Washington's efforts to increase energy efficiency earned a top 10 placement in the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's annual survey of the states. Energy efficiency is an important part of the overall economy, saving businesses, citizens and the government money on power bills, while freeing more energy for use in new areas.

The council scorecard evaluated six policy areas that encourage more efficient use of energy, including utility programs, transportation policies, state government initiatives, and building codes.

"We find that more and more states are taking action to improve energy efficiency and move up in our rankings, and it's no secret why they want to accomplish that: energy efficiency is a pragmatic and effective strategy for promoting economic growth, creating jobs, and securing environmental benefits,” council policy analyst and scorecard lead author Ben Foster said.