Less is more

Utilities are leading the chorus for greater energy efficiency in the US. But, as David Watkins discovers, their drive to secure profits while selling less power is proving to be a major regulatory challenge

Something has to give in the US power markets. Rising input costs, thinning reserve margins, higher load growth and a burgeoning environmental consciousness are all challenging the sector to develop a more cost-effective and environmentally sound deployment of energy-efficiency resources.

Utilities and regulatory bodies are grappling with three main areas of energy-efficiency planning: how much needs to be done; how regulatory bodies and utilities can develop efficiency standards amid a patchwork