Innovative Program Prevents 20,000 Tons of CO2 from
Entering Atmosphere and Helps Slow Climate Change

(February 2007): Energy efficiency measures implemented by the University of California and the California State University systems, in collaboration with California’s four investor-owned utilities, saved 32 million kilowatt hours and 1.5 million therms of gas in 2004 and 2005. The savings exceeded, by approximately 30 percent, the energy reduction targets established for the partners by the California Public Utilities Commission.

The reduction in energy use has also prevented nearly 20,000 metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere annually. This is equivalent to removing more than 4,000 cars from California’s roads, and saving 2.3 million gallons of gasoline every year, as well as preserving over 160 acres of mature forest. Peak demand savings goals were also achieved during the 2004-2005 funding cycle.

To create this innovative program, the two public California university systems partnered with the investor owned utility companies, Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, and Sempra Energy's two California utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Gas Co.  The program’s activities are also a key element in UC’s and CSU’s energy sustainability policies, and significantly contribute to California’s national leadership ranking in reducing climate change.

“This is the most successful energy efficiency program serving the higher education sector. In fact, the program was designed and implemented to not only achieve sustained energy savings, but also influence energy policy in education institutions nationwide,” said Len Pettis, CSU’s Chief of Plant, Energy and Utilities.

Eight out of 10 University of California campuses, CSU and the investor owned utilities are members of the California Climate Action Registry, a non-profit public/private partnership that serves as a voluntary greenhouse gas (GHG) registry to protect, encourage, and promote early actions to reduce GHG emissions. As members, each entity works with the registry to annually track, report and certify its greenhouse gas emissions, the dominant culprit in increasing global warming. Visit www.climateregistry.org to learn more about the registry.

The university/utility partnership employs several comprehensive strategies at the university campuses to reduce energy usage, such as energy efficiency retrofits, monitoring-based commissioning, emerging technology demonstrations, and other forms of training and education. This combination of innovative technology, and processes and program management, delivers savings with far-ranging impacts for California and beyond.

The initial 2004-2005 phase of the program has transitioned to the 2006-2008 program cycle. The program is funded by Public Goods Charge, a retail sales surcharge that funds public goods research, development and demonstration, and energy efficiency activities.

For the 2006-2008 cycle, program funding has more than doubled on an annual basis, and energy savings goals have increased approximately four-fold. The partners are well on their way to achieving the 2006-2008 goals and preventing an additional 56,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually. This is equivalent to removing more than 12,000 cars from our roads, and saving 6.4 million gallons of gasoline every year. The California Community College system has also embarked on a similar partnership through 2008.

The Partnership Program is funded by California utility customers and administered by California’s investor owned utilities under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. California customers who choose to participate in this program are not obligated to purchase any additional services offered by the Program. The trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.