Guides and Papers
Resources
To create a sustainable, aggressive national commitment to energy efficiency through gas and electric utilities, utility regulators, and partner organizations, more than 60 leading organizations joined together to develop the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency (PDF) (4 pp., 205K).
The Leadership Group of the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency is committed to taking action to increase investment in cost-effective energy efficiency. A number of key resources were developed under the guidance and with input from the Leadership Group. The resources do not necessarily represent a consensus view and do not represent an endorsement by the organizations of Leadership Group members.
National Action Plan Vision for 2025
This Vision for the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency (Action Plan) establishes a goal of achieving all cost-effective energy efficiency by 2025, presents ten implementation goals for states, utilities, and other stakeholders to consider to achieve this goal, describes what 2025 might look like if the goal is achieved, and provides an initial strawman approach for measuring progress. It is a framework for implementing the five policy recommendations of the Action Plan announced in July 2006 which can be modified and improved over time.
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- National Action Plan Vision for 2025 (PDF) (84 pp., 1.1M)
- National Action Plan Vision for 2025 Fact Sheet (PDF) (2 pp., 197K)
- Press Release (11/13/2007): Utility Energy Efficiency Vision Can Save Billions of Dollars While Fighting Climate Change (PDF) (2 pp., 72K)
Aligning Utility Incentives with Energy Efficiency Investment
The Report on Aligning Utility Incentives with Energy Efficiency Investment describes the financial effects on a utility of its spending on energy efficiency programs, how those effects could constitute barriers to more aggressive and sustained utility investment in energy efficiency, and how adoption of various policy mechanisms can reduce or eliminate these barriers. The Report also provides a number of examples of such mechanisms drawn from the experience of utilities and states.
- Aligning Utility Incentives with Energy Efficiency (PDF) (116 pp, 1.5M)
Guide to Resource Planning with Energy Efficiency
The Guide to Resource Planning with Energy Efficiency describes the key issues, best practices, and main process steps for integrating energy efficiency into resource planning. The Guide details how to use a variety of methods to help ensure that energy efficiency programs provide a resource as dependable and valuable to utilities and their customers as any supply-side resource. The Guide organizes the planning process into ten important steps, each with their own associated technical issues, best practices, and information resources.
- Guide to Resource Planning with Energy Efficiency (PDF) (122 pp., 2.7M)
Guide for Conducting Energy Efficiency Potential Studies
The Guide for Conducting Energy Efficiency Potential Studies identifies three main applications for energy efficiency potential studies and provides examples of each, along with a description of how key decisions regarding scope and methodology were made to best achieve the studies’ objectives. It also provides an overview of the main analytical steps in conducting a potential study and introduces several related concepts.
Model Energy Efficiency Program Impact Evaluation Guide
The Model Energy Efficiency Program Impact Evaluation Guide describes a structure and several industry-standard approaches for calculating energy, demand, and emissions savings resulting from facility (non-transportation) energy-efficiency programs that are implemented by cities, states, utilities, companies, and other similar entities. By utilizing best practices and consistent, standard procedures, evaluations can support the adoption, continuation, and expansion of efficiency programs.
- Model Energy Efficiency Program Impact Evaluation Guide (PDF) (152 pp., 1.4M)
National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency Report
This Report:
- Reviews the barriers limiting greater investment in energy efficiency by gas and electric utilities and partner organizations.
- Presents sound business strategies that are available to overcome these barriers.
- Documents a set of business cases showing the impacts on key stakeholders as utilities under different circumstances increase energy efficiency programs.
- Presents best practices for energy efficiency program design and operation.
- Presents policy recommendations and options for spurring greater investment in energy efficiency by utilities and energy consumers.
Building Codes and Energy Efficiency Fact Sheet
Building energy codes establish a minimum level of energy efficiency for residential and commercial buildings. This can reduce the need for energy generation capacity and new infrastructure while reducing energy bills. States and municipalities are updating existing codes, adopting new codes, and expanding code programs to improve compliance and achieve real results.
- Building Codes for Energy Efficiency Fact Sheet (PDF) (6 pp., 196K)