Adoption of Efficiency Measures Could Cut U.S. Energy Use 30 Percent By 2030

The adoption of stricter fuel economy standards, widespread improvements in energy use in office buildings and homes, and new efficiency standards for appliances could cut U.S. energy use by 30 percent below 2030 projections, according to a study by the National Research Council. The report said that deploying energy-efficiency technologies in buildings alone could eliminate the need to add new electricity generation capacity. Building owners could reduce electricity costs by 1.2 percent a year if they adopted cost-effective efficiency measures, the report said; buildings account for 41 percent of U.S. energy use. The report said that near-term efficiency gains in the transportation sector must come from improvements to the internal combustion engine, and that plug-in vehicles will offer a promising mid-term to long-term option. Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles may not enjoy widespread use until 2050, the report said. The report listed many potential barriers to energy efficiency initiatives, including high initial costs, a lack of incentives and information, and “Americans’ penchant for increasing vehicle size and performance.”