GOAL:
Protect public health and the environment from the adverse impacts of energy production, transportation, and consumption.

OBJECTIVE:
Minimize the amount of energy required to power the economy and optimize the mix of sources used to meet that requirement with respect to their environmental impact.

STATUS & TRENDS:
As discussed in the 1991 Connecticut Energy Policy Report, Connecticut experienced significant increases in energy efficiency in the late seventies and early eighties. Since the mideighties, however, the trend has been reversed, reflecting the lower pri ces for oil products. In the electric utility area significant progress has been achieved in the introduction of "least cost" or "integrated resource planning" wherein conservation and demand management are viewed as alternatives to increasing energy pro duction. Some progress has been made toward internalizing environmental costs in these processes, but much additional effort is needed. Oil, still the biggest component of the fuel mix, is currently priced without regard to the environmental costs assoc iated with its use, and little consideration has been given to the differences between energy sources with respect to their global warming consequences. Such consideration would clearly favor renewable resources such as solar. Transportation continues t o be the largest energy consumption sector (43%) and the one with the most serious near term environmental consequences in terms of ozone, nitrogen oxide and toxic emissions.

STRATEGIES:

1. Participate in the integrated resource planning process to ensure that environmental values are appropriately reflected.
2. Integrate energy conservation into a pollution prevention program.
3. Recognize and emphasize energy conservation and fuel mix components of possible transportation control strategy decisions so as to optimize overall benefits for reduction in ozone, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide, and reduced land use impacts.
4. Promote the use of clean alternative fuels for motor vehicles and alternatives to motor vehicle use.
5. Foster the maximum utilization of alternative and renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation to minimize the future need for electric generating facilities.