The real power behind the current energy efficiency industry?

President Barack Obama recently urged the energy efficiency in his State of the Union address. His endorsement is a plus, no argument. But it may not be the Federal Government that drives the industry's next growth spurt.

The push for clean energy seems more and more base, of the city and the community.

Consider this clear green energy trends and events.

Cities increasingly require that builders evaluate and report how well their commercial real estate use energy. Officials say that the results will help to create Government better policy. The information is also valuable in real estate transactions. Buyers get a better sense of the true value of a building. And owners of green buildings can use the information as a marketing tool for rental or sale of real estate. Minneapolis is the last town, usually reporting and disclosure. Public buildings must comply with this year and the largest private building in 2014. Other cities with similar requirements are Boulder, Seattle, New York City, San Francisco, Austin, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia.Massachusetts, the top US State for energy efficiency and a thriving market for solar energy, is known its reputation building community by Community law in the year 2008, as the Green Communities Act. While the law has many components, a key feature is its community grant program. Use 20 percent within five years, cities and towns, to be, if they agree to reduce energy subsidies. Communities must also streamline, more energy to keep the revenue within its borders is nice for green energy projects, as well as other measures. Massachusetts is trying, more environmentally friendly and more efficient become partly because it makes sense economically. About 80 percent of the State energy dollars are to places such as South America, Canada and in the Middle East, the sources its fuel paid. State officials call it a $18 billion "economic opportunity lost." The State wants more money in its own country "through investment in the domestic renewable energy and energy efficiency projects." General breast again are communities like the program. So far 110 have signed 45.2 per cent of the population of the Superstorm Sandy Staates.Nach, New York City looks to Microgrids – smaller, more concentrated local energy systems closer to more working a neighborhood operation on the user to develop. Utility officials can isolate a Microgrid storm masonry it cascading on the larger power grid fails. The NYS2100 Commission the Governor Andrew Cuomo find ways the State for future storms provide the State recommended that incentives to develop the creation of Microgrids. Connecticut urges Microgrid development for similar reasons. Has the Department of energy and environmental protection have been evaluating, 36 projects and plans to grant about 15 million $ to come to the best of them ahead. Governor Dannel Malloy will use an additional $30 million in the next two years on Microgrids.More and more municipalities build solar gardens, offers the advantages of solar tenants, with shady roofs or who face other barriers to solar system - an estimated 75 percent of the US population. (See this blog for more details).
Why is the city, the city and the community is becoming the power behind the clean and efficient energy?

I recently interviewed Rob Thornton, President of the International District Energy Association, during the preparation of this year's Guide to power heat coupling, published by PennWell. He offered an interesting insight.

Much consolidation has undergone such as banking, power industry mergers and acquisitions and takeovers of national and international energy companies in recent years. In many places the hometown utility is no longer. As a result, officials of the city have little influence over the shape of their current system.

"Mayor have used, had a direct relationship with the leadership of the utility investor. This person is now three States away. Mayor realize that she is not same range or lever, or engagement, they have used", said Thornton.

As a result, mayors and city leaders consider to increasingly their responsibility, their cities clean energy. You feel compelled to act, sometimes by organizations as C-40 cities, a network of megacities around the world working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. "It is a trend that we actually see, arise," Thornton said.

This trend is good for clean energy in many ways. Decisions, the proximity to home evoke less not-in-my-backyard resistance to new infrastructure. Local people develop a sense of ownership in energy projects and are therefore more likely to support than oppose them.

So, while it is good news that clean energy and energy efficiency are getting attention from the highest office holder in the United States, is the industry also the home team win. Tellingly, the Mayor and the City Council about the benefits of efficiency prove just as important as the support of the President and the Congress to win.

ELISA Wood is a long-time energy writer whose blog a week comes to the RealEnergyWriters.com.