CT moves up 3 spots in energy efficiency

Connecticut ranks No. 6 among the states in energy efficiency, jumping three spots from last year, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy report out Wednesday.

Gov. Dannel Malloy has made it a central component of his administration to make Connecticut No. 1 in the nation in energy efficiency, in order to mitigate high energy prices for businesses and residents in the state. Although several groups rank state energy efficiency, Malloy judges the state's performance by the ACEEE rankings.

Connecticut has been as high as No. 3 in the rankings, which first came out six years ago. Last year, the state ranked No. 9 and, in 2010, ranked No. 8.

The ACEEE rankings look at a number of indicators when rating the 50 states, including government spending for energy efficiency programs, state goals, building codes, and appliance efficiency standards. Connecticut's electricity is among the nation's highest, and the state usually ranks only behind Hawaii and sometimes New York in terms of high energy prices. To decrease overall cost, the state strives to lower its energy usage through efficiency.

ACEEE ranked Massachusetts No. 1, followed by California, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Washington, Maryland, and Minnesota. The top five is unchanged from last year.

^©2012 HartfordBusiness.com