DES MOINES -- Investment in more efficient use of energy in Iowa could spark big economic returns down the road in addition to environmental benefits, according to a recent report from an Iowa policy organization.

Efficient energy methods could lead to thousands of new jobs and greater income for Iowans if the state commits to making the requisite changes, according to the report from the Iowa Policy Project, a nonprofit based in Iowa City.

The state also has an opportunity to follow energy-efficient practices as it begins rebuilding after flooding ravaged the state last month, said an Iowa Policy Project researcher.

Reducing Iowa's energy use by 1 to 1.5 percent every year until 2030 would lead to the creation of between 2,390 and 4,473 new jobs in the state and save the state between $47.8 and $89.5 million, according to the analysis.

The job growth comes from the ability of Iowans to invest money they would have spent on energy into other sectors of the economy, said Teresa Galluzzo, an author of the report and a research associate for the Iowa Policy Project.

Galluzzo acknowledged that adopting more efficient energy policies could cost more at the outset, but she said the state would begin to see the economic benefits in as little as four years.

"We can spend that savings in other sectors of the economy that create more jobs," she said.

Nathaniel Baer, energy program director for the Iowa Environmental Council, said the government could create programs to ease the initial costs of implementing efficient energy changes.

"It makes sense to have a government policy to help reduce some of those upfront costs or create additional incentives," Baer said.

The state could offer rebates or partial refunds on the cost of purchasing energy efficient equipment, he suggested.

Iowans can make minor changes to save energy that can add up over time, Galluzzo said.

She recommended setting thermostats a few degrees warmer in the summer and a few degrees cooler in the winter, turning computers off when they aren't in use and turning off lights when possible.

Galluzzo said structures ruined in recent flooding can be rebuilt to maximize the use of sunlight and can be equipped with energy- efficient insulation and appliances.

She also encouraged businesses to look into communications technology and teleconferencing which would allow employees to work from home or from remote sites to save on commuting.

Saving on energy costs frees Iowans to invest in areas that create jobs at a faster clip than the energy industry, said Skip Laitner, also an author of the report and director of economic analysis for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

Laitner said more efficient use of energy also reduces pollution and waste.

"Bottom line, it's a more productive use of our investment and it benefits and reduces energy bills, and certainly there's the environmental impact," Laitner said.

Contact Fred Love at (515) 243-0138 or fred.love@lee.net.