US Program Realized Costs (thousands of $) by Sector

How to Read This Chart

This line chart shows annual realized program costs in the United States by sector, measured in thousands of dollars, from 2013 through 2019. Each line represents a different sector — Residential, Commercial, Industrial — along with a line showing the total program costs across all sectors. The horizontal axis shows the calendar year, while the vertical axis shows program costs in thousands of dollars. Changes in the slope of each line indicate increases or decreases in spending over time, and the relative position of the lines shows how costs are distributed across sectors.

Why This Matters

Program cost data provides insight into how energy efficiency and related programs are funded and prioritized across sectors. Residential and commercial programs account for the largest share of realized costs, reflecting their broad customer reach, while industrial program spending remains comparatively smaller but more stable over time. Understanding how program costs evolve helps policymakers, utilities, and regulators evaluate investment effectiveness, budget allocation, and long-term program strategy. For researchers and consumers, this data offers transparency into where program dollars are being spent and how funding levels respond to policy changes, economic conditions, and shifting energy goals.

Key Insights

The following highlights are derived directly from the most recent available data in this dataset using standardized calculations. Metrics reflect aggregate energy efficiency program costs across all reported sectors and are computed from the underlying time series. Unless otherwise noted, comparisons are based on the most recent complete reporting year and prior comparable periods. These highlights provide a concise snapshot of program cost allocation by sector.

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