The brief is the fifth in a series of Berkeley Lab reports that are part of the Cost of Saved Energy Project. This brief describes analyses of cost and electricity savings data for more than 1,600 individual efficiency programs offered to customers of utilities that serve about half of U.S. electricity load. These data are reported to d by 78 program administrators in 36 states.

"The average cost to utilities to save a kilowatt-hour (kWh) in the United States is 2.5 cents, according to the most comprehensive assessment to date of the cost performance of energy efficiency programs funded by electricity customers. These costs are similar to those documented earlier. Cost-effective efficiency programs help ensure electricity system reliability at the most affordable cost as part of utility planning and implementation activities for resource adequacy. Building on prior studies, Berkeley Lab analyzed the cost performance of 8,790 electricity efficiency programs between 2009 and 2015 for 116 investor-owned utilities and other program administrators in 41 states. The Berkeley Lab database includes programs representing about three-quarters of total spending on electricity efficiency programs in the United States"--Abstract

Electric and natural gas energy efficiency in the United States is pursued through a diverse mix of policies and programmatic efforts, which support and supplement private investments by individuals and businesses. These efforts include federal and state minimum efficiency standards for electric and gas end-use products; state building energy codes; a national efficiency labelling program (ENERGY STAR®); tax credits; and a broad array of largely incentive-based programs for consumers, funded primarily by electric and natural gas utility customers. This book provides information on projected spending and savings of the future of utility customer-funded energy efficiency programs in the United States; and discusses the shifting landscape of ratepayer-funded energy efficiency in the United States.

Electric and natural gas energy efficiency in the United States is pursued through a diverse mix of policies and programmatic efforts, which support and supplement private investments by individuals and businesses. These efforts include federal and state minimum efficiency standards for electric and gas end-use products; state building energy codes; a national efficiency labeling program (ENERGY STAR®); tax credits; and a broad array of largely incentive-based programs for consumers, funded primarily by electric and natural gas utility customers. This book provides information on projected spending and savings of the future of utility customer-funded energy efficiency programs in the United States; and discusses the shifting landscape of ratepayer-funded energy efficiency in the United States

As efficiency programs gain wider traction as a utility resource, the need increases in step for high-quality, comprehensive and consistent data metrics on energy efficiency program costs and cost-effectiveness. In this report ACEEE reviews utility-sector energy efficiency program costs in recent years (2009-2012). They collected data from reports by program administrators to calculate the levelized cost of saved energy, which is the best way to compare energy efficiency to other energy resource options.