This report presents the results of secondary research and analysis of several emerging technologies and new efficiency program approaches performed as the initial phase of a project for the Evaluation, Monitoring and Verification Forum (EM&V Forum or Forum) managed by the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP). ERS and its team members Dunsky Energy Consulting, Livingston Energy Innovations, and Opinion Dynamics investigated seven emerging technologies and four innovative program approaches with the overall objective of providing performance and savings guidelines allowing the Forum members to develop measures and programs that realize associated savings. A second phase of this project will conduct primary research into a selected subset of these investigated technologies and program approaches.
The Forum member organizations have long offered residential and commercial sector energy efficiency programs. Many of these programs are recognized as “best practice” programs that are transforming markets and significantly reducing energy demand and consumption. However, the program administrators are fully aware that efficiency efforts cannot be stagnant. As markets are transformed, best practice becomes standard practice and new technology and programmatic developments offer new opportunities. This current research effort seeks to provide solid strategies that support the introduction of innovative measures and programs while establishing defensible savings methodologies that will be supported by future process and impact evaluation results.