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Energy efficiency

"Energy efficiency is a central strategic tool for successful and forward-thinking economies in international markets. The American government is pushing for an environmentally sustainable expansion of the U.S. energy industry through the framework of the economic stimulus plan. In doing so, it is making an important contribution to the rise of energy efficiency and the expansion of renewable energies in the United States."

Stephan Kohler,
Chief Executive
Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena) - German Energy Agency

In past years, energy efficiency as a theme has gained increasing ground in the United States. Though the media and politicians have long paid attention to this theme, the industrial sector is now also starting to show interest in the economic advantages of energy efficiency, partially because of the potential it has to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions while enhancing the value-added chain.

An important tool nationally for the expansion of energy efficiency in the U.S. is the ENERGY-STAR Program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE). Since 1992, the program has defined standards across a wide spectrum of devices, equipment, machinery, and even buildings. The ENERGY-STAR Program helps both consumers and professional purchasing agents choose energy efficient products. It also fosters targeted market penetration for highly energy efficient product lines, thereby helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An additional tool for reducing greenhouse gases in the U.S. is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design- (LEED) Standard. This standard offers a successful and well-established classification system for energy efficient buildings and construction practices. Both of these tools form the basic essentials of the framework for energy efficiency. European companies meet these standards easily, as EU regulations are even more stringent.

The fact that the energy efficiency movement has gained significant ground is show by the introduction in 2009 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, within which the U.S. government specifically set aside money for investments in energy savings programs and new infrastructure developments. One example is the 31 billion US-dollars marked for the modernization of public infrastructure, with special emphasis placed on energy efficiency improvements. Another 58 billion dollars are targeted towards investments in the energy sector, specifically for the development of a "smart-grid," tax cuts for renewable energies, or housing modernization. As recently as November 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that 620 million U.S.-dollars have been designated for research alone as part of the stimulus plan.