Energy policy ambitious

Utah has a new energy policy with an ambitious goal: a 20 percent increase in the state's energy efficiency by 2015.

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. unveiled the policy Wednesday. It follows a goal set by the Western Governors' Association to improve energy efficiency in the West by the year 2020.

"It is good policy economically," said Huntsman. "It is good policy environmentally, and we believe it will be beneficial to all the citizens of the state."

Under the policy, several steps are outlined to help Utah improve its energy efficiency, including expanded design standards for buildings, education efforts, utilization of efficient transportation systems and installation of on-site renewable energy sources, like solar-energy projects.

State agencies currently spend about $60 million each year on energy. The state owns more than 2,000 buildings. Part of the new plan calls for the government to build future state buildings near light rail or other public-transit systems.

Laura Nelson, the governor's energy-policy adviser, said she will be working with a team of state employees to assess how energy efficient Utah is today. Based on that study, the state will determine how it can improve efficiency by 20 percent, she said.

Costs to implement the program are unknown. Nelson said the state is looking at "very low-cost or no-cost" options to save energy, like changing to energy efficient light bulbs. Many options are "actually paid for through energy savings dollars," she said.

Sara Wright, director of Utah Clean Energy, said public education is a significant part of the governor's plan. It also calls for coalition building and collaboration with utilities, regulators and the private sector.

Utah Industries of the Future, which works with some of the state's largest industrial energy users, is one organization that has partnered with the state to promote energy efficiency.

"Energy efficiency is the quickest, cleanest, cheapest source of energy available today," Wright said. "If we save energy through more efficient building, transportation, more efficient residential housing, that's money that we don't need for development. We don't need to build power plants and drill wells."

Earlier this year, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon issued a directive for the county to "incorporate environmentally sustainable practices" in all aspects of day-to-day business. In July 2005, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson issued a similar order that required all new buildings to be more energy efficient.

Huntsman says the state's new energy policy will increase economic development opportunities for the state, improve the environment and cut costs.

"It is going to mitigate rising energy costs, which of course, is an issue for every Utahn today," he said. "It will position Utah to be more competitive for economic development because people want to invest and do business where the standards are high."

To read more about the governor's energy policy and plans, log on to: www.energy.utah.gov.

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E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com