Barriers to Implementing Energy Efficiency at Small and Rural Utilities Jennifer Anziano and Ryan Firestone August 19, 2015

Today’s Agenda Introduction Results from the Survey Discuss the barriers and ensure they are all captured Prioritize barriers to discuss for remainder of day Addressing Barriers: Actions for the RTF Addressing Barriers: Recommendations for Others Wrap Up and Next Steps

Meeting Ground Rules 100% Participation Seek to provide specific solutions or recommendations Acknowledge the barrier and identify productive path forward Be mindful of the different organizations roles Use the parking lot to capture ideas for future discussion

Paths to EE Implementation CouncilRTF BPA S/R Utility Retailers Contractors Customers/ Participants Program Implementers BPA Qualified State Regulators State Energy Offices Local Government Governmental Agencies NEEA Trade Organizations Community Action Groups Financial Institutions Realtors Educational Institutions Other Players

Origination of the RTF Let’s start here RTF was formed in 1999 as an advisory committee to the Council 1996 Congress directed Bonneville and the Council to convene a Regional Technical Forum 1998 Northwest Governor’s Comprehensive Review added to Congress’s original mission Primary role: developing energy savings estimates that the region can rely on as a resource equivalent to generating resources CouncilRTF

The Role of the RTF Provides centralized, independent technical review of measures used in the region building on empirical data and historic expertise Provides guidance for custom measures and program- level savings Provides estimates for cost-effectiveness of measures Tracks regional progress towards efficiency goals Assists Council in assessing new efficiency opportunities What is within the RTF scope

The Role of the RTF Require use of specific savings estimates or protocols or restrict which measures utilities can install Require use of specific program design Establish rebate, incentive or willingness to pay levels Perform direct regulatory function Establish utility program reporting requirements Evaluate savings for ALL measures Execute primary research (RTF relies on others for research) What is outside the RTF scope (what we don’t do)

Organization of the RTF Northwest Power and Conservation Council Regional Technical Forum voting members: independent technical experts appointed based on expertise Managed by Council staff with contractor support Engage regional stakeholders through public process RTF Subcommittees Operations Subcommittee RTF Policy Advisory Committee Stakeholder group appointed to advice on funding, priorities and progress

How RTF Estimates Inform Utility Programs CouncilRTF BPA BPA Utilities BPA Qualified NEEA Other Utilities 1. RTF approves savings estimates 2. Utilities use RTF estimates for measures that they want to run. Note: RTF also approves cost and lifetime estimates for measures Note: RTF published numbers reflect regional estimates. Utilities may choose to use different costs or even adjust the savings based on their own service territory Other Measures Note: Since the RTF doesn’t develop estimates for all measures, Bonneville or utilities may choose to develop their own. 3. Bonneville develops its implementation manual Note: Bonneville uses RTF estimates, but makes its own decisions on things like how to package measures, WTP, etc.

Small/Rural Subcommittee Created in 2010 Role: Provide technical assistance (in coordination Bonneville and NEEA) to small and rural utilities to tailor their conservation initiatives to meet the unique circumstances of their service territories

Small/Rural Subcommittee 2009: S/R explicitly included in RTF Work Plan (2010) for first time “Identify Measures and M&V Protocols that are applicable to small and/or rural utilities” : Scoping study of S/R needs Contracted Ecotope: “RTF Technical Support Needs for Small & Rural Utilities” S/R Subcommittee was engaged with Ecotope throughout the project. Final report : Scoping study of Schools measures Schools are a common building type with commonality in construction, equipment, hours of operation Contracted PECI: “Schools measures for Small and Rural Utilities” Final presentation : Regular meetings to discuss potential measure develop Review of RTF UES measures with Small/Rural checklist Efforts to develop new measures, including Schools measures Raise Small/Rural concerns to the RTF Meeting materials and minutes

Small/Rural Subcommittee 2015 – S/R Subcommittee struggles to identify new measures for development that are: applicable to and implementable by S/R utilities not addressed by RTF measures, easy modifications to RTF measures, BPA qualified measures developable within S/R budget ($30K in 2015) Measures need to have small enough regional potential to be considered small savers or very straightforward analysis with sufficient data for proven measure S/R utilities’ struggles with EE are not due solely to a lack of applicable measures Subcommittee expressed interest in having a broad discussion of barriers to implementation identify actions that the S/R Subcommittee and other organizations could take to improve EE participation

Common Themes Resource Limitations Technical Knowledge Location Challenges Different Markets Valuing EE Marketing Ability

Results of Survey Let’s acknowledge the barriers and start identifying some solutions!