IEEE-USA Position Encourages Energy Efficiency
to Save Households Money, Reduce Carbon
Emissions
WASHINGTON (2 July 2008)
—
There's little the average person can do to stem
the rising cost of gasoline, electricity,
natural gas and other energy sources. But by
improving our energy efficiency at home, on the
road and at work, we can use less energy and
save money.
IEEE-USA, in an "Energy Efficiency" position
adopted on 20 June, says that, "Through energy
efficiency improvements, the United States can
reduce energy costs; reduce the depletion of
fuel resources; increase energy security;
enhance international competitiveness, reduce
environmental impacts and substantially reduce
greenhouse gas emissions."
To
that end, IEEE-USA encourages the federal
government to adopt the following policies,
among others, that facilitate energy efficiency
by:
-
Developing technologies to further reduce
energy losses in electric power generation,
transmission and distribution
-
Developing, commercializing and using more
efficient electric-drive transportation
technologies, such as plug-in hybrid
electric vehicles:
-
Improving and upgrading transportation
systems to reduce energy consumption, and
adopting "smart growth" policies that reduce
distances traveled
-
Using communications and information
technologies, such as teleconferencing and
the Internet, to reduce the need for
business travel, such as in telecommuting
Power electronics, which is essential for
converting and controlling electric power at
high efficiency, can, according to IEEE-USA,
save 15 percent of U.S electric grid energy. One
of the easiest things the organization
recommends is for each household to use compact
fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).
The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the
Department of Energy says that Energy
Star-qualified CFLs "use about 75 percent less
energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last
up to 10 times longer." Over each bulb's
lifetime, this saves at least $30 in electricity
costs.
Further, if every home in America had at least
one such CFL, it would save our nation "more
than $600 million in annual energy costs, and
prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the
emissions of more than 800,000 cars." See
www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls.
Continued research and development into
transportation systems can also play a key role
in enhanced energy efficiency. This includes the
development and deployment of electric, hybrid
and fuel cell vehicles; fuel-efficiency
improvements in trucks, trains, aircraft and
passenger cars; and greater use of public
transit.
Communication systems advances, coupled with
high-speed Internet access, can greatly reduce
the energy consumed in business travel and save
companies millions in travel costs.
BusinessWeek, in a 22 May article, "The
Waning Days of the Road Warrior," said,
"Videoconferencing, Web-enabled meetings, online
collaboration tools — all are giving workers the
ability to dart around the globe from their desk
chairs." The publication also reports that
flying less is a great way for companies "to cut
their carbon footprint." See
www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_22/b4086065667204.htm.
IEEE-USA's "Energy Efficiency" position
statement, developed by its Energy Policy
Committee, is available at
www.ieeeusa.org/policy/positions/energyefficiency.pdf.
See
all IEEE-USA position statements at
www.ieeeusa.org/policy/positions.
IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes
the careers and public policy interests of more
than 215,000 engineers, scientists and allied
professionals who are U.S. members of the IEEE.
IEEE-USA is part of the IEEE, the world's
largest technical professional society with
375,000 members in 160 countries. See
www.ieeeusa.org.
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Contacts:
Chris McManes
IEEE-USA Public Relations Manager
Phone: + 1 202 530 8356
E-mail: c.mcmanes@ieee.org
