ENERGY EFFICIENCY AS THE FIRST FUEL

Maryland Legislation Taps Energy Efficiency As the 'First Fuel'
Maryland's legislators gave final approval this week to two landmark energy bills that together aim to reduce the state's energy consumption by 15% by 2015. The legislation, proposed by Governor Martin O'Malley, sets the stage for Maryland to become a leader in capturing the benefits of energy efficiency.

"Maryland's policies now recognize energy efficiency as the 'first fuel' for meeting its future energy needs," said Steven Nadel, Executive Director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

A study released in February by ACEEE evaluated a suite of energy efficiency policies for Maryland and found that more than enough energy efficiency resources exist in the state to meet Governor O'Malley's ambitious 15 by '15 goal, and confirmed that reducing electricity consumption is the quickest, cheapest, and cleanest way for policymakers to bring consumer bills down and keep the lights on in the state.

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