Featured Event

The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Imperative for a Robust Economy

Observers of U.S. energy policy might think of energy efficiency as a useful tool to manage growth of our nation's energy consumption. They might also see it as a means to ease our transition into a post-carbon world. There is an emerging body of evidence which compels a significantly greater attention to the critical role of energy efficiency and renewable energy investments in maintaining a more productive and more prosperous economy. 

The seminar focused on the importance of energy productivity and the surprising opportunities that might greatly accelerate the nation's historic growth in economic productivity. 

Distinguished Speakers

John A. "Skip" Laitner

Director of Economic and Social Analysis for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).  He previously served almost 10 years as a Senior Economist for Technology Policy for the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), but chose to leave the federal service in June 2006 to focus his research on developing a more robust technology and behavioral characterization of energy efficiency resources for use in energy and climate policy analyses and within economic policy models.

In 1998 Skip was awarded EPA's Gold Medal for his work with a team of other EPA economists to evaluate the impact of different strategies that might assist in the implementation of greenhouse gas emissions reduction policies.  In 2003 the US Combined Heat and Power Association gave him an award to acknowledge his contributions to the policy development of that industry.  In 2004 his paper, "How Far Energy Efficiency?" catalyzed new research into the proper the characterization of efficiency as a long-term resource. 

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Jeff Schlegel

Jeff Schlegel represents Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP), a public interest organization promoting energy efficiency in Arizona and six southwestern states.  SWEEP was the primary advocate supporting the recently-adopted Energy Efficiency Standard in Arizona, requiring 20% energy savings by 2020.  For over 25 years Jeff has specialized in policy analysis, planning, evaluation, research, and program design for energy efficiency, demand response, and low income energy programs.  

View the presentation here