The study finds that expanded energy efficiency and renewable energy could reduce wholesale natural gas prices by 37 percent in the next 12 months, based on total consumption reductions of about 1 percent. By 2010, wholesale gas prices would be 20 percent lower, based on gas savings of over 4 percent. Energy efficiency alone could reduce prices by 25 percent in the next 12 months, based on savings of about 0.6 percent; in 2010, wholesale prices would be 10 percent lower, based on energy savings of about 1.3 percent.
According to the analysis, the reduced consumption and price effects could result in over $33 billion in savings to natural gas consumers in 2010, with a total investment of about $11 billion.
The report analyzes the effects of energy efficiency investments in eight Midwestern states and finds that they would reduce demand nationally by only 0.03 percent in 2010, but would reduce wholesale prices by over 6 percent nationally, demonstrating that even modest savings in key gas-consuming regions could have a significant impact.
