WASHINGTON, DC — The United States can reduce its projected energy use in 2020 by 25% and save consumers more than $600 billion, according to a new study by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

The recently released study, “Smart Energy Policies: Saving Money and Reducing Pollutant Emissions Through Greater Energy Efficiency,” recommends policies that can reduce energy use.

For example, to reduce the use of oil imports, ACEEE policy suggests improving motor vehicle fuel economy standards and adopting tax incentives for highly efficient vehicles using advanced technologies. The organiza-tion says that this can reduce oil use by four million barrels per day by 2020, or an equivalent of 44% of current oil imports.

The study also presents policies that could cut the use of natural gas. ACEEE says that the reduced use of natural gas will lower prices and allow some natural gas to be substituted for oil in industrial facilities that use gas and oil interchangeably, depending on price. According to the organization, its recommended policies, based on analysis using the federal government’s National Energy Modeling System, natural gas use can be cut by 23% and natural gas prices can be cut by 37% by 2020. For more information or a copy of the report, go to www.aceee.org/ energy (website).

Publication date: 10/22/2001