For Immediate Release – December 15, 2022

Contact: James Owen

Cell: (417) 496-1924

Email: james@renewmo.org

Website: www.renewm.org

RENEW MISSOURI CELEBRATES STATE’S NEW EFFICIENCY RANKING

COLUMBIA, MO – Renew Missouri, a 501(c)(3) focusing on clean energy policy and accessibility to clean energy for all Missouri, is always eager to see the American Council for an Energy Efficiency Economy (ACEEE) State Scorecard on Energy Efficiency and how the Show-Me State is doing on reducing the demand for power. This year, Missouri ranks 29^th after making a significant leap ahead from previous lists.

Ten years ago, Missouri ranked 44^th on this list. Five years ago, our state edged up to 38^th. Looking at moving into the Top Thirty, Executive Director James Owen cites Missouri’s 2009 groundbreaking law that incentivizes energy efficiency, reducing the need to generate more power.

“The Missouri Energy Efficiency Investment Act (MEEIA) has revolutionized reducing energy demand over the past decade,” says Owen. “Renew Missouri works tirelessly to advocate for MEEIA programs before the Public Service Commission despite the opposition of state bureaucrats.”

MEEIA allows investor-owned utilities to recover lost earnings from energy efficiency programs. Customers still save money but the real benefit results from less electricity production. From 2013-2019 alone, Evergy Missouri’s energy efficiency portfolio resulted in 900 million kWh saved. The equivalent of over 142,000 cars taken off the road in reduced emissions and $47.3 million in benefits to customers. On the other side of the state, Ameren Missouri’s MEEIA programs achieved a net savings of 2,078,929 MWh from 2013-2017 while reducing the equivalent of three utility bills each year per customer. Further, these energy efficiency programs have offered low-income customers tens of millions of dollars in savings.

Expanding energy efficiency and adopting electric vehicles reduces emissions of harmful air pollution. Owen notes that Missouri had more school districts sign up to replace diesel buses with EV buses than any other state through the Clean School Bus Program. “This is not only a win for school districts and their bottom line but also for air quality and respiratory health.”

Energy efficiency is one of our greatest tools we have to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels while realizing a healthier environment and ensuring greater energy reliability. However, Missouri can do more. Renew Missouri always remains vigilant in looking for bad policies that will move us backwards. “Lawmakers have already moved to make it easier for utilities to raise rates on their customers to build nuclear power plants,” Owen notes. “This is something no one is asking for that could possibly bankrupt our utilities. Instead of building unnecessary, expensive power, we should focus our efforts on reducing our demand for power through energy efficiency.”

For more information, please contact Executive Director James Owen at the email and phone number above for additional quotes.