October is observed as National Energy Awareness Month. With 16 percent of U.S. electricity generation expected to come from solar and wind power in 2023, the personal-finance website WalletHub recently released its report on 2023’s Most & Least Energy-Efficient States, as well as expert commentary.
To gauge the financial impact of doing more with less energy – the average American household spends at least $2,000 per year on utilities and another $3,120 on motor fuel and oil – WalletHub compared the auto- and home-energy efficiency in 48 U.S. states. Due to data limitations, Alaska and Hawaii were excluded from the analysis.
Coming in as the most energy efficient state was Utah, followed by Massachusetts, Vermont, New York and Rhode Island rounding out the top five. California narrowly missed out making the top five, ranked seventh in the study. The bottom five were Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia and South Carolina.
Energy Efficiency in California (1=Most Energy-Efficient; 24=Avg.)
Overall rank for California: 7th
10th – Home Energy Efficiency
11th – Vehicle-Fuel Efficiency
5th – Transportation Efficiency
For the full report, visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/most-and-least-energy-efficient-states/7354
Expert Commentary
What energy-efficient products for the home offer the best Return On Investment, ROI?
“It is still the (old) basics – LED lighting and caulking leaks around your house. While consumers have noticed that LED lamps have come down way in price and are offered in hardware stores, some still picked cheaper options though since Aug. 1, 2023, you can no longer buy incandescent or halogen lamps. Caulking and weatherstrips are something most homeowners could do themselves, though contractors (and some handymen) can find those spots better with an infrared camera. But holding a strip of paper tissue around windows may also give you pointers, more so on a cold/windy day.”
Georg Reichard, P.E. – Professor and Head, Department of Building Construction; Associate Director, Myers-Lawson School of Construction; Director, Building Enclosure & System Technologies Lab, Virginia Tech
“In my experience, devices like programmable/smart thermostats, and motion-activated lights have provided me with the best ROI. Moreover, they are reliable and do not (need) excessive hands-on maintenance, etc. Smart plugs have also proven to be a good investment, especially for controlling things such as decorative lights for festivals, etc. I wish they would find a device (or maybe they have and I am not aware of it) that would turn the power off to power adapters when they are not being used. Would come in quite handy for things like cell phones, and computer chargers.”
Sanjay Srinivasan – Director, EMS Energy Institute; Professor, The Pennsylvania State University
Should the government continue to incentivize consumers and businesses to invest in energy-efficient projects?
“Absolutely. Investing in energy efficiency pays off in so many different ways for individual households and more broadly for the health of people and the planet. Phasing out fossil fuel reliance is an essential component of a stable and healthy future. There is an urgent need for governments to ramp up their incentives for energy efficiency and renewable-based energy and quickly put an end to their subsidies that support continued fossil fuel reliance.”
Jennie C. Stephens, Ph.D. – Professor, Northeastern University
“In my view yes, especially for services that consumers tend to underinvest in, such as sealing ducts, insulation, improving airflow, or new technologies that offer significant opportunities for households to conserve energy or become more efficient.”
Jim Rossi – Judge D.L. Lansden Chair in Law, Vanderbilt University Law School
What is the biggest mistake consumers make when trying to make their homes more energy-efficient?
“Lighting comes again to my mind. Now that they have LED lamps installed, they think it does not matter if they stay on all day/night. Similar patterns can be observed when owners upgrade their heating/cooling systems with more energy-efficient models that they get more ‘relaxed’ with setting the thermostat. Also, over-insulating only one part of your building envelope extends the ROI time, e.g., increasing insulation in the attic by a large amount while not improving walls and windows will do less.”
Georg Reichard, P.E. – Professor and Head, Department of Building Construction; Associate Director, Myers-Lawson School of Construction; Director, Building Enclosure & System Technologies Lab, Virginia Tech
“That energy efficiency requires you to purchase some kind of fancy product. In most instances, the highest bang for the lowest buck is behavioral, not tied to new products for your home. Turning off lights and appliances such as TVs and lights when they are not being used can yield benefits. Reducing your thermostat temperature by one degree in the winter or increasing it by one degree in the summer will save you as much as three to five percent on your monthly gas and electric bills.”
Jim Rossi – Judge D.L. Lansden Chair in Law, Vanderbilt University Law School
