What We Do
Energy efficiency programs are a win-win because they help families and businesses lower their energy bills while at the same time reducing harmful pollution for everyone.
The Alliance is very proud to have worked on energy efficiency issues for the past 37 years.
How We Do It
The Basics | Energy Smart | Statewide Energy Efficiency Programs | IRP | EEFA Coalition
Utility Assistance Ministry Survey | Valuing Energy Efficiency | Rater Roundtable
Energy Efficiency 101 | Learn how to improve the energy efficiency of your home!
Energy Efficiency programs aim to drive the implementation of projects that minimize or reduce energy use. Undertaking energy efficiency improvements not only saves money and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, it also helps us meet our growing energy needs.
The many benefits of energy efficiency include:
The many benefits of energy efficiency include:
- Lower utility bills
- Reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, that contribute to climate change
- Reduced emissions of other harmful air pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter, that lead to unhealthy air
- New employment opportunities
- Insurance against natural gas price volatility
- Helps stabilize electricity prices
- Reduces the need to invest in new costly generation and transmission infrastructure to meet rapidly growing energy demand
Energy Smart: New Orleans’ Energy Efficiency Program
Energy Smart offers energy efficiency solutions that help New Orleans residents and businesses save energy and money. Any residential, commercial, or industrial Entergy New Orleans electric customer is eligible to participate. The program offers cash incentives for energy efficiency audits, upgrades, and more.
Energy Smart, an $11 million energy efficiency rebate program, is a homerun for the New Orleans City Council. The Alliance worked for many years to make this program a reality.
The comprehensive energy efficiency plan was developed by the New Orleans City Council and is administered by Entergy New Orleans, LLC (as well as APTIM, a third party administrator).
We are monitoring the implementation of the program and continue to offer guidance to the City Council on program adjustments to increase the reach of energy efficiency improvements. We have made sure Energy Smart is permanent and comprehensive program by incorporating Energy Smart into the city’s Integrated Resource Plan and then building in funding for the program through Entergy's rate case in 2018.
Residents and businesses sign up for energy smart! Call 504-229-6868 or email info@energysmartnola.com.
Energy Smart, an $11 million energy efficiency rebate program, is a homerun for the New Orleans City Council. The Alliance worked for many years to make this program a reality.
The comprehensive energy efficiency plan was developed by the New Orleans City Council and is administered by Entergy New Orleans, LLC (as well as APTIM, a third party administrator).
We are monitoring the implementation of the program and continue to offer guidance to the City Council on program adjustments to increase the reach of energy efficiency improvements. We have made sure Energy Smart is permanent and comprehensive program by incorporating Energy Smart into the city’s Integrated Resource Plan and then building in funding for the program through Entergy's rate case in 2018.
Residents and businesses sign up for energy smart! Call 504-229-6868 or email info@energysmartnola.com.
Statewide Energy Efficiency Programs
The Alliance worked diligently to bring Energy Smart-like programs to the rest of Louisiana. Energy Efficiency Quick Start began in November of 2014 and the next phase will begin it’s rule making in 2016. The Alliance will be working with the Commission to begin Energy Efficiency Phase II, which will provide the structure for long term, comprehensive programs for all rate classes, including low/fixed income bill payers.
Integrated Resource Planning | The Key to Long-Term Energy Efficiency
Integrated Resource Plan policy directs utility companies to put energy efficiency on equal footing with typical forms of energy production, like coal plants, when allocating resources to meet energy needs. The IRP will increase transparency and enable regulators to shift towards cleaner ways of generating energy. Done well, these plans guide the way to lower waste and utility bills for Louisiana families and businesses.
The Alliance succeeded in getting good integrated resource plan rules passed in New Orleans and the State, now we are making sure these plans work for rate-payers. The Alliance intervenes in all IRP dockets in New Orleans and is actively participating in the development of the plan. We are making sure that energy efficiency is sufficiently integrated into the plan.
The Alliance succeeded in getting good integrated resource plan rules passed in New Orleans and the State, now we are making sure these plans work for rate-payers. The Alliance intervenes in all IRP dockets in New Orleans and is actively participating in the development of the plan. We are making sure that energy efficiency is sufficiently integrated into the plan.
Coalition Building with Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA)
Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA) builds power to change policies and practices by seeding and supporting coalitions in 12 states, including Louisiana. The Alliance for Affordable Energy’s executive director, Logan Burke, is the EFFA state lead in Louisiana. We work with other EEFA partners including a variety of housing, health, energy efficiency, environmental, and community advocacy organizations that have not typically worked together in the past.
Together, our coalition partners work to ensure that utility, state, local, and federal entities provide equitable investment to improve the efficiency of affordable multi family homes; advance proven best practices in efficiency program design and implementation to help meet the needs of affordable housing building owners and residents; and advocate for policy solutions to ensure that non-toxic, healthy building materials are used in all home improvements.
Energy Efficiency for All Louisiana (EEFA-LA) focuses on building access and awareness of energy efficiency as a low-cost solution to New Orleans and Louisiana’s extreme and growing energy burdens. By highlighting the inequities of a new gas power plant for the local utility, they have built ground-up community support for the growth of efficiency in New Orleans and have successfully created a runway for multifamily housing developers to invest millions in efficiency.
Learn more about EEFA-LA’s recent successes here!
Together, our coalition partners work to ensure that utility, state, local, and federal entities provide equitable investment to improve the efficiency of affordable multi family homes; advance proven best practices in efficiency program design and implementation to help meet the needs of affordable housing building owners and residents; and advocate for policy solutions to ensure that non-toxic, healthy building materials are used in all home improvements.
Energy Efficiency for All Louisiana (EEFA-LA) focuses on building access and awareness of energy efficiency as a low-cost solution to New Orleans and Louisiana’s extreme and growing energy burdens. By highlighting the inequities of a new gas power plant for the local utility, they have built ground-up community support for the growth of efficiency in New Orleans and have successfully created a runway for multifamily housing developers to invest millions in efficiency.
Learn more about EEFA-LA’s recent successes here!
Utility Assistance Ministry Survey
Louisiana uses 30% more electricity per household than the average American and many families struggle to keep the lights on.
This survey is intended to gather information about the support Louisianians are receiving from places of worship. We are interested in better understanding the scope of the support and to find ways to coordinate efforts to reduce family cost burdens. Once this information is collected a report will be produced and presented at the 2020 Assembly of the Interchurch Conference.
Faith Leaders and administrators from places of worship can take the survey HERE.
This survey is intended to gather information about the support Louisianians are receiving from places of worship. We are interested in better understanding the scope of the support and to find ways to coordinate efforts to reduce family cost burdens. Once this information is collected a report will be produced and presented at the 2020 Assembly of the Interchurch Conference.
Faith Leaders and administrators from places of worship can take the survey HERE.
Valuing Energy Efficiency
Act 504 passed by the Louisiana Legislature requires appraisers to include energy efficiency in the appraised value of a building. Unfortunately the law did not specify how. The Alliance has been working with the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors and Energy Raters to create guidance to appraisers. In the short term, we are recommending that appraisers look at the past two years of energy bills as a guide as well as conducting a professional energy rating on the building. In the long term, we are looking to “green” the multiple listing service to include energy efficiency features to allow appraisers to determine comparable energy efficiency properties.
Rater Roundtable
The Rater Roundtable was a partnership between the Alliance for Affordable Energy and CORE USA. The monthly roundtables were held at the Alliance’s office. These meetings gave the Rater Community opportunity to discuss openly their work and with an end goal to provide better rating services to the community as a whole.