For many areas of the United States, local governments are beginning to make serious investments in energy-efficient technology. California has worked to become a leader in solar power, while Minnesota has recently adopted measures to calculate the amount of energy that is produced by each home's solar panels. The world is becoming a more environmentally-aware place, with the global community producing more renewable power than even industry experts expected. This commitment to energy efficiency is starting to create significant financial benefits.

According to a recent report, New England is seeing the rewards of investing in energy-efficient technology and upgrades. Data from the Regional Energy Efficiency Database (REED), shows that the Northeast is saving money on energy consumption while increasing their dependence on renewable resources. Over the last year, New England states saved a total of 3,200 gigawatts of power. While these energy program upgrades cost $1.2 billion to implement, they have yielded approximately five cents per kilowatt in savings.

"Energy efficiency continues to be a sound investment of ratepayer funds to help meet our region's energy needs, not to mention reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants emitted from power plants, and other non-energy benefits to customers and the region's economy, including creating new jobs," said Robert Scott, commissioner of the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission.

In addition to massive energy savings in New England, Maryland also experienced a 30 percent increase in saved power expenditures from 2011 to 2012. Energy efficiency programs are beginning to pay off, no matter where you live in the country.

If you live in Maryland and want to improve the energy efficiency of your home, an excellent first step is to have an energy audit from Alban Inspections. Schedule an appointment with us today!