 50 possible points, showing that each has considerable room for improvement.

Nevada (No. 21) was the most improved state in the scorecard, moving up five places. It has adopted standards for light bulbs, strengthened building energy codes, and moved to implement strong vehicle standards.

In contrast, Iowa (No. 36) fell the farthest in the rankings, losing 13 places. Its slide occurred primarily as a result of 2018 legislation that capped certain efficiency investments, leading to a steep decline in progress in reducing electricity and gas use.

The bottom five states, each earning 7 or fewer points, are Kansas (No. 47), Mississippi (No. 48), North Dakota (No. 48), West Virginia (No. 48) and Wyoming (No. 51).

To read the full press release and view the scorecard, visit www.aceee.org.