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Back in 2007, Illinois leapt ahead of many other states, pioneering energy efficiency legislation that plays a key role to this day in providing Illinois consumers and industrial users with the lowest electricity rates in the Midwest.

But after a decade of inaction, other states have moved ahead of Illinois, seizing private investment and creating jobs that should have come here instead. Last year alone, Illinois lost more than 500 jobs in wind and solar combined, while dozens of other states registered significant gains in these sectors. At the same time, Exelon says that nuclear plants in two communities, the Quad Cities and Clinton, are at risk of closure barring quick action by the Legislature.

To maximize economic and environmental goals, this legislation should not simply address questions about the type of energy we use, it should also address the amount of energy we use by reducing demand through energy efficiency.

Energy efficiency has a proven track record in Illinois, saving money and putting people to work. Since Illinois energy efficiency standards were passed in 2007, customers have saved more than $1 billion on their electric bills. Today 86,000 people statewide work in this field, weatherizing or insulating buildings, designing efficiency measures and upgrading appliances…….

Proponents of the Illinois Clean Jobs Bill (HB 2607/SB 1485) have called for boosting energy efficiency standards statewide and fixing limits that artificially cap investments that utilities can make to save customers money. A bill from ComEd and its parent company Exelon (SB 1585) would expand these programs to save customers in ComEd’s Northern Illinois service area up to $4 billion over the next decade and create thousands of new jobs.

A bill that melds these ideas to expand energy efficiency would be a boon to Illinois customers.

Now that that these parties have put forward a strong energy efficiency initiative, we strongly encourage Ameren Illinois to join them. Central and Southern Illinois customers should not left behind while those in Northern Illinois reap the benefits of lower costs and thousands of new jobs created by expanding energy efficiency.

Programs ensuring that energy efficiency programs are targeted at low-income communities are also under consideration, helping unlock savings for customers who need them most, while accelerating employment opportunities in these areas of Illinois.

Every day wasted by not acting on clean energy is a day Illinois loses out on good-paying jobs. Energy efficiency programs represent the best path to ensure that these jobs — along with big savings — are available to people in every corner of the state. http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20161116/guest-column-illinois-needs-to-invest-in-energy-efficiency-programs