On May 24, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced two bills to encourage greater energy efficiency and reduce harmful greenhouse gases. The first bill, H.R. 2529 would set national standards for electric and gas utility efficiency; the second, H.R. 2428 would increase energy efficiency in federal government buildings.
H.R. 2529 mandates a 10 percent improvement in electric utility efficiency and a five percent increase in gas utility efficiency by 2020. The mandatory reductions could come from a variety of energy efficiency measures, including managing consumer demand, combined heat and power systems, and recycled energy. It also includes provisions to encourage upgrading distribution transformers and high temperature superconductors.
In Markey's introductory statement, he says, "Currently, 7 states have adopted energy efficiency resource standards (Texas, Virginia, Colorado, California, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Nevada) and seven more are in the process of developing such requirements (Washington, Utah, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, and Massachusetts)."
H.R. 2428, the "Federal Building Renewal and Energy Savings Act," would direct federal agencies to conduct energy audits in large federal buildings, require agencies to measure and verify energy savings and eliminate financial barriers to carrying out these measures.
"The American federal government is the single largest consumer, and the single largest waster, of energy in the world," Markey said. "At a time when we are asking all Americans to be smart about our energy use, we need to ensure the government is doing the same."