1.) The fuel efficiency of vehicles is rising fast
2.) Fuel taxes are the single largest component of state transportation funding
3.) Stagnant gas tax revenues can’t keep pace with growing road use
4.) Failing grades. Enormous funding needs.
Clean & Prosperous Washington
Newsletter
What is a dollar of energy efficiency worth?
Several months ago we wrote here about the Community Energy Challenge, a Northwest Washington program designed to save energy and create jobs by making it really easy for homeowners and small businesses to implement energy efficiency improvements in their buildings. There is no doubt that the program is effective saving energy; participants in the CEC are saving a combined total of more than $645,000 every year, an average of a 23% reduction in energy costs for each participating homeowner. This is the equivalent, in carbon terms, of taking more than 1,300 cars off of the road.
Australia’s Lessons On a Carbon Tax: Get It Right
Learn by doing. That appears to be one conclusion from Australia’s recent repeal of their carbon tax. The carbon price began on July 1, 2012 at AU$23/tonne. It was levied on Australia’s top emitters and rose to AU$25/tonne, yet on July 17, 2014 it was repealed just two years after taking effect. The Aussies deserve a pat on the back. They tried on a carbon pricing policy which didn’t fit well. The lessons learned can benefit U.S. states including Washington as we work to develop the right framework for a thriving low-carbon economy.
Many Challenges Ahead For Electric Vehicles
Washington’s Electric Vehicle (EV) statistics look great on a national level. The percentage of new vehicle registrations that are EVs is higher in Washington than in any other state and the number of public charging stations and outlets makes Washington fourth in the country. Yet Washington’s high rankings in some ways speak more to the general absence of EV infrastructure nationwide. EVs make up only 1.6% of new registrations in Washington, and the infrastructure consists of a mere 1,700 stations and outlets primarily concentrated in the Seattle area. Addressing this lack of infrastructure as well as the limitations of EVs is critical for making them a practical option for the average Washingtonian.
Energy Conservation Adds Wealth in WA
(Originally Posted on Plan Washington Website) Community energy efficiency programs keep Washingtonians working, and conserving energy, while bringing robust economic benefits and improving building stock. This is no accident. Energy planners in the...