Published by The Daily Energy Report

As I watch the snow fall outside my window now, I am reminded that this is the time of year here in the Northeast where energy costs become very hard to bear for some.

At this time of year, we hear far too often of families struggling to pay bills and having to choose between paying for food and paying for heat.  But it’s not just an issue for those digging out from the latest snow storm.

According to the United Nations Foundation, one person in five on the planet still lacks access to modern electricity. Twice that number, three billion people, relies on wood, coal, charcoal or animal waste for cooking and heating.

The inequitable distribution of energy around the world, is not only unfair, it’s economically unsustainable, and environmentally dangerous.  While there are those who are struggling to find energy sources, there are others wasting it through inefficient energy use.

The United Nations Foundation has deemed 2012 the year of Sustainable Energy for All.  The Initiative is calling on all sectors of society: business, governments, investors, community groups and academia to work in support of three inter-linked objectives:

• Ensure universal access to modern energy services – Making sure there is easy access to reliable energy.

• Double the rate of improvement in energy efficiency – Ensuring energy efficiency measures save the maximum amount of energy use.

• Double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix- Build the renewable energy supply to provide a diverse collection of energy sources to no one is dependent on one main source.

Whether it’s developing nations, or low income communities in developed countries like the U.S., energy efficiency is one of the most important tools to building a more sustainable energy system.

This burden of energy is the biggest reason why pursuing highest energy efficiency measures in new construction and existing buildings is vital for low income communities. The building sector, including residential, commercial and public-service buildings, offers the largest opportunity for cost-effective energy savings in the next twenty years.

Read the full article here.