SOUTHWEST ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT

THE SOUTHWEST ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT (SWEEP) IS A PUBLIC-INTEREST ORGANIZATION PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ELECTRIFICATION, AND CLEAN TRANSPORTATION IN ARIZONA, COLORADO, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, UTAH, AND WYOMING TO REDUCE UTILITY BILLS, IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, REDUCE CLIMATE EMISSIONS, PROMOTE EQUITY, AND CREATE CLEAN ENERGY JOBS. TRADITIONALLY, THIS WAS A HIGH-GROWTH REGION WHERE ENERGY EFFICIENCY EFFORTS WERE LAGGING COMPARED TO SOME OTHER REGIONS AND EMPHASIS WAS PLACED ON ENERGY PRODUCTION. DUE IN LARGE PART TO THE EFFORTS OF SWEEP, THE REGION HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES IN ADVANCING ENERGY EFFICIENCY OVER THE PAST 23 YEARS. SWEEP FOCUSED INITIALLY ON UTILITY ENERGY EFFICIENCY POLICY AND PROGRAMS.PROGRAMS ON BUILDINGS, INDUSTRIAL, AND TRANSPORTATION EFFICIENCY AND ELECTRIFICATION WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ADDED. SWEEP COLLABORATES WITH BUSINESSES, UTILITIES, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSUMER GROUPS, ADVOCATES FOR LOWER INCOME FAMILIES AND DISPROPORTIONATELY-IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, AND OTHER ENERGY EXPERTS. UTILITY PROGRAM: SWEEP PROMOTES THE EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF UTILITY ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS IN THE SOUTHWEST, INCLUDING FOR UNDERSERVED HOUSEHOLDS AND COMMUNITIES. WE WORK ON LEGISLATION TO ESTABLISH ENERGY SAVINGS AND DECARBONIZATION GOALS OR REQUIREMENTS, AND POLICIES TO ALLOW UTILITIES TO BENEFIT FINANCIALLY WHEN THEY HELP THEIR CUSTOMERS SAVE ENERGY. WE ADVOCATE FOR JUST AND EQUITABLE TRANSITION POLICIES AND FUNDING TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY CLOSURE OF FOSSIL-FUEL ENERGY FACILITIES. WE ADVISE UTILITIES AS THEY DESIGN ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND BUILDING AND TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAMS AND DESIGN RATES TO INCLUDE DEMAND RESPONSE AND BETTER INTEGRATE INCREASING AMOUNTS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY ONTO THE GRID. WE FREQUENTLY APPEAR BEFORE STATE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSIONS. BUILDINGS PROGRAM: SWEEP SUPPORTS THE ADOPTION OF STRONGER BUILDING ENERGY CODES AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL, INCLUDING PROVISIONS TO REQUIRE PRE-WIRING FOR SOLAR AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND APPLIANCES OR ALL-ELECTRIC OR NET ZERO CONSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS STRONGER CODE IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS. IN ADDITION, SWEEP PROMOTES CONSTRUCTION OF NEW HOMES AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS THAT ARE MORE ENERGY-EFFICIENT THAN MINIMUM CODE REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING ZERO ENERGY AND ALL-ELECTRIC BUILDINGS, AS WELL AS STRATEGIES FOR EXPANDING RETROFIT OF EXISTING HOMES AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND USE ELECTRIC SPACE AND WATER HEATING AND APPLIANCES, ESPECIALLY IN LOW INCOME AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM: SWEEP ADVANCES EQUITABLE AND EFFECTIVE STATE AND REGIONAL POLICIES THAT WILL INCREASE THE FUEL EFFICIENCY OF NEW VEHICLES, PROMOTE THE ADOPTION OF PLUG-IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EVS), AND REDUCE MOTOR VEHICLE USE (VEHICLE-MILES TRAVELED, OR VMT). THESE POLICIES INCLUDE INCREASED FUNDING FOR EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, STATE TAX CREDITS AND UTILITY INCENTIVES FOR EV PURCHASES, INCREASED FUNDING FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS INCLUDING BUS RAPID TRANSIT, AND POLICIES TO PROMOTE LOCATION-EFFICIENT AND TRANSIT-SUPPORTIVE LAND USE. INDUSTRIAL PROGRAM: SWEEP SUPPORTS POLICIES AND PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THE REGION. SWEEP ALSO LEADS AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY NETWORKING PROGRAM FOR INDUSTRIES IN COLORADO. STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE: SWEEP PROVIDES ADVICE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE REGION IMPROVE THEIR ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ELECTRIFICATION, AND CLEAN TRANSPORTATION STRATEGIES, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS. WE ARE FREQUENTLY CALLED UPON TO CONTRIBUTE TO STATE AND LOCAL ENERGY OR CLIMATE PLANS. INFORMATION EXCHANGE AND COMMUNICATIONS: SWEEP PROVIDES FACT SHEETS, NEWS ITEMS, PROGRAM SUMMARIES, CASE STUDIES AND RESEARCH REPORTS THROUGH ITS WEBSITE, BLOGS, OP-EDS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA. SWEEP ALSO ORGANIZES REGIONAL WORKSHOPS TO FOSTER EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION ON STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGIES, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS. SWEEP WORKS TO INCREASE MEDIA COVERAGE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ELECTRIFICATION, AND CLEAN TRANSPORTATION AND EDUCATES FEDERAL AND STATE POLICY MAKERS REGARDING THE BENEFITS OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ELECTRIFICATION, AND CLEAN TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVES AND INVESTMENTS.