Identifying and Enhancing Energy Program Portfolio Synergies:The New York Experience

摘要

This paper presents outcomes of a multi-year project to identify and enhanceinterrelationships among programs in the New York Energy SmartSM portfolio administered bythe New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Oak RidgeNational Laboratory (ORNL) and NYSERDA conducted this work to assess and maximize thebenefits of this administrative model. Synergy exists if the impacts of a program portfolioexceed the sum of the individual program impacts that comprise the portfolio. Severalconceptual frameworks helped assess synergy. One framework examines ten organizationalconditions for synergy. A second framework examines participants' views of programinterrelationships. A third framework examines whether synergy accelerates market penetration.NYSERDA staff focus groups were convened to collect data. Findings include:? NYSERDA is meeting the ten organizational conditions for synergy;? Staff regularly communicate and share lessons learned;? NYSERDA's portfolio has numerous opportunities for additional synergy;? Staff believe synergy will accelerate and increase market penetration;? There are no negative impacts associated with promoting synergy; and? Barriers to synergy include changing organizational goals, potential confusion resultingfrom the large number of programs in the portfolio, and lack of customer awareness ofNYSERDA programs and technologies.This project did not comparatively assess alternative administration models; however,NYSERDA's approach is working well and synergies exist. Assessing synergies throughemployee focus groups motivates communication, awareness, and goal alignment. Future workwill collect data from participants, better quantify synergy, and refine and re-implement somefocus group exercises.