The Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance (KEEA) is a Pennsylvania-based, left-of-center trade association that works to promote left-leaning policies on environmentalist energy sources and energy efficiency. It is the sister organization of the Energy Efficiency Alliance of New Jersey. Its parent organization is the Energy Efficiency Alliance. ¹ The group lobbies for energy efficiency standards and environmentalist obligations on energy companies that are related to the products and services its members produce and provide.

The Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance is a supporter of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), an interstate compact to reduce emissions in the northeast. The RGGI is a “cap-and-trade” program that works by requiring power companies to purchase allowances to emit carbon dioxide. The money is then reinvested into energy efficiency programs and other environmentalist energy programs traditionally supported by left-leaning organizations. ²

In June 2020, the Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance joined 29 other Pennsylvania-based environmentalist organizations in a statement that called on the government to “intentionally address racism and develop systems that work for everyone,” claiming that racism is interwoven throughout American society. The letter also called for increased stimulus investments on infrastructure and other government programs. ³

In 2018, Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance executive director Matt Elliott made $90,988 working 20 hours per week, despite the fact that the organization had just $159,533 in revenue. ⁴

Overview

The Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance is a trade organization and state affiliate of the Energy Efficiency Alliance. It is the sister organization of the Energy Efficiency Alliance of New Jersey. KEEA was founded in 2006 to advocate for left-of-center energy laws in Pennsylvania. ⁵ KEEA is a trade association that represents companies which promote energy efficiency. The association lobbies on behalf of increased energy efficiency programs and other environmentalist policies. ⁶

The Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance lobbies for Pennsylvania environmentalist and energy-efficiency legislation. The organization provides its business members with access to lawmakers and state regulatory agencies, as well as energy efficiency industry networking opportunities. Members include a variety of specialist environmentalist companies, as well as notable large corporations such as Google, Oracle, and Honeywell.^{7 8}

KEEA is a subsidiary organization of the 501(c)(3) organization the Energy Efficiency Alliance with which it shares staff and resources. The only other subsidiary is the Energy Efficiency Alliance of New Jersey.⁹

Issues

Act 129

The Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance supported the passage of Pennsylvania’s energy efficiency law, Act 129, that mandates Pennsylvania’s electrical distribution companies reduce the energy consumption in their service areas over set amounts of time. KEEA claims that it played a critical role in developing the legislation and passing it through the state legislature in 2008.¹⁰

Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE)

KEEA has supported and continues to advocate for the expansion of commercial property assessed clean energy (C-PACE) programs. These programs allow companies to finance the cost of environmentalist energy-related upgrades to commercial property by receiving a loan from local government that is paid back via an assessment on property taxes. In addition to lobbying for the program, KEEA works with local governments to adopt the requisite ordinances to start the program.¹¹

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

KEEA is a supporter of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. The RGGI is a cap-and-trade program among northeastern and mid-Atlantic states. The RGGI sells allowances that power companies are required to purchase in order to emit carbon dioxide. The proceeds from the sales are then funneled into environmentalist programs championed by left-of-center environmental organizations. ¹² In September 2020, KEEA supported Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf (D) in vetoing legislation that would have banned the state from joining RGGI. ¹³

Rate Design

KEEA works to change the way electrical utility companies’ revenue structure is set up to better align their incentives with decreasing energy consumption. The group hopes to “de-couple” utility revenues from how much electricity the utility produces.¹⁴

Critical Race Theory

In June 2020, KEEA joined a letter that was signed by 29 other Pennsylvania-based environmentalist organizations that called for government to address alleged systemic racism and environmental issues. The letter alleged that racism is interwoven in all aspects of society, including environmental issues. The letter called on the government to create more jobs working on environmentalist energy projects, especially for African American and Hispanic people. The letter also called for more government stimulus spending on infrastructure, energy, and other programs. ¹⁵

Leadership

Jeaneen Zappa is the executive director of the Energy Efficiency Alliance and its state affiliate the Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance. She assumed her position in August of 2020. Prior that that she has worked in a  variety of environmentalist organizations, including as the executive director of Conservation Consultants, Inc.; as the first sustainability manager in Allegheny County, the county where Pittsburgh is located; and as deputy director of the Green Building Alliance.¹⁶

Zappa was preceded as executive director of KEEA by Matt Elliott, who held the position from June 2016 until April 2021.¹⁷ also the executive director of the Energy Efficiency Alliance of New Jersey. He was formerly KEEA’s senior policy associate before he was promoted to executive director. Before working at KEEA, he was involved with environmentalist activism in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. ¹⁸

Leann Leiter is the director of policy and research for KEEA. She joined the team in December 2020. Previously, she was the Pennsylvania and Ohio field advocate for Earthworks, another environmentalist nonprofit that argues for strict environmental regulations. ¹⁹

The president of the board is Kathy Greely, who works for Performance Systems Development. ²⁰

Finances

In fiscal year 2018 the Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance reported $159,533 in revenue, with $102,820 derived from contributions and grants and $56,713 from program service revenue. KEEA reported $165,359 in expenses, of which $31,699 was allocated towards salaries and compensation, ending the year with a deficit of $5,826. KEEA ended the year with $154,386 in net assets.²¹

According to its 2018 tax return, KEEA took in $159,533 in revenue and spent $165,359 in 2018. ²² That year, Matt Elliott made a salary of $90,988 from KEEA, 57% of the group’s total revenue in 2018. The tax return showed him working just 20 hours a week for the organization. ²³ The organization spent $102,468 advocating for the development of environmentalist energy sources and energy efficiency programs. ²⁴

1.      “Who We Are”. 2021. Energy Efficiency Alliance. Accessed May 10. https://energyefficiencyalliance.org/who-we-are/.
2.   “Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)”. 2021. Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance. Accessed May 10. https://keealliance.org/regional-greenhouse-gas-initiative-rggi/.
3. “Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance”. 2020. New Sun Rising. https://www.newsunrising.org/the-blog-of-nsr/tag/keystone-energy-efficiency-alliance/.
4. Form 990. 2018. Ebook. Guidestar. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2018/900/736/2018-900736571-17055019-9O.pdf?_gl=1*1sixql2*_ga*MTcyOTQwMTk5OC4xNTczNDQ5NDky*_ga_0H865XH5JK*MTYyMDYxODQ1OS4yMS4wLjE2MjA2MTg0NTkuMA..
5.    “Who We Are”. 2021. Energy Efficiency Alliance. Accessed May 10. https://energyefficiencyalliance.org/who-we-are/.
6. “Who We Are”. 2021. Energy Efficiency Alliance. Accessed May 10. https://energyefficiencyalliance.org/who-we-are/.
7. KEEAlliance.org. “KEEA Member Benefits – Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance | KEEA.” Accessed August 16, 2021. https://keealliance.org/keea-member-benefits/.
8. KEEAlliance.org. “Members.” Accessed August 16, 2021. https://energyefficiencyalliance.org/members/.
9. KEEAlliance.org. “Who We Are – Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance | KEEA.” Accessed August 16, 2021. https://keealliance.org/who-we-are/.
10. KEEAlliance.org. “Act 129 – Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance | KEEA.” Accessed August 16, 2021. https://keealliance.org/act-129/.
11. KEEAlliance.org. “C-PACE – Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance | KEEA.” Accessed August 16, 2021. https://keealliance.org/c-pace/.
12. “Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)”. 2021. Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance. Accessed May 10. https://keealliance.org/regional-greenhouse-gas-initiative-rggi/.
13. “Gov. Wolf: Clean Energy, Business, Faith, Environmental Advocacy Organizations Support Veto Of Bill That Ignored Dangers Of Climate Change”. 2020. Governor Tom Wolf. https://www.governor.pa.gov/newsroom/gov-wolf-clean-energy-business-faith-environmental-advocacy-organizations-support-veto-of-bill-that-ignored-dangers-of-climate-change/.
14. KEEAlliance.org. “Rate Design – Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance | KEEA.” Accessed August 16, 2021. https://keealliance.org/rate-design/.
15. “Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance”. 2020. New Sun Rising. https://www.newsunrising.org/the-blog-of-nsr/tag/keystone-energy-efficiency-alliance/.
16. KEEAlliance.org. “Staff – Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance | KEEA.” Accessed August 16, 2021. https://keealliance.org/staff/.
17. “Matt Elliott.” LinkedIn. Accessed September 27, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-elliott-2b22026/
18. “Staff”. Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance. Archived from the original November 2, 2019. Accessed September 27, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20191102020557/https://keealliance.org/staff/
19. “Staff”. 2021. Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance. Accessed May 10. https://keealliance.org/staff/.
20. “2021 Board Of Directors”. 2021. Energy Efficiency Alliance. Accessed May 10. https://energyefficiencyalliance.org/2021-board-of-directors/.
21. Keystone Energy Alliance, IRS (Form 990), 2018, Part I
22. Form 990. 2018. Ebook. Guidestar. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2018/900/736/2018-900736571-17055019-9O.pdf?_gl=1*1sixql2*_ga*MTcyOTQwMTk5OC4xNTczNDQ5NDky*_ga_0H865XH5JK*MTYyMDYxODQ1OS4yMS4wLjE2MjA2MTg0NTkuMA..
23. Form 990. 2018. Ebook. Guidestar. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2018/900/736/2018-900736571-17055019-9O.pdf?_gl=1*1sixql2*_ga*MTcyOTQwMTk5OC4xNTczNDQ5NDky*_ga_0H865XH5JK*MTYyMDYxODQ1OS4yMS4wLjE2MjA2MTg0NTkuMA..
24. Form 990. 2018. Ebook. Guidestar. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2018/900/736/2018-900736571-17055019-9O.pdf?_gl=1*1sixql2*_ga*MTcyOTQwMTk5OC4xNTczNDQ5NDky*_ga_0H865XH5JK*MTYyMDYxODQ1OS4yMS4wLjE2MjA2MTg0NTkuMA..