The Regional Evaluation, Measurement and Verification Forum (Forum) facilitated by Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) engaged the Evergreen team in November 2013 to conduct this Phase I Early Replacement Measure Scoping Study. The objectives for the scoping study include:
- Compiling descriptive information about current energy efficiency retrofit programs with early replacement measures – with specific focus on eligibility criteria, measures savings baseline assumptions, and remaining useful life assumptions;
- Identifying and summarizing common and contrasting program design elements, savings calculation approaches and technical assumptions;
- Identifying challenges related to the promotion of early replacement measures, and soliciting Program Administrator (PA) desires for additional research to improve program performance and the accuracy of savings estimates; and
- Providing preliminary recommendations on theprioritization of measures and program participant populations upon which to focus the early replacements Phase II research.
For this research, an “early replacement” program was defined as any program that promotes the replacement of equipment prior to the assumed time of normal replacement that would occur without the influence of the program. Early replacement measures are those that replace existing, operational equipment that is not at the end of its useful life (and therefore has a “remaining useful life”, or RUL) or which is not scheduled for replacement for reasons independen of the program. In contrast, “normal replacement” measures are installed when equipment has reached the end of its useful life and has become nonhoperational or is being replaced for some other reason.