JEFFERSON CITY - In it's annual ranking scorecard, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ranked Missouri 44th in energy efficiency.

The council looks at six different areas related to energy efficiency to put forth these rankings.  These areas include: utility benefit funds and efficiency programs, transportation energy efficiency, building energy codes, combined heat and power, state government initiatives and appliance efficiency standards. 

Research manager for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Maggie Molina, said Missouri does well when compared to other states in state government initiatives, but lags behind top ranked states in all other areas.

"Missouri has significant potential to ramp up and offer programs and implement policicies to improve efficiency in the state," said Molina.

In a study completed earlier this year, the council found Missouri could save more than $6 billion and create around 8,500 local jobs if the state adopted new energy efficient policies.

Vice Chairman of the Special Standing Committee on Renewable Energy, Rodney Schad, R-Versailles, said Missouri must do something to improve these rankings.

"That's not good news.  If it's true and the ratings are correct, I think it's time we get busy and try to come up with some energy efficiency ideas," said Schad.

He continued by saying his committee talks about improving efficiency, but has not accomplished much.

The committee did not even meet during special session, since energy efficiency was not on Governor Jay Nixon's agenda.

Although Schad said he supports improving energy efficiency, it does have some downsides.

The only major dowside Schad spoke of was cost, as it takes a long time for the economic benefits of creating more energy efficient methods to pay off.

"Some of these things are just not cost effective, but when something comes along that is cost effective I'll be right in the middle of it. I'll be all for that," said Schad.

Although Schad is unaware of specifics, the Special Standing Committee on Renewable Energy has two or three ideas for energy efficiency improvement and will work on these when regular session begins in January.