Still the One: Efficiency Remains a Cost-Effective Electricity Resource

Energy efficiency continues to be a low-cost way to meet electricity needs. Berkeley Lab's research over the past decade has confirmed that the average cost of saving electricity is less than the cost of producing it. This analysis and presentation focus on nine consecutive years of efficiency program data. Researchers found that the cost of saving electricity has remained relatively constant since 2010, at less than 3 cents a kilowatt-hour (kWh). Importantly, they found that about half of the savings that occur during times of peak demand — for most regions, in summer — cost utilities less than $100 per kilowatt (kW) saved.