Cathy Zoi

Georgia was listed among the worst in the nation for energy efficiency, while Tennesseans are turning greener, according to a study released Wednesday.

In its 2009 energy scorecard the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy rated Tennessee among the most improved states in the past year for adopting policies to promote more energy efficiency in buildings, transportation and appliances.

In contrast, Georgia’s relative ranking — 44th in the nation — fell by one of the largest amounts.

But Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue’s Energy Challenge of 2008 should improve the efficiency of state buildings at least 15 percent by 2020, according to Shane Hix of the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority.

“We’ve also taking $65 million of federal stimulus dollars for energy efficiency projects in state facilities,” he said. “This is really the first across-the-board effort to improve the energy efficiency of state buildings, and the next stage is to take this challenge to the private sector and to local governments as well.”

California was rated the best state overall for promoting energy efficiency, while Wyoming was judged to be the least energy-efficient state.

Tennessee was credited for the state’s new residential building code, which requires new homes in rural areas to meet stricter energy standards for the first time.

The Volunteer State also was recognized for Gov. Phil Bredesen’s executive order to state agencies to cut their energy use and for the Tennessee Valley Authority’s expanded efforts to promote energy audits and alternative energy sources under a $100 million program.

“I think the work we have begun should continue to move us up in these rankings over time,” said Ryan Gooch, the state director of energy policy in Tennessee.

With relatively cheap and abundant power, Tennesseans have been among the biggest users of electricity. They consume nearly twice as much per capita as the typical homeowner in California.

“Only Alabama uses more electricity per capita than we did, which is a little like being runner-up at the ‘world’s ugliest’ contest,” said Alex Tapia, program manager in Nashville for the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance. “Fortunately, the leadership in Tennessee is beginning to move the state forward with energy efficiency.”

D.C. APPLIES LEVERAGE

Most Southern states don’t reward consumers or utilities for using or producing less energy. No Southeastern state has adopted stricter vehicle mileage requirements or appliance energy standards than the federal government, as some others have done.

“Energy efficiency is a huge priority for the Obama administration,” said Cathy Zoi, assistant secretary for energy efficiency at the U.S. Department of Energy. “We will only promote our goals of energy security, national security and job promotion when we work with the states to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy.”

Ms. Zoi said energy standards for appliances and heaters already adopted this year should save consumers at least $300 billion over the next 30 years. More standards are being proposed, she said.

Maggie Eldridge, author of the 2009 state rating by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, said finding ways to improve efficiency and cut consumption “is the first fuel in the race for clean and secure energy resources.”

The council is pushing power utilities to reward consumers, including state and local governments, for conserving.

TVA has a goal of reducing the growth in peak power demand in its seven-state region by at least 1,600 megawatts by 2012. That’s more than the power output of one of its nuclear reactors.

“We are budgeting more than $100 million this year for energy efficiency programs, and we anticipate that to rise over time,” TVA Senior Vice President Ken Breeden said.

“In the past couple of years, our customers also have completed more than 70,000 online energy audits, and many of those people have taken action as a result to cut their energy usage. We think we’ve moving on the right path.”

PDF: 2009 energy efficiency scorecard

ENERGY SCORECARD

State ranks for energy efficiency:

* California, rated No. 1 again for promoting energy efficiency

* Tennessee, ranked 38th best, up from 46th the previous year

* Georgia, ranked 44th, down from 36th the previous year

* Alabama, ranked 48th, up from 49th in the previous year

* Wyoming, rated the worst state again for energy efficiency

Source: American Council for an Energy Efficiency