Industrial Program Attribution: Money Well

摘要

When a program is publicly funded, the public rightfully wants to know how that money is invested and that funds are invested cost-effectively. Naturally, then, most energy efficiency programs are scrutinized for their impact on customer energy use. Typically, programs begin with the tracking of gross impacts — best program estimates of energy savings by project. Gross impacts are subject to third-party engineering verification and program attribution to establish net program impacts. Most programs try to adjust gross impacts for both engineering verification and program attribution. While Wisconsin's Focus on Energy program (Focus) has measured realization rates for several years, performance by program contractors had always been based on verified gross goal achievement. This changed starting Fiscal Year 2008 (FY08)so that contract performance is now based on net goals achievement. In response to this change Focus's Industrial Program has developed new tools that adjust the way it delivers its program to reflect the way the independent evaluators measure impacts. These new tools include (1) a customer attribution screener, (2) a customer-signed needs form, (3) a program impact statement, (4) special attention to large projects, and (5) a "needs" selection criterion for ranking competitive offerings, such as Requests for Proposal's. These new program tools are geared to improve program attribution, as measured by evaluator-conducted customer self-report interviews. This paper discusses the experience with these tools and their effects on estimated program attribution and industrial program design in Wisconsin