Energy Exchange

Selected tag(s): Energy Efficiency

New study offers invaluable insights about how to engage utility customers on energy efficient behaviors

By Mina Berkow / Published: January 23, 2019

When given the choice, more people are choosing to use renewable energy and most are making an effort to be efficient in saving electricity. Increasingly, affordable technologies and the growing availability of smart meter data are making it easier for customers to make a range of unprecedented energy choices. The question is, are these innovations reaching all energy customers? Even the most environmentally conscientious or tech-savvy person needs some help in identifying the best opportunities and support to make these choices a better fit with their lifestyles and long-term goals.

New insights

Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative’s (SECC) newest research offers invaluable insights about making that relationship work. The study, Consumer Values: Moving the Needle on Engagement, reveals the needs and goals of the “selectively engaged” energy consumers, which according to the SECC, comprise about 40 of electricity consumers in the United States that are generally interested but only engage sporadically in energy related behavior. The study also delves into why customers adopt energy efficient technologies and behaviors in the long run and what barriers keep them from doing so, and offers solutions for energy providers and their partners to consider.

Posted in Clean Energy / Tagged Energy Efficiency | Comments are closed

Another Ohio Utility Seeks a Bailout When It Should be Upgrading the Grid

By John Finnigan / Published: September 15, 2015

FirstEnergy isn’t the only utility trying to stick Ohioans with the cost of its poor business decisions.

AEP Ohio has also presented a similar proposal to bail out several old, uneconomic coal plants, asking the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) to guarantee the purchase of power produced by its coal plants. The utility tried the same tactic earlier this year and failed, but is now back with an updated proposal. Last week, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) filed testimony opposing the deal and recommended that AEP Ohio should invest in grid upgrades if the PUCO decides to approve AEP Ohio’s proposal.

Ohio has a competitive retail electric market, meaning customers can buy electricity from many different sellers. But utilities still have a monopoly when it comes to service territories. So if you live in AEP Ohio’s territory, the company will deliver your electricity – even if you purchase it from a different provider. Since AEP Ohio’s bailout proposal applies to its entire service area, essentially the utility wants to force all of those customers to pay for its coal plants, including those who don’t buy their electricity from AEP Ohio. Read More »

Posted in Ohio / Also tagged Clean Energy, PUCO, Voltage Optimization | Comments are closed

Governor Cuomo Announces $40 Million in Post-Sandy Microgrid Competition

By Rory Christian / Published: January 14, 2014

Since Superstorm Sandy stranded thousands without power across the state of New York in 2012, it has become clear that infrastructure upgrades are a necessity for the state. The current, outdated energy system is not up to the challenges of the present day and a changing climate. A year after Sandy, New York has a plan. Last week during his State of the State Address, Governor Cuomo announced the allocation of $40 million to the new Community Grids NYPrize Competition, a program which promises to help New York achieve a more sustainable, resilient energy future.

The competition, aimed at jump-starting at least ten “independent, community-based electric distributions systems” across the state by the end of 2014, is a highlight of a larger $17 billion plan to prepare for future storms like Sandy. Upon full implementation, the NYPrize Competition Community Grids are expected to support approximately 40,000 New York residents.

A “community microgrid” is a new type of energy system that leverages decentralized, local, clean power sources such as solar and wind that are able to operate independently of the centralized electric system. Microgrids are small-scale distribution systems that link multiple distributed energy resources (DERs) into a network that can generate, store and control its own power. Microgrids can operate in tandem with the main power grid during normal conditions, but can disconnect and function as an independent “island” of stable power if the main grid fails. The use of microgrids greatly reduces the number of outages and allows more people to keep their lights on during (and in the wake of) extreme weather events. Read More »

Posted in Demand Response, Grid Modernization, New York / Also tagged Clean Energy | Read 1 Response

80% Electricity from Renewables? It’s Possible, but Policy Prevents It

By Paul Stinson / Published: December 18, 2013

This commentary originally appeared on our EDF Voices blog.

If renewable energy is a good thing, then a lot of renewable energy is a very good thing, right? Not exactly, according to recent articles in the L.A. Times and Forbes about challenges posed by the growth of renewables. But, as we’ve pointed out, the issue here is not too much renewable energy, but rather a vulnerable U.S. electric grid built for the last century.

It’s essential to remember the bigger picture in order to arrive at the truth of the matter: If we are to avoid catastrophic climate change, renewable energy is a vital part of the solution. And while an unprecedented abundance of renewable power may raise complex questions about how to integrate these resources, it also underscores the need – and vast opportunity – for critical energy infrastructure improvements. Our response as a nation should not be to shrink from the challenges of renewables, but rather to keep working toward a smarter, more resilient energy system to meet the needs of the 21st century and beyond. Read More »

Posted in Demand Response, Energy Efficiency, Grid Modernization, Renewable Energy / Also tagged Renewables | Comments are closed

Don’t Miss Three Important, Upcoming Webinars from EDF’s Investor Confidence Project

By EDF Blogs / Published: November 6, 2013

By: Matt Golden, Senior Energy Finance Consultant, Environmental Defense Fund

Nearly 40% of U.S. energy is consumed by both residential and commercial buildings, which emit more than a third of our country’s greenhouse gases. Realizing all of the available cost-effective energy efficiency savings would require roughly $279 billion of investment, resulting in more than $1 trillion in energy savings over ten years.

Environmental Defense Fund’s Investor Confidence Project (ICP) opens up energy efficiency to investment markets by laying the foundation necessary to enable organizations to tap into this vast potential. This means turning energy efficiency upgrades in the commercial building sector into an asset that can be bought and traded, much like stocks and bonds. By developing a straightforward set of protocols that define a clear road-map for upgrades, ICP creates an investment-quality asset class whose risks and returns are transparent. Ultimately, large-scale adoption of the ICP framework will reduce transaction costs and engineering overhead, while increasing the reliability and consistency of savings.

ICP will be hosting a series of webinars targeted at specific stakeholders in the energy efficiency sector, and strongly encourage individuals and organizations interested in the future of the energy efficiency industry to attend. With the assistance and feedback of industry leaders, investors and programs, ICP has developed a range of Energy Performance Protocols tailored to market needs and project types that will reduce transaction costs, manage performance risk and increase deal flow. Our webinar schedule this fall will focus on how these protocols can create value for individual projects, organizations and the energy efficiency industry as a whole.

Posted in Energy Efficiency, Investor Confidence Project / Also tagged ICP, PACE | Comments are closed

A New Day For Energy Efficiency In North Carolina

By Greg Andeck / Published: October 30, 2013

The North Carolina Utilities Commission issued an important ruling this week that reaffirms the importance of energy efficiency as the fastest and cheapest way to reduce pollution from fossil fuels, protect the health of our families and promote our economy.

The ruling approved a new “shared savings” program that allows Duke Energy to make favorable returns on energy efficiency investments, but only if the company saves their customers money in the process. The shared savings model is the most common financial tool in the United States to encourage electric utilities to make energy efficiency investments.

The new program will motivate the utility to implement energy efficiency measures as broadly and cost-effectively as possible. Duke’s investments, in turn, can help ensure a robust market for providers of energy efficiency goods and services.

The shared savings model also provides an additional financial incentive for Duke to achieve the voluntary energy savings it agreed to when the company merged with Progress Energy in 2012. The merger agreement included a minimum 1% per year energy savings starting in 2014 and 7% cumulative energy savings over five years (from 2014-2018). If the company achieves certain energy efficiency targets, it will receive a financial incentive.

Notably, the ruling requires Duke Energy to convene a stakeholder discussion on the feasibility of commercial and industrial on-bill repayment and combined heat and power programs, which will enable the commercial sector to achieve high levels of energy efficiency performance.

The commission’s decision replaces Duke’s avoided cost energy efficiency program, known as “Save-a-Watt.” That program, which expires at the end of 2013, was successful in motivating Duke to make investments in energy efficiency. In fact, the company exceeded its energy savings targets. The downside: Save-a-Watt was overly complex for energy regulators and stakeholders. In contrast, the new shared savings program is simple, transparent and will continue to expand Duke Energy’s energy efficiency investments.

EDF is pleased to see that the ruling incorporates all of the major elements of an agreement that we helped secure in August with Duke Energy, the Commission Public Staff, North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association and environmental colleagues. We look forward to watching Duke Energy achieve its full energy efficiency potential.

Posted in Energy Efficiency, General, North Carolina, On-bill repayment / Also tagged North Carolina, On Bill Repayment, Shared Savings | Comments are closed