The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization, acts as a catalyst to advance energy efficiency policies, programs, technologies, investments, and behaviors. We believe that the United States can harness the full potential of energy efficiency to achieve greater economic prosperity, energy security, and environmental protection for all its people.
House-Passed Energy Bill Includes Significant Measures to Improve Efficiency
PRESS STATEMENT
Washington, DC—The energy innovation bill passed by the U.S. House Thursday (H.R. 4447) would make key strides to improve energy efficiency, and the efficiency provisions should be included in any final agreement with the Senate, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) said.
“This bill would deliver real progress in making buildings more efficient and helping the industrial sector reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said ACEEE executive director Steven Nadel. “The House recognized that one of the best ways to make our homes and buildings more efficient is to help states, cities, and tribes adopt and implement stronger building codes. If you want to reduce costs for households and businesses while combatting climate change, you have to include robust building energy codes in any final deal.”
Provisions helping jurisdictions voluntarily implement stronger building codes, a key part of the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (the energy efficiency bill from Senators Portman (R-OH) and Shaheen (D-NH), and from Reps. Welch (D-VT) and McKinley (R-WV)), were included in the bill passed by the House today, and they are in a proposed bipartisan amendment to a major Senate energy bill.
An ACEEE analysis published in February found that the building codes provisions would save households and business almost $40 billion in energy costs (net after investment) over the lifetime of the measures through 2050. The provisions would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.18 billion metric tons—equivalent to the emissions from 300 coal-fired power plants in one year—the analysis found.
The House-passed bill also includes a key provision to enable states to set energy efficiency standards for appliances and equipment when the Department of Energy (DOE) has failed to meet legal deadlines to do so, as well as provisions to encourage homeowners to invest in energy efficiency upgrades by providing them rebates (HOPE4HOMES).
The bill includes numerous significant provisions to aid the decarbonization of the industrial sector, including authorization to expand DOE’s Industrial Assessment Centers that help small plants use energy more efficiently; a Clean Industrial Technology research, development, and deployment program; and a smart manufacturing program. It would authorize workforce training initiatives. The bill also includes provisions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, including encouraging investments in electric vehicle charging equipment and ensuring federally owned vehicles are more efficient.
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To read the press statement online, visit: https://www2.aceee.org/e/310911/nt-measures-improve-efficiency/xd2j92/671450527?h=4yZOeFaAITV2Ps5VchYueqqKt2R5n2yPAmaLSgTgZxc
About ACEEE: The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy acts as a catalyst to advance energy efficiency policies, programs, technologies, investments, and behaviors. For information about ACEEE and its programs, publications, and conferences, visit aceee.org
ACEEE, 529 14th Street., N.W., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20045
Sent by aceeenews@aceee.org
September 24, 2020
Contact: Ben Somberg, 202-658-8129,
bsomberg@aceee.org
House-Passed Energy Bill Includes Significant Measures to Improve Efficiency
Washington, DC—The energy innovation bill passed by the U.S. House Thursday (H.R. 4447) would make key strides to improve energy efficiency, and the efficiency provisions should be included in any final agreement with the Senate, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) said.
“This bill would deliver real progress in making buildings more efficient and helping the industrial sector reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said ACEEE executive director Steven Nadel. “The House recognized that one of the best ways to make our homes and buildings more efficient is to help states, cities, and tribes adopt and implement stronger building codes. If you want to reduce costs for households and businesses while combatting climate change, you have to include robust building energy codes in any final deal.”
Provisions helping jurisdictions voluntarily implement stronger building codes, a key part of the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (the energy efficiency bill from Senators Portman (R-OH) and Shaheen (D-NH), and from Reps. Welch (D-VT) and McKinley (R-WV)), were included in the bill passed by the House today, and they are in a proposed bipartisan amendment to a major Senate energy bill.
An ACEEE analysis published in February found that the building codes provisions would save households and business almost $40 billion in energy costs (net after investment) over the lifetime of the measures through 2050. The provisions would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.18 billion metric tons—equivalent to the emissions from 300 coal-fired power plants in one year—the analysis found.
The House-passed bill also includes a key provision to enable states to set energy efficiency standards for appliances and equipment when the Department of Energy (DOE) has failed to meet legal deadlines to do so, as well as provisions to encourage homeowners to invest in energy efficiency upgrades by providing them rebates (HOPE4HOMES).
The bill includes numerous significant provisions to aid the decarbonization of the industrial sector, including authorization to expand DOE’s Industrial Assessment Centers that help small plants use energy more efficiently; a Clean Industrial Technology research, development, and deployment program; and a smart manufacturing program. It would authorize workforce training initiatives. The bill also includes provisions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, including encouraging investments in electric vehicle charging equipment and ensuring federally owned vehicles are more efficient.
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To read the press statement online, visit: https://www2.aceee.org/e/310911/nt-measures-improve-efficiency/xd2j92/671450527?h=4yZOeFaAITV2Ps5VchYueqqKt2R5n2yPAmaLSgTgZxc
PRESS STATEMENT
September 24, 2020
Contact: Ben Somberg, 202-658-8129,
bsomberg@aceee.org
Continuing the conversation on efficiency and the water-energy nexus
By David Ribeiro, Research Analyst
How much energy does it take to fill a glass with drinking water? If you take into account the energy to transport the water from its source through the treatment and distribution process and into your faucet, there’s a lot of embedded energy that goes into that glass of water. And that’s not even getting into any energy used in the wastewater treatment process.
It’s a simple question, but a challenging one to answer. It’s valuable, though, for water utilities to better understand the embedded energy in their systems so they can reduce costs, improve energy efficiency, and quantify the avoided energy and pollution savings that accrue from water efficiency programs. And it’s all the more important with the exceptional drought spreading across the West.
ACEEE researched this topic in a white paper released last year, Watts in a Drop of Water: Savings at the Water-Energy Nexus, which gathered data from existing literature on energy savings associated with water savings. Today we’re releasing a new paper, A Survey of Energy Use in Water Companies, representing the next step in our research. The paper presents data we collected, in collaboration with the National Association of Water Companies (NAWC) , on the energy required to treat and distribute water. The data was collected through a survey to some of NAWC’s member companies.
The response was not as high as we hoped, but we received real-world data from a selection of water utilities on how they use energy by activity, such as source/conveyance, treatment, and distribution. We also quantified how energy intensive these water companies’ processes are by examining the amount of energy required to process a million gallons of water. The results are similar to our past research, showing the mean energy intensity of our sampled water systems to be 2,300 kWh/million gallon.
The energy consumption of water can vary dramatically in the water service sector (source, conveyance, and treatment) due to a variety of factors, including the size of the water system, pumping requirements between geographic locations, and raw water characteristics. But variations also suggest room for improvement in how efficiently these systems/companies use energy to process, treat, pump, and distribute water. Most companies we surveyed have begun efforts to improve their energy efficiency through measures like energy audits of their facilities, capital investments in energy efficiency measures, and operational improvements. However, while several companies have leak-detection programs to reduce drinking water losses through pipe systems, fewer companies have embraced water conservation programs. In the survey, we asked about various potential conservation efforts including water audits for customers, direct installs of water saving technology, and water conservation incentives. Because energy is embedded in water through the water system, water conservation programs save energy and shouldn’t be overlooked.
We still need more data on the energy intensities of systems to build out this analysis. But one thing is clear: while a few respondents to our survey are ahead of the curve, there are more opportunities for greater energy efficiency, water conservation, and joint-program partnership between energy and water utilities.
ACEEE Intelligent Efficiency Conference
The Westin Boston Waterfront
Boston, MA
December 06, 2015 to December 08, 2015
Registration | Program | Accommodations | Past IE Conferences
Announcements
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Call for Topics Open: Submit Topic and Speaker Suggestions Now
Intelligent Efficiency Conference Overview
Intelligent efficiency holds the promise of substantially reducing energy use while transforming many energy-using markets. Achieving this outcome requires collaboration among the efficiency, technology, and user communities. These communities are largely distinct, and few opportunities have existed to date for the energy efficiency and technology communities to interact. Past interactions have been limited to speakers from one community addressing assemblies of the other.
ACEEE’s second Intelligent Efficiency Conference will convene these diverse communities to facilitate the sharing of ideas and forming of partnerships that will advance the adoption of intelligent efficiency in the marketplace. The Intelligent Efficiency Conference will provide an opportunity to hear from thought leaders and innovators, to learn what is happening in this rapidly evolving world, and to serve as a crucible for the formation of new policies, program strategies and commercial ventures.
Likely Participants Include: Energy efficiency program developers and administrators, state and local government policymakers, staff, and associations, chief technology officers and chief information officers, service providers, investors, entrepreneurs, hardware and software developers, ICT solution providers, building automation providers, and smart manufacturing, smart transportation, smart buildings, and smart cities leaders.
Call for Topics
ACEEE welcomes your suggestions for cutting edge session topics and speakers for the 2015 ACEEE Intelligent Efficiency Conference.
Submit topic and speaker suggestions now through Friday June 19. Use the Call for Topics Submission Guidelines as a reference when submitting your suggestions.
Our Audience:
When making a submission, please keep in mind the backgrounds and interests of our conference attendees. The Intelligent Efficiency Conference will bring together people from the IT, telecom, energy efficiency, utility, solution provider, program administrator, policy and end user sectors. Attendees will represent a variety of functions within these sectors. Some will have great technical knowledge while others will have broad policy and market understandings.
What we are seeking:
We are interested in receiving session topic suggestions for the following issues related to intelligent efficiency.
Technology: we believe our audiences will be interested in learning about the latest technologies, software programs, communication and analysis capabilities that leverage information and communications technologies (ICT) to save energy. Information on case studies, research, demonstration and pilot projects will be of greatest value.
Energy Efficiency Programs: a key focus of this conference is the use of ICT in programs to encourage greater investment in energy efficiency. Many conference attendees will be interested in learning about the use of ICT to improve efficiency programs.
Evaluation, Measurement & Verification: ICT promises to automate, improve and lower the cost of EM&V. This will be of interest to end users, solution providers, program administrators, program evaluators, and policy makers.
Emerging Opportunities: What’s next? Which ICT technologies are poised to enable significant energy savings and in which sectors? For example: what is the potential of ICT to enable flexible demand response and integration of energy efficiency, renewable energy and storage for end-users.
Economic Potential and Co-Benefit Studies: Seeking analysis of the potential for to save energy, reduce energy intensity and improve economies. In addition to energy and energy cost savings, what additional benefits accrue from investments in intelligent efficiency? Analysis and case studies that quantitatively answer this question are of interest.
Risks and Challenges: this field is growing and evolving at an incredible rate and it is likely that there are associated risks that we have yet to discover. When software is updating in real-time, how can performance claims be verified? How robust are the algorithms? What protocols and standards are needed? What are the critical gaps and stumbling blocks? We seek topic suggestions that address these questions.
Customer Engagement: we seek topic suggestions on how ICT can be used to engage customers or improve existing customer engagement. We are also interested in how it can be used to verify claimed savings from customer engagement activities such as education, training and awareness.
Environmental Compliance through Energy Efficiency: under certain laws, it is acceptable to consider end-user energy efficiency as a mechanism to comply with environmental regulations. The proposed Clean Power Plan (also referred to as 111(d)) that will regulate carbon emissions from the electricity generation sector includes such a pathway. We seek suggestions on the use of intelligent efficiency related to environmental compliance.
Policy: is a cross cutting and can include any combination of technologies and sectors. We seek submissions that include policy solutions to existing and emerging issues related to intelligent efficiency.
Each of these issues has applicability in the residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, utility, transportation and local, state and federal public sectors. A submission could address one or multiple blocks. When describing your suggestion, let us know the intended audience.
We look forward to receiving many great topic ideas and speaker suggestions. However, it is likely that due to the amount, we may not be able to contact each submitter individually to notify them if their suggestions have been included in the program.
The Westin Boston Waterfront
425 Summer St,
Boston, MA 02210
ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry
Energy Efficiency: Integrating Technology, Policy, and People
Hyatt Regency Buffalo
Buffalo, NY
August 04, 2015 to August 06, 2015
Registration | Program | Accommodations | Champion of Energy Efficiency in Industry Awards | Linda Latham Scholarships | Past Industry Summer Studies
Announcements
- Registration Now Open!
- Nominate Your Champion of Energy Efficiency in Industry Now
- Read important information about your ABSTRACT SUBMISSION NOTIFICATION
Industrial Summer Study Overview
Industrial energy efficiency is changing – gone are the days of a single person in a plant trying to manage plant energy use by themselves with an Multimeter and an Excel spreadsheet – now it’s all about integrating energy data into production management systems and empowering decision makers with contextualized historical information and near real-time energy cost forecasting. This year’s ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry will bring you the latest thinking on managing plant energy use, national energy policy and industrial energy efficiency program administration.
Lunch and dinner sessions will feature thought leaders on the direction of industrial energy efficiency. Each will be chosen for their leadership and ability to see ten-twenty years into the future of industrial energy use.
Likely Participants Include: Energy efficiency program administrators, evaluators, and contractors; public utility commission and consumer counselor staff members, corporate energy managers and government relations professionals; professionals in the utility sector with responsibilities for efficiency programs, resource planning, regulatory compliance and government relations; energy efficiency solution providers; state energy office officials; energy management firms; and energy efficiency advocacy organizations.
Panels
This year’s conference will have six panels with concurrent sessions held over two days, each developed around a hot topic in industry energy efficiency.
- Strategic Energy Management
- Sustainability
- Smart Manufacturing
- Beyond Best Practices
- Policy and Resource Planning
- Delivering Results
Networking
One of the most valued features of ACEEE Summer Studies is the opportunity to network. The program will include many breaks of considerable length to facilitate quality conversations. As the title of this year’s conference indicates, energy efficiency is all about connecting people with challenges with those who have solutions. We suggest having several business cards on-hand.
New for 2015: Networking Cafe. We're launching this year's event with a Networking Café, sponsored by the Northwest Industrial SEM Collaborative, on Tuesday evening. During the Café, everyone will have an opportunity to share their thoughts about the emerging issues within industrial energy efficiency. Our cafe facilitator will help consolidate the ideas and share them with attendees as a platform for future discussion.
Informal Sessions
Informal sessions are pre-scheduled group discussions intended for those who want to discuss a specific topic, taking advantage of having so many industrial energy efficiency professionals in one place. These sessions should be a moderated group discussion, not a speaker and audience format. No PowerPoint presentations or commercial materials will be allowed.
New for 2015: In addition to scheduled informal sessions, there will be an “Open Space” informal session on Thursday. This session will allow for impromptu informal sessions, providing the opportunity for people to discuss topics raised while at the conference.
Side Meetings
New for 2015: Rooms will be available to trade and professional organizations that have several members attending our event. This space will provide an opportunity to have private group meetings. Suggested times to host private meetings include Monday morning or afternoon.
Registration
Individuals should click here to register online for the Industrial Summer Study.
Organizations that will be sending a group of ten or more should contact Lynn Pyle for discounted rate information.
Or fill out the registration PDF and return it to:
Lynn Pyle, Conference Coordinator
PO Box 7588
Newark, DE 19714
lpyle@aceee.org
F: 302-292-3965
Cancellation and Refund Policy: Registration refund requests due to cancellations must be submitted in writing and received by July 6, 2015. A $150 processing fee will be charged. Cancellation refunds will not be processed after the July 6 deadline. Refunds will be paid by check or credit card chargebacks.
Program
2015 Schedule-at-a-Glance
Attention Paper Authors, click here for the Paper Formatting Guidelines
________________________________________________________
ATTENTION! IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
If you submitted an abstract(s) to be considered for presentation and/or publication at the 2015 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry, you should have received notification about its status by January 8.
If you have not received notification, it likely went into your spam filter/firewall. As primary author, it is your responsibility to stay informed via the e-mail address you provided. Please be sure to add precismail.com to your contacts list to ensure that you receive these communications.
If you do not accept precismail.com as a trusted sender, then you may create delays in critical communications regarding the processing of your paper.
_______________________________________________________________
Co-Chairs
Kim Crossman Bill Hoyt
Energy Trust National Electrical
of Oregon Manufacturers Association
Panels
Click on the panels below to view each list of accepted paper titles and authors.
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1 - Strategic Energy Management and Industry Panel Leaders: Chad Gilless, EnerNOC and Kevin Wallace, BC Hydro Strategic Energy Management (SEM) is a hot topic in the industrial energy efficiency field, with some markets continuing to push the envelope of SEM innovation, while others are taking more time to understand the value before they deploy SEM programs. This panel will address this entire continuum, from the initial research, product definition and EM&V considerations needed by regulators and DSM planners to begin SEM programs through the new program enhancements, designs or delivery mechanisms that are pushing SEM’s boundaries and expanding savings, persistence, customer satisfaction and other important benefits. |
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Panel Leaders: Barry Liner, Water Environment Federation and Suresh Santanam, Syracuse University IAC Expanding demand for energy and natural resources has refocused the discussions on how to most effectively utilize what we have while exploring for new resources. This panel will discuss the application of sustainability concepts and methods for industrial and manufacturing processes; deployment and use of alternative energy sources; associated impacts on water use and natural resource optimization (including resource recovery); and case studies on implementation of sustainability pathways. |
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Panel Leaders: Paul Hamilton, Schneider Electric and Kay Cabaniss, Baldor Electric Company Smart Manufacturing looks at manufacturing in a different way. Advanced process manufacturing technology (Smart) incorporates information, technology, and innovation. The goal is to bring about a transformation in the approach to how products are envisioned, designed, manufactured, shipped, and sold. This panel will incorporate case studies, possible future approaches and relate it to productivity (both real and projected), energy efficiency, the environment, and other benefits. |
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Panel Leaders: Amelie Goldberg, Institute for Industrial Productivity and John Malinowski, Baldor Electric Company Energy Efficiency has been around for many years. Easy drop-in upgrades and quick fixes – traditionally the industry’s bread and butter – have been widely adopted. With a large energy efficiency potential still untapped, how can we move beyond the best practices that brought us the low hanging fruit, in order to get deeper and more persistent savings, or decarbonize a production line entirely? This panel looks at innovative real-life case studies that inspire, with possible application to other enterprises and production sectors. These solutions might involve an emerging technology, engaging a value chain, redesigning a product for a circular economy, broadening corporate decision-making metrics, or shaping corporate culture to prioritize energy efficiency. What did you do, why did it work and what were the measured savings? |
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5 - Policy & Resource Planning Panel Leaders: Raymond Monroe, Steel Founders' Society of America and Richard Murphy, American Gas Association Energy efficient investments often are long lived capital assets and made based on changes in technology or end of useful life of existing assets. Policy to encourage energy efficiency in the replacement or investment in long lived assets is subject to these longer term macroeconomic and market segment conditions. Even encouraging investment in less critical short lived investments in a plant often has lower priority than reduction in labor or market growth. The interaction of policy and corporate resource planning is key to success. Papers documenting success, lessons learned or innovative approaches are welcome. |
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Panel Leaders: Jennifer Eskil, Bonneville Power Administration and Peter Goldman, Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Whether managing a plant’s energy use or a program’s goals and budget, everyone is under pressure to deliver the same thing: cost-effective energy savings from industry, and more of it. This panel will focus on what is working now, providing details on the implementation of industrial efficiency programs or projects that deliver measureable results to utilities, ratepayers, regulators and end use customers. |
Accommodations
Hyatt Regency Buffalo
Two Fountain Plaza
Buffalo, NY 14202
Conference Room Rate: $139 S/D
Reservation Cutoff Date: July 2, 2015
Reserve rooms online or call 1-888-421-1442. Be sure to reference ACEEE to receive the group discount when calling.
Champion of Energy Efficiency in Industry Awards
Now Accepting Nominations!
ACEEE is proud to announce that nominations are now being accepted for the Champion of Energy Efficiency in Industry awards and may be submitted online.
The awards recognize leadership and accomplishment in the energy efficiency field and will be presented at the 2015 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry. Winners will be selected based on demonstrated excellence in the following categories:
Research and Development (R&D) : Excellence in research and development including baseline or background research, as well as R&D of products and practices.
Implementation and Deployment : Effective design and implementation of programs or projects, including achievement of significant impacts on energy use.
Energy Policy : Excellence in energy policy including writing, educating, promoting, and supporting energy efficiency in energy policy at the federal, state, or local level.
Industrial Leadership : Exceptional personal leadership demonstrated in the development, implementation, and growth of important energy efficiency initiatives.
Lifetime Achievement : Continuous leadership that produces sustained impacts over time.
Nominations will be made by peers and the final awards will be chosen by the ACEEE Board of Directors' Awards Committee.
To submit your nominee , you can complete the PDF nomination form and email it to champions@aceee.org, or complete the form online.
Nomination forms are due by June 8, 2015. We value your input and appreciate you taking the time to nominate the best leaders in our community.
Learn more about the Champion Awards and read about previous winners in the industry sector on our awards page.
Please contact Champions@aceee.org if you have any other questions.
Linda Latham Scholarships
Application Process is Now Closed
Applications for Linda Latham Scholarships to attend the 2015 Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry are now closed. Scholarships are funded by the Linda Latham Scholarship fund which was established in memory of Linda Latham who served as ACEEE’s Chief Operating Officer until her untimely death in September 2011. Linda believed that students bring talent and creativity to the field of energy efficiency especially if we provide a venue to inspire and educate them.
To be eligible, the applicant must be an undergraduate or graduate student in an accredited college or university whose course work is related to energy/energy efficiency, climate change, environmental science, or a related field of study, and who is considering a career in energy/energy efficiency. “Latham Scholars” will be exposed to new ideas and opportunities as they interact with energy efficiency experts from around the world. In turn, Summer Study attendees will be able to meet these exceptional students—a reciprocal opportunity for all!
For the 2015 Summer Study, the Linda Latham Scholarship fund has awarded scholarships to students at three different scholarship levels. Level 1 awardees receive a full conference registration, housing and meals, and up to $500 towards transportation costs. Level II scholars receive full conference registration and housing and meals. Level III winners receive full registration to the conference.
Applications were accepted through March 23, then reviewed and chosen by a committee of ACEEE staff.
Please contact scholarships@aceee.org if you have questions. For more information, read about the 2013 scholarship recipients or read about past programs at the Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry.
ACEEE National Conference on Energy Efficiency as a Resource
Statehouse Convention Center
Little Rock, AR
September 20, 2015 to September 22, 2015
Registration | Program | Accommodations | Past EER Conferences
ACEEE National Conference on Energy Efficiency as a Resource Overview
The ACEEE National Conference on Energy Efficiency as a Resource is a biennial event that was first held in 2001. The conference is widely recognized as the premiere event for examining energy efficiency as a strategic and critical utility system resource. The program content will be specifically designed to focus on the issues related to utility-sector energy efficiency policies and programs. Industry leaders will gather to discuss the latest developments in the use of energy efficiency as a key resource for meeting customer and utility system needs and for addressing other critical economic and environmental objectives.
Energy efficiency’s importance as a utility resource has never been greater than it is now. The utility industry faces high power plant construction costs and growing cost recovery risks; high and volatile fuel costs; a new wave of environmental compliance costs; mounting concerns about system reliability, and increasing calls for action to address global warming. Energy efficiency is the least-cost response to each of those challenges. Moreover, improving energy efficiency in our homes, businesses and industries reduces energy costs, creates jobs and improves the environment. As a result of all of these factors, many states have now established aggressive energy savings goals, pushing programs to achieve and sustain unprecedented savings.
With these new requirements and goals come a variety of new challenges. The conference will highlight important advances being made in the design and delivery of customer energy efficiency programs, and in the regulatory mechanisms that help make them possible. We will address the many issues facing utilities as they acquire and integrate this resource into their planning and operations.
Companies interested in learning more about the benefits of supporting the conference through funding should contact Marty Kushler.
Likely Participants Include: Leading experts from a broad spectrum of energy industry stakeholders including utilities, regulatory commissions, state government, consultants, manufacturers, environmental organizations, consumer groups and research institutes.
Registration
Program
Call for Presentation Proposals- Now Closed
Deadline: April 10
ACEEE is soliciting proposals for break-out session presentations at this year's conference. We invite you to submit a presentation proposal of up to 250 words, addressing results and lessons learned in the following topic areas:
- Meeting Aggressive Resource Goals for Energy Efficiency
- Latest state policies; What performance to date?; What’s working?; Lessons learned
- Experience with Regulatory Mechanisms to Encourage Utility Energy Efficiency Programs
- Decoupling, Shareholder Incentives, etc.: new state initiatives, experience thus far, etc.
- Examples of Highly Effective Energy Efficiency Programs
- High participation rates; Large energy savings; ‘Deep’ and comprehensive savings, etc.
- New and Emerging Energy Efficiency Measures and/or Program Strategies
- Measuring the Energy Efficiency Resource
- Results and implications for a policymaker/regulator/administrator audience
- Energy Efficiency Potential Studies and the Role of Integrated Resource Planning: Modeling Energy Efficiency as a Resource
- Latest examples and lessons learned, practical application of results
- Energy Efficiency and System Reliability
- The role of EE in addressing resource needs in the wake of coal plant retirements; geo-targeted EE for enhanced T&D benefits; EE impacts on peak demand, etc.
- Energy Efficiency and the Environment
- Documenting environmental benefits; how EE can help meet utility environmental objectives; and, implications of the EPA Clean Power Plan
- Natural Gas Energy Efficiency
- Latest examples; how EE still makes sense in a time of lower natural gas prices; combined gas and electric EE programs
- Special Strategies to Acquire the Energy Efficiency Resource in the Large Customer Sector
- Including solving the ‘opt-out’ problem
- Examples of Synergies of Energy Efficiency, Demand Response, and the Smart Grid
- Has the smart grid implemented to date produced real EE and not just peak reductions? Is EE a realistic objective?
- Energy Efficiency and Economic Impacts (and other non-energy benefits)
- Economic benefits from EE in: reducing utility system costs, economic development, job creation, other NEBs
- Examples of Energy Efficiency in the Southern Region of the United States
Accommodations
Little Rock Marriott
3 Statehouse Plaza
Little Rock, AR 72201
Energy efficiency at stake in the Keystone State
Blog | May 30, 2015 - 12:26 am
By Annie Gilleo, Senior Policy Analyst
There’s a flurry of activity surrounding energy savings goals in Pennsylvania, and what it will mean for energy efficiency will depend on decisions by both regulators and legislators. Pennsylvania first set energy savings goals in 2008, with its Act 129 legislation. The state is now at a key juncture, with the public utility commission (PUC) making a decision soon on the next round of targets. Separately, the state legislature introduced legislation last week that would allow industrial customers to opt-out of Act 129’s successful programs.
Before really digging in to the details of what’s currently at stake, it’s important to understand that Pennsylvania’s energy savings goals have two major constraints under the requirements of Act 129.
First, there is a firm cap on how much utilities are able to spend on efficiency during a given year. The cost cap artificially limits energy efficiency spending well below what is cost effective, and shifts discussion away from ways to maximize long-term savings and toward ways to minimize acquisition costs. It also forces stakeholders and utilities to make difficult trade-offs. An increase in spending on one program equals less dollars going to another.
Second, Pennsylvania is one of the few states where utilities face penalties should they fail to reach their savings targets. In theory, penalties make utilities accountable for meeting targets. In practice, they mean utilities are less likely to take risks, try new program designs, and spend on comprehensive programs.
With these two constraints set by the original legislation, stakeholders have been working diligently to maximize the impact of programs through the regulatory process. The PUC issued a tentative order on March 11, proposing savings targets to be achieved over the next five years. The Tentative Order also included a host of other proposals – everything from accounting methods for savings to low-income program requirements and demand response program design. More than 20 stakeholder groups responded to the commission’s proposal, including utilities, industrial customers, cities, low-income advocates, and clean energy groups. Now, the commission is in the process of weighing these varied responses. And in doing so, they’ve got some big questions to answer.
Did they get the targets right? In the tentative order, the commission proposed targets equivalent to about 0.85% incremental electricity savings per year. They came to this target based on analysis by the independent statewide evaluator that took the cost cap into account when looking at savings potential. However, in comments we assisted the Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance in preparing, we point out that far more savings could be achievable if the commission considers cost-saving options and new program designs, and consider the historical precedent of over-achievement of goals in Pennsylvania.
What counts? With spending capped, this is a biggie. The commission will have to consider whether utilities that have racked up extra savings in Phase II can roll those savings into Phase III. (We say if you’re going to roll them over, consider raising overall targets to account for these “zero cost” savings!) How utilities will keep track of new savings is also at issue. The commission proposed a cumulative accounting method, whereby measures whose useful lives are shorter than the length of the phase don’t count toward the final target (unless they’re re-installed). Ultimately, the commission should consider the most effective way to keep programs running continuously throughout the phase. To that end, we proposed counting incremental savings achieved over the course of the phase. This should encourage utilities to keep programs running throughout the entirety of the phase, rather than turning programs on and off to meet a goal in the final year. Our research on energy savings goals has found that most states set incremental targets, making it easier to track progress over individual years.
Where should utilities focus programs? The commission proposed a portfolio of programs that focuses on all sectors, with specific savings goals for programs serving low-income customers. Ultimately, the most important thing is that utility portfolios offer a comprehensive array of programs to benefit all customer classes. In the tentative order, state regulators indicated the importance of providing programs to all customer classes. But recently, the discussion of whether all customers should be offered programs has moved into the state legislature as well. State Senator Lisa Boscola recently introduced the Large Commercial and Industrial Opt-Out of Act 129. This bill would significantly undermine energy efficiency advancements made in Pennsylvania to date, allowing large customers to opt out of contributing to efficiency programs. Allowing large consumers to opt out has two problems. First, large-consumer energy savings tend to be lower-cost than are savings from other sectors, particularly important in view of the cost cap. Secondly, energy efficiency is a resource that benefits all users, so energy efficiency deployed anywhere in a system benefits everyone. Allowing large customers to "go it alone" and not participate in Act 129 programs would eliminate a proven low-cost resource. The bill would lead to lower overall energy savings and higher costs for all ratepayers (including the very customers leading the opt-out charge).
Big decisions need to be made in the Keystone State. Rather than building an additional barrier to energy efficiency, state legislators should consider ways they can support regulators in increasing energy and bill savings for Pennsylvanians. Regulators, meanwhile, must focus on the details. With proper guidance, utilities can deliver deeper savings to residents and businesses across the state, setting up a long-term strategy for success.
NEMA and Energy Efficiency Advocates Petition for Energy Efficiency Standards for Electric Motors
August 23, 2012
Power Channels: Energy Efficiency, Smart Grid Power
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), its members who manufacture electric motors, and several other groups filed a petition August 15 with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recommending both new and more robust energy efficiency standards for the types of electric motors used in commercial and industrial applications such as pumps, conveyors, and fans. It asks that the standards, if adopted by the end of this year, be effective January 1, 2015.
Petitioners include the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), the Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP), Earthjustice, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Alliance to Save Energy (ASE), Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, and Northwest Power and Conservation Council.
The petition is the culmination of two years of discussions among the groups. DOE was mandated to review motor efficiency to make a determination on increased efficiency requirements by the end of this year.
NEMA motor manufacturers approached ACEEE to discuss a proactive approach that would save energy and eliminate exemptions for many motor types not previously covered by U.S. standards. In addition to increasing national energy savings, the petitioners’ recommendations to curtail current exemptions will simplify enforcement and severely limit opportunities to evade regulations.
The petition increases standards for some motors and significantly increases the scope of motors that will now be covered by efficiency standards. According to DOE’s own analysis, these new standards would save about 4.4 quadrillion Btus of energy by 2044---more energy than the entire state of Florida uses in a year. The standards recommended will also save motor purchasers more than $18 billion over that span.
NEMA President and CEO Evan R. Gaddis hailed this petition and the collaboration as a tremendous step between manufacturers and energy efficiency advocates to advance policy and regulation in a responsible and meaningful way.
"We expect this recommendation will enhance competition by establishing a level playing field for all manufacturers and enhance domestic export opportunities as motor efficiency standards become globally harmonized," Gaddis said.
According to Neal Elliott, ACEEE Associate Director for Research, the consensus process through which this recommendation was developed reflects how the standards process can benefit all stakeholders.
"Motors use about half of all U.S. electricity, so motor efficiency really matters. Working together with the motor manufacturers, we’ve developed a proposal that will deliver major energy and economic savings for motor purchasers and protect the environment."
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