Energy Office Accomplishments in 2018...

Energy Office 2018 Annual Report Released

Since May 6, 1977 the Energy Office has worked to save consumers money through energy efficiency programs. On February 14, 2019 the Nebraska Energy Office released its 38th Annual Report. The 2018 Annual Report's most noteworthy mentions are the Low-Income Home Weatherization program and the Nebraska Dollar and Energy Saving Loan Program. As in past years, these two programs continue to be the highlights of the Annual Report.

Energy Efficiency Improvements Save Dollars

The Nebraska Dollar and Energy Saving Loan Program began in 1990 with Oil Overcharge Settlement funds. The program continues to be a long-running success story. Available at more than 900 locations across the state, more than 93.4 percent of all energy efficiency projects financed with low-interest loans were for Nebraska residents. As of June 30, 2018, over the life of the project, more than $348.9 million have been loaned to Nebraskans for 29,298 energy efficiency improvement projects.

2018 Annual Report
Weatherization Saves Dollars

Since 1977 the Weatherization Assistance Program has helped low-income and elderly Nebraskans save money on high utility bills by installing insulation and efficient furnaces, windows and doors in their homes. Since the Weatherization Assistance Program began in 1977, $208 million has been used to make energy efficiency improvements in 69,191 homes. In 2010, maximum household income levels were revised, making free home weatherization available to thousands more low-income and elderly Nebraskans than in prior years.

More 2018 Success Stories:
  • Completion of Access Ethanol Nebraska — a collaborative effort between federal and state organizations to install more flex fuel pumps at service stations across Nebraska to provide travelers with more ethanol fuel options.
  • Collected and evaluated energy use at small community wastewater plants, analyzed plant energy efficiency and provided technical and financial assistance to the lowest performing plants, enabling an energy savings of 20 percent or more.
  • The Energy Office employed University of Nebraska engineering students to record government building energy use which will be used to help develop recommendations for a “Benchmarking and Beyond” state building efficiency policy.

You also might like to visit our archive of Annual Reports going back to the first Report in 1978. For more information contact Dave Michael at dave.michael@nebraska.gov