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Kateri CallahanPresident, Alliance to Save EnergySummaryKateri Callahan of the Alliance to Save Energyhighlighted the natural and symbioticrelationship between the energy efficiency andrenewable energy industries. The two industrieshave similar interests and goals, and thetechnologies complement each other.“It’s a prerequisite to work withrenewable energy if we’re going toachieve our goal of widespreaddeployment of energy efficiency.”“I think it’s in the best interest ofthe renewable energy communityas well to use us, to work with us,to realize your goal of widespreaddeployment.”The Alliance to Save Energy has a narrowmission: to promote energy efficiency, for ahealthier economy, a cleaner environment, andgreater energy security.“Energy efficiency can be a foundationfor renewable technologies and canmake their use cost-effective,particularly in the built environment.”President Obama has a sound policy agendarelated to energy and efficiency and renewableenergy, and he understands how the two worktogether, and he has put together an “A team” ofCabinet officials who are devoted to the cause.The president’s platform on energy efficiencyincludes:• Reducing electricity demand,• Building net zero energy buildings,• Overhauling appliance standards, and• Weatherizing a million homes a year.“More is coming.”Additional policy actions are on the horizon thatwill boost energy efficiency.• An Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS)• A national renewable portfolio standard• Climate legislation“We’re about to rebuild our economyon development and deployment ofenergy efficiency and clean energy.”Callahan cautions that we are facing long-termproblems, like climate change and energysecurity, that are easy to overlook in the shortterm.Thus, it is important to stay focused onlong-term issues and solutions.“The US economy is now the leastefficient of any industrialized economyin the world. We need to be the mostefficient. And when we do that, and aswe do that, we can become a globalleader in the production and use ofrenewable energy.”American Council On Renewable EnergyExecutive Summary Report 17