Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Through 2010, Connecticut has invested $29.6 million of its RGGI proceeds in energy efficiency programs overseen by the Energy Conservation Management Board (ECMB). Together, those programs serviced more than 1 million households and 7,700 businesses, resulting in 6.3 billion kilowatt hour lifetime savings. This is equivalent to:

• Providing electricity to more than more than 753,000 homes for one year

• Reducing energy costs by $1.3 billion

• Avoiding the emission of 4.3 million tons of CO₂
   

Learn more in the Connecticut ECMB's 2010 Annual Report and 2009 Annual Report.

CO₂ allowance proceeds represented about 9 percent of the total funding provided for the ECMB's programs in 2009 and 2010.

Delaware is investing RGGI proceeds in the Energize Delaware Appliance Rebate Program. Between September 2009 and September 2010, the program provided more than 15,900 rebates for energy-efficient household appliances to Delaware consumers. These rebates are:

• Saving more than 1.9 million kWh of electricity annually;

• Saving participating consumers a total of more than $366,000 per year;

• Avoiding 1,916 tons of CO₂ pollution annually.

Learn more at EnergizeDelaware.org.

According to program administrators at the Sustainable Energy Utility, CO₂ allowance proceeds represented about 40 percent of the Appliance Rebate Program’s total funding.

Massachusetts is investing RGGI proceeds in energy efficiency programs administered by the state's electric utilities. Over their lifetime, programs implemented in 2010, 2011 and 2012 will:

• Reduce consumer energy costs by $6 billion;

• Save 2.6 billion kWh of electricity, enough to meet the needs of more than 350,000 Massachusetts households for a year;

• Avoid 15 million tons of CO₂ pollution.

Learn more here.

CO₂ allowance proceeds are projected to represent 11.5 percent of the total funding provided for these programs over the three-year period 2010-2012.

Maryland is investing RGGI proceeds in a wide variety of clean energy programs through its state Strategic Energy Investment Fund (SEIF). As a result of programs funded in fiscal years 2009 and 2010:

• More than 3,000 low-income apartments have received energy efficiency retrofits;

• More than 350 farmers have received funding for energy efficiency projects;

• More than 900 people have received training for careers in energy efficiency;

• Grants to local governments and non-profits to have helped over 7,500 low-income Marylanders;

• Marylanders have purchased nearly 5,000 energy efficient appliances.

Learn more here.

The SEIF is funded exclusively by Maryland's investment of CO₂ allowance proceeds.

Maine is investing RGGI proceeds in energy efficiency programs administered by Efficiency Maine. Programs implemented in 2010 are projected to:

• Save nearly $3 for every $1 invested;

• Generate $95.8.3 million in lifetime economic benefits for the state of Maine;

• Avoid more than 429,901 tons CO₂ pollution over the lifetime of the installed measures.


Learn more in Efficiency Maine's 2010 Annual Report.

According to staff of Efficiency Maine, CO₂ allowance proceeds represented 35 percent of Efficiency Maine’s total funding in 2010.

New Hampshire has awarded $31 million in RGGI proceeds to 36 energy efficiency projects and programs. Through July 2010, 30 of the projects received a total of $17.7 million. Those 30 projects have:

• Supported energy efficiency job training for more than 170 workers across the state;

• Supported energy use assessments and energy audit evaluations for 436 buildings across the state.

In addition, those 30 projects are projected to:

• Reduce consumer energy costs by $60.6 million over the lifetime of the installed measures;

• Avoid the emission of 220,000 tons of CO₂ pollution over the lifetime of the installed measures.

Learn more in the 2009-2010 Evaluation of the GHGERF.

New York has committed $150 million of RGGI proceeds to several consumer benefit programs. Highlights include:

$112 million in CO₂ allowance proceeds dedicated to Green Jobs/Green New York (GJ/GNY) to:

• Provide energy audits for 100,000 households and small businesses and support the implementation of 56,000 projects;

• Result in electricity savings of  approximately 675,000 MWh and energy bill savings of $600 million over the lifetime of the installed measures;

• Support training programs for 6,000 workers.

$12 million supports installation of 383 solar photovoltaic systems (3,710 kW), with anticipated production of 4,370 MWh per year.

Learn more here.

According to National Grid, RGGI proceeds accounted for approximately 14 percent of the total funding provided for these programs.

Vermont is investing RGGI proceeds in Efficiency Vermont’s Vermont Community Energy Mobilization (VCEM) project, a program to train volunteers to install energy efficiency measures in homes across the state. In 2009 and 2010:

• More than 500 volunteers received training;

• More than 1,100 homes received energy-efficient upgrades;

• The homes saved an estimated total of 590,000 kWh.

Learn more here.

According Efficiency Vermont (EVT), CO₂ allowance proceeds represented about 25 percent of the funding for EVT’s heating and process efficiency programs, including VCEM, in 2010.