Personal Impact*
Waste Diversion Zero-Carbon Energy Solar PV Transportation
Electricity at Home and Work
The average Connecticut resident's electric consumption increased in 2021 to 3,635 Kilowatt-hours (kWh) per person.
In 2021, Connecticut’s residential sector consumed approximately 13,099 million kWh,64 an increase of 0.9 percent from 2020 (12,982 million kWh) and higher than the prior ten-year average (12,808 million kWh). The use of fossil fuels for electric generation increases air pollution, especially from marginal units used to meet peak demand. Increasing the efficiency of generating units, using renewable sources, reducing electricity use and peak demand, and carbon capture and sequestration are all viable strategies to reduce air pollution from the electricity sector. The increase in 2021 came in a year with 18 days with temperatures greater than 90°F, which was greater than the 20- and 60-year average, but considerably less than the 30 days with temperatures greater than 90°F in 2020. Typically, the hotter the summer, the more electricity residents use to cool their homes and the more greenhouse gas emissions are released to the environment. In addition, the increase is likely attributed to more people learning and working from home for some time in 2021 than in previous years in response to the COVID 19 virus.
Connecticut's commercial and industrial sectors are using electricity more efficiently in 2021.
In 2021, Connecticut’s commercial and industrial sector consumed approximately 14,382 million kWh.65 The consumption of electricity in the commercial sector increased by 3.6 percent, while electricity consumption in the industrial sector decreased 1.0 percent from 2020 levels. Connecticut’s 2021 annual average Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is the total value of goods and services produced within the state in a single year, has been calculated by the Council using data provided by the Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis at approximately $244,454 million**.
Estimated annual savings from electricity conservation measures have generally been declining since 2016.
As mentioned above, reducing electricity use is an effective strategy for reducing air emissions from electric generation. Estimated annual savings from energy efficiency measures in 2021 (273,318 megawatt hours (MWh)) was greater than in 2020 (249,734 MWh), but less than the ten-year average of approximately 342,705 MWH.66 The trend for annual electric savings has declined since 2011.
Connecticut has energy-efficiency programs that have helped small and large businesses, homeowners and renters, and state and local governments manage their energy use. The Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund (CEEF) has funded programs that provide financial incentives to reduce energy use. These programs and services, administered and delivered by Connecticut’s electric and gas utilities, are funded from the CEEF through a “Public Benefits Charge” on electric bills and through a conservation charge included in natural gas rates. As expected, there is a correlation between electricity conserved, or electricity that need not be generated to meet demand, and reduction of air emissions associated with electric generation. The trend for annual electric savings has declined since 2011.
While the average annual emission rates (pounds of CO2/MWH) for fossil fuel electric generation units in Connecticut has decreased over the last 10 years,67 Connecticut could make more use of energy efficiency measures and energy efficient building design, including greater use of solar energy in building design and orientation as a means of reducing air emissions and other environmental impacts.
The Independent System Operator for New England (ISO-NE) estimates that the cumulative annual energy savings, net of embedded expiring measures, is expected to increase over the next ten years; however, the rate at which additional measures are applied in future years is expected to decline.68 Residential and commercial buildings use 74 percent of all electricity and 39 percent of all energy use in the United States. In Connecticut, the approximately 1.4 million households and 140,000 businesses together account for more than 70 percent of Connecticut’s 750 trillion BTU of annual energy consumption.69 With widespread adoption of existing energy-efficiency building technologies, greater use of more energy efficient multi-family housing and the introduction and use of new energy efficiency technologies, energy use in homes and commercial buildings could be reduced by 50 percent.70
Goal: Public Act 18-50 introduced a new policy of the state to reduce energy consumption by 1.6 million MMBtus (one million British Thermal Units), or “the equivalent megawatts of electricity,”annually each year for calendar years commencing on and after January 1, 2020 through calendar year 2025. Specific goals for electric savings vary for each year based on a number of factors, including the proposed budget.
Technical Note: *Personal Impact indicators illustrate trends in behavior or practices that can be expected to influence the condition of tomorrow’s air, water, land and wildlife. The vertical axis in the charts above “Residential Electric Sales” and “Efficiency at Work” have been shortened, beginning at 3,300 kWh/capita and 12.0 GDP($)/kWh, respectively, rather than the customary zero. ** GDP in seasonally adjusted 2012 chained dollars.
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64 Energy Information Administration (EIA), Electricity Data Browser, Retail Sales of Electricity, Residential Sector; www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/topic/5?agg=2,0,1&geo=008&freq=A&start=2001&end=2020&ctype=linechart<ype=pin&rtype=s&pin=&rse=0&maptype=0.
65 EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Retail Sales of Electricity, Commercial and Industrial Sector; www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/topic/5?agg=2,0,1&geo=008&freq=A&start=2001&end=2020&ctype=linechart<ype=pin&rtype=s&pin=&rse=0&maptype=0.
66 Energize Connecticut, Connecticut Statewide Energy Efficiency Dashboard, accessed 3-9-2022; www.ctenergydashboard.com/Public/PublicSales.aspx.
67 Independent System Operator – New England (ISO-NE), ISO New England Electric Generator Air Emissions Reports; www.iso-ne.com/system-planning/system-plans-studies/emissions/.
68 ISO-New England, Final 2021 Energy Efficiency Forecast, May 1, 2021; www.iso-ne.com/static-assets/documents/2021/04/eef2021_final_fcst.pdf.
69 DEEP, 2018 Connecticut Comprehensive Energy Strategy, Building Sector; portal.ct.gov/-/media/DEEP/energy/CES/BuildingsSectorpdf.pdf.
70 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Emerging Technologies; www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/emerging-technologies.