Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is a fast and economical way to deal with our nation’s energy needs and should be our “first fuel” in transitioning to clean energy.

As our nation's electricity consumption increases, innovation and investment in alternative energy will play a key role in addressing this challenge over the long term, but we can take an enormous and immediate step toward addressing our growing energy needs in a climate-friendly manner by enacting policies that encourage energy efficiency and foster greater conservation.

In New Hampshire, we’ve been investing in energy efficiency for quite some time. Our total energy consumption and per capita energy consumption are among the lowest in the nation. Now, Shaheen is helping to take New Hampshire’s success national by leading the charge on national energy efficiency policy.

Senator Shaheen teamed up with Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) to introduce bipartisan legislation that would enact a national energy efficiency strategy. The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S. 1000) contains a broad package of low-cost tools that would reduce barriers for businesses, homeowners, and consumers looking to adopt off-the-shelf energy efficiency technologies that will save them money. With a host of mature technologies already in widespread use — such as better insulation, computer-controlled thermostats, and more efficient electric motors — energy efficiency is the cheapest and fastest approach available to improving our nation’s energy infrastructure and our economy’s energy independence.