American Gas - April 2011 - (Page 12)

A PeoPle Trends evenTs news FundIng doubLes FoR nAtuRAL gAs demAnd-sIde mAnAgement PRogRAms FundIng FoR natural gas demand-side management programs administered by utilities has doubled in the past few years in both the United States and Canada, the annual State of the Industry report released by the Association of Energy Services Professionals (AESP) indicates. Natural gas programs are currently in place in 46 states and eight Canadian provinces, the report says. Total program budgets in 2009 exceeded $1 billion for utilities in both countries, AESP reports, with U.S. gas budgets nearly quadrupling since 2006 to more than $900 million. Canadian gas budgets have grown by 75 percent since 2007 to more than $90 million, the report finds. In other key findings, the report says: The combined total of energy efficiency program budgets for ratepayer-funded electric and natural gas programs in the United States industry and Canada reached nearly $6.1 billion in 2009, up from $4.5 billion in 2008. Electric utility programs constitute the largest portion of energy efficiency budgets, increasing 80 percent since 2006. Energy efficiency programs have led to substantial reductions in both energy use and carbon emissions. These savings include reductions of more than 367 million therms of natural gas and 104,900 gigawatt hours of electricity. The avoided-cost benefits of these programs were more than 61 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and ratepayer savings of more than $9.7 billion in electricity and gas costs. Owners of commercial buildings have expressed greater interest in green-energy building programs, and homebuilders have shown an increased interest in adopting green building codes. www.aesp.org 12 APRIL 2011 AmericAn GAs http://www.aesp.org http://www.aymcdonald.com http://www.aymcdonald.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Gas - April 2011

American Gas - April 2011
Contents
President’s Message Safety Is Job One
In the Know Gas Quality: When Science and Policy Intersect
In the News
Safety First Partnering for Progress
The New Realities of the Natural Gas Industry: From Wellhead to Customer
Part I: Then There Was Abundance
Part II: through the Pipeline
Part III: Priority Pathways for Growth
Going for the Green
Places to Be
Noteworthies
Advertisers’ Index
Jobline
Marketplace
Facts on Gas

American Gas - April 2011