Alliance to Save Energy
Encyclopedia
The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition consisting largely of industrial, technological, and energy corporations. The Alliance states that its mission is to "support energy efficiency
as a cost-effective energy resource under existing market conditions and advocate energy-efficiency policies that minimize costs to society and individual consumers, and that lessen greenhouse gas
emissions and their impact on the global climate." The alliance's chief activities include public relations
, research, and lobbying
to change U.S. energy policy
.
The creation of the Alliance was announced on the 10 February 1977 with the support of the then U.S. President Jimmy Carter
. It was the initiative of senators Charles Percy
and Hubert Humphrey.
, which phases out
the use of inefficient forms of incandescent light bulb
s in favor of more energy-efficient lights, such as CFL, halogen incandescents, and LED lights. The purchase price of more efficient lights is typically higher than the purchase price of legacy incandescents. However, the low energy consumption and long life span of high-efficiency lights result in lower life-cycle costs
than their legacy incandescent counterparts. Several of the founding member corporations (including Philips
, Panasonic
, and Sylvania
) are manufacturers of high-efficiency bulbs. However, all of these corporations are also manufacturers of the incandescent light bulbs that will be phased out of production following passage of the Clean Energy Bill of 2007.
The first high-profile board of directors and board of advisors were chaired by Senator Percy and the Honorable Henry A. Kissinger, respectively. Honorary chairmen include Senators Daniel J. Evans
, the late H. John Heinz III
and Timothy E. Wirth.
The current board is chaired by Senator Jeanne Shaheen
(D-NH) and co-chaired by Peter Darbee, Chairman, President and CEO of PG&E Corporation. Congressional vice-chairs include Senators Jeff Bingaman
(D-NM), Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Richard Lugar (R–IN), Lisa Murkowski
(R–AK), Mark Pryor
(D-AR.), Mark Udall
(D–CO), Mark Warner
(D–VA). Congressional vice chairs also include Representatives Michael Burgess
(R–TX), Ralph Hall
(R– TX), Steve Israel
(D–NY), Edward J. Markey (D–MA), and Paul Tonko
(D–NY). Alliance President Kateri Callahan took office on January 1, 2004.
Efficient energy use
Efficient energy use, sometimes simply called energy efficiency, is the goal of efforts to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products and services. For example, insulating a home allows a building to use less heating and cooling energy to achieve and maintain a comfortable temperature...
as a cost-effective energy resource under existing market conditions and advocate energy-efficiency policies that minimize costs to society and individual consumers, and that lessen greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
emissions and their impact on the global climate." The alliance's chief activities include public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
, research, and lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
to change U.S. energy policy
Energy policy of the United States
The energy policy of the United States is determined by federal, state and local public entities in the United States, which address issues of energy production, distribution, and consumption, such as building codes and gas mileage standards...
.
The creation of the Alliance was announced on the 10 February 1977 with the support of the then U.S. President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
. It was the initiative of senators Charles Percy
Charles H. Percy
Charles Harting "Chuck" Percy was president of the Bell & Howell Corporation from 1949 to 1964. He was elected United States Senator from Illinois in 1966, re-elected through his term ending in 1985; he concentrated on business and foreign relations...
and Hubert Humphrey.
Member organizations
The alliance includes over 170 organizations committed to energy efficiency as a primary way to achieve the nation's environmental, economic, energy security and affordable housing goals.Support of Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
In 2007, Alliance to Save Energy came out in support of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 is an Act of Congress concerning the energy policy of the United States...
, which phases out
Banning of incandescent lightbulbs
Some governments around the world have passed measures to phase out incandescent light bulbs for general lighting. The aim is to encourage the use and technological development of more energy-efficient lighting alternatives, such as compact fluorescent lamp and LED lamps...
the use of inefficient forms of incandescent light bulb
Incandescent light bulb
The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe makes light by heating a metal filament wire to a high temperature until it glows. The hot filament is protected from air by a glass bulb that is filled with inert gas or evacuated. In a halogen lamp, a chemical process...
s in favor of more energy-efficient lights, such as CFL, halogen incandescents, and LED lights. The purchase price of more efficient lights is typically higher than the purchase price of legacy incandescents. However, the low energy consumption and long life span of high-efficiency lights result in lower life-cycle costs
Life cycle assessment
A life-cycle assessment is a technique to assess environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life from-cradle-to-grave A life-cycle assessment (LCA, also known as life-cycle analysis, ecobalance, and cradle-to-grave analysis) is a technique to assess environmental impacts...
than their legacy incandescent counterparts. Several of the founding member corporations (including Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
, Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
, and Sylvania
Osram Sylvania
Osram Sylvania Inc. is the North American operation of lighting manufacturer Osram GmbH, which is owned by Siemens AG. It was established in January 1993, with the acquisition of GTE’s Sylvania lighting division by Osram GmbH....
) are manufacturers of high-efficiency bulbs. However, all of these corporations are also manufacturers of the incandescent light bulbs that will be phased out of production following passage of the Clean Energy Bill of 2007.
Board of directors
The board includes CEOs, presidents and senior executives of companies, associations, consumer and environmental organizations, as well as officials from state government, universities and law firms.The first high-profile board of directors and board of advisors were chaired by Senator Percy and the Honorable Henry A. Kissinger, respectively. Honorary chairmen include Senators Daniel J. Evans
Daniel J. Evans
Daniel Jackson Evans served three terms as the 16th Governor of the state of Washington from 1965 to 1977, and represented the state in the United States Senate from 1983 to 1989....
, the late H. John Heinz III
H. John Heinz III
Henry John Heinz III was an American politician from Pennsylvania, a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate .-Early life:...
and Timothy E. Wirth.
The current board is chaired by Senator Jeanne Shaheen
Jeanne Shaheen
Jeanne Shaheen is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and the Senior United States Senator from New Hampshire. The first woman in U.S. history to be elected as both a Governor and U.S. Senator, she was the first woman to be elected Governor of New Hampshire, serving from...
(D-NH) and co-chaired by Peter Darbee, Chairman, President and CEO of PG&E Corporation. Congressional vice-chairs include Senators Jeff Bingaman
Jeff Bingaman
Jesse Francis "Jeff" Bingaman, Jr. , is the senior U.S. Senator from New Mexico and a member of the Democratic Party...
(D-NM), Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Richard Lugar (R–IN), Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann Murkowski is the senior U.S. Senator from the State of Alaska and a member of the Republican Party. She was appointed to the Senate in 2002 by her father, Governor Frank Murkowski. After losing a Republican primary in 2010, she became the second person ever to win a U.S...
(R–AK), Mark Pryor
Mark Pryor
Mark Lunsford Pryor is the senior United States Senator from Arkansas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party and former Attorney General of Arkansas....
(D-AR.), Mark Udall
Mark Udall
Mark Emery Udall is the senior United States Senator from Colorado and a member of the Democratic Party. From 1999 to 2009, Udall served in the United States House of Representatives, representing . He also served a term in the Colorado House of Representatives.Born in Tucson, Arizona, he is the...
(D–CO), Mark Warner
Mark Warner
Mark Robert Warner is an American politician and businessman, currently serving in the United States Senate as the junior senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and is the honorary chairman of...
(D–VA). Congressional vice chairs also include Representatives Michael Burgess
Michael Burgess
Michael John Clement Burgess OBE is the Coroner of the Queen's Household. He was educated at King's College London. He was appointed deputy coroner in 1991 and was appointed coroner in 2002...
(R–TX), Ralph Hall
Ralph Hall
Ralph Moody Hall is a United States Representative from . First elected in 1980, Hall is the chairman of the Science Committee and a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee...
(R– TX), Steve Israel
Steve Israel
Steve J. Israel is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located on Long Island and includes the towns of Huntington, Babylon, Islip, and Smithtown in Suffolk County, part of the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, and the...
(D–NY), Edward J. Markey (D–MA), and Paul Tonko
Paul Tonko
Paul David Tonko is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located in the heart of the Capital District...
(D–NY). Alliance President Kateri Callahan took office on January 1, 2004.