NEEA Releases 2010 Annual Report Announcing Northwest Energy Savings Equivalent to Output from Two Power Plants

PORTLAND, Ore., July 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the non-profit Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) issued its 2010 annual report, which reports on the first year of its new five-year business plan to achieve 200 average megawatts (aMW) in five years. According to the report, the region achieved 20 (aMW) in total regional savings in 2010, enough electricity to power more than 16,000 homes each year.  Since NEEA's inception in 1997, the region has achieved 707 aMW in total regional savings – the equivalent annual output of two power plants.

"I applaud NEEA's efforts to maximize energy efficiency in our region. Advancing energy efficiency is critical for the growth and future success of Oregon's economy – and supporting NEEA's mission will help us do it," said Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber.

"We are pleased with the regional savings results delivered this year, allowing us to exceed our goals in a year when energy efficiency matters more than ever before," said Claire Fulenwider, NEEA's executive director. "Our focus continues to be on maximizing energy efficiency by leveraging the power of our regional partners and funders, and delivering energy savings at the lowest cost possible. We are also making strong inroads to ensure savings continue well into the future with our renewed focus on bringing emerging energy-efficient technologies to market."

NEEA works to maximize energy efficiency to meet the region's future energy needs, with programs and partners in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. NEEA is supported by and works in collaboration with the Bonneville Power Administration, Energy Trust of Oregon and more than 100 Northwest utilities on behalf of more than 12 million energy consumers.

Highlights from NEEA's 2010 Annual Report

Filling the Pipeline with New Technologies: NEEA Helps Deliver Nation's First Northern Climate Heat Pump Water Heater

Heat pump water heaters are one of the region's most promising technologies and have the potential to achieve 500 aMW of energy savings for the region by 2029. However, models available in the U.S. market aren't suitable for use in the Northwest, because they are designed for warmer climates and lose efficiency below 40 degrees. NEEA developed a specification to address cold temperature performance issues, then reached out to manufacturers across the world to make the case for Northwest demand for a heat pump water heater suitable for northern climates. By the end of 2010, AirGenerate, a small U.S. manufacturer, had modified its product to comply with NEEA's feature recommendations and demonstrated that the new unit can perform effectively in any Northwest climate. NEEA and its partner utilities continue to work with manufacturers to accelerate the adoption of this specification.

Helping Commercial Property Owners and Managers Achieve Lasting Savings

To engage more commercial properties in improving energy performance, NEEA teamed with Building Owners and Managers Associations (BOMA) in Seattle and Portland, plus local utilities, to sponsor energy benchmarking competitions that challenge owners and managers to reduce energy use over time. In 2010, 71 buildings competed in Seattle's "Kilowatt Crackdown," achieving more than 24 million kWh in projected annual savings, 85 were enrolled in Portland's "Carbon4Square," and similar competitions were in the works in Idaho. One Seattle commercial real estate firm, Wright Runstad & Company, reported that they achieved 10 percent energy savings across 15 properties. Improvements resulting from NEEA's work with building owners and operators– achieved largely through low-cost operations and maintenance changes – have yielded 3.8 aMW in annual savings across the region since 2008.

NEEA Trains 4,000 in Four States to Accelerate New Energy Codes Implementation

In 2010, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington adopted new residential or commercial energy codes with increases ranging from 10 to 20 percent, and NEEA and utilities played key roles in the code adoption process. To help the states implement aggressive code changes efficiently, NEEA provided training and education in communities across the region, working with utility and state partners. More than 4,000 building officials, architects, engineers, builders and subcontractors participated – a record-breaking participation level. Improved building energy codes and product standards have the potential to save more than 25 aMW for the region from 2010 to 2014.

The 2010 annual report is available online at http://neea.org/research/annualreport.aspx.

About the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) is a non-profit organization working to maximize energy efficiency to meet our future energy needs. NEEA is supported by and works in partnership with Bonneville Power Administration, Energy Trust of Oregon and more than 100 Northwest utilities for the benefit of more than 12 million energy consumers. NEEA uses the market power of the region to accelerate the innovation and adoption of energy-efficient products, services and practices. Since 1997, NEEA and its partners have saved enough energy to power more than 450,000 homes each year.  Energy efficiency can satisfy more than half of our new demand for energy, saving money, and keeping the Northwest a healthy and vibrant place to live. For more information, visit neea.org.

SOURCE Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance