State Policy

Making Energy Efficiency Work in Every State

States are where energy efficiency policy comes to life. Legislatures set efficiency standards, governors direct investments, public utility commissions determine how utilities spend billions on energy programs, and state energy offices administer federal funds that reach households and businesses directly. ACEEE has tracked, analyzed, and shaped this landscape for more than four decades — and our annual State Energy Efficiency Scorecard remains the definitive measure of how all 50 states and the District of Columbia are performing.

ACEEE works with state officials, regulators, and advocates to develop and implement the policies that deliver the most savings. We analyze energy efficiency resource standards, building codes, utility program design, financing mechanisms, and the policies that best serve low-income households and disadvantaged communities. Our technical assistance helps states navigate a rapidly shifting energy system — from the opportunities created by clean energy investments to the challenges of rising electricity demand and growing grid pressure.

When states lead, the rest of the country follows. ACEEE’s state policy work builds the momentum and the evidence that moves energy efficiency from good idea to governing priority.