Energy Efficiency  -  July 22, 2016

US ranks 8th for energy efficiency efforts among world's top energy consuming countries

In an annual ranking of the energy efficiency policies and performance of 23 of the world’s top energy-consuming countries, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy put the U.S. at number eight, tied with South Korea. 

The placement marked an improvement from the U.S.'s 2014 ranking of 13, though the ACEEE noted a number of areas for improvement. At number eight, the U.S.'s energy efficiency progress still left it behind Japan, China, and most of the European Union countries that were included in the rankings. 

The nonprofit organization's report reads: 

The United States still has no binding energy savings goals, unlike Germany, France, Japan, and other countries that have national energy conservation plans in place. The United States could take advantage of existing efficiency opportunities by mandating building energy-use disclosure policies and categorical labels for appliances. Similarly, the country could mandate energy audits and energy managers in industries.

Areas where the U.S. excelled, according to the report, included its collection and accessibility of energy data by the U.S. Energy Information Agency; the recent collaboration with Canada and Mexico to standardize and share energy information for the region; its numerous tax incentives and loan programs to encourage energy efficiency; and a focus on investing in research and development for energy-efficient technologies.

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