ERS is a DNV company
ERS was the prime contractor leading the impact evaluation of 15 utility efficiency programs operated by contractors for Con Edison and Orange & Rockland Utilities (O&R). This included the development of a program-level realization rate, net-to-gross factors, cost-effectiveness analysis, and measure-level key parameter analyses to inform the Department of Public Services’ New York Standard Approach for Estimating Energy Savings from Energy Efficiency Programs and energy efficiency research.
The evaluated programs provide incentives and services to residential and small and large non-residential customers. The 15 programs are grouped into five major areas: residential HVAC, residential appliance, small business direct install (SBDI), large commercial and industrial (C&I), and multifamily.
ERS is contracted by the Connecticut EEB to conduct an impact evaluation of the Business and Energy Sustainability (BES) suite of commercial and industrial (C&I) programs, administered by the state’s two largest utilities, Eversource Energy and United Illuminating.
As the project’s sole evaluation contractor, ERS is leading all aspects of the impact evaluation, including planning, sample design, M&V strategy and execution, equipment performance metering, savings analysis, and reporting. By the summer of 2017, a sample of 75 projects across the four programs will be assessed for electric and natural gas savings, as well as non-energy benefits such as water, O&M, or productivity impacts.
ERS worked with four subcontractors to assess the impact of Efficiency Vermont’s and Burlington Electric Department’s commercial and industrial energy efficiency programs. The evaluation scope includes verifying the energy impacts and calculating the forward capacity market’s (FCM’s) peak demand impacts. The FCM component of this evaluation includes metering, analysis, and reporting that is compliant with the ISO‐NE measurement and verification guidelines.
The goal of this savings verification was to assess the reasonableness of Vermont Gas Systems’ 2016 Commercial/ Industrial and Custom Residential New Construction reported savings. The objective was to calculate annual and peak day realization rates at the program and sector levels while leveraging information garnered during the process to inform future program design.
ERS is a preferred evaluation consultant for the Northern California Power Agency (NCPA) and its utility members. The evaluation efforts have included both residential and commercial programs and covered a wide range of program offerings, from LED mailers to data centers. As part of the evaluation, ERS has conducted telephone surveys, online surveys, and on-site data collection. For each effort, ERS produced an evaluation report consistent with regulatory guidelines that provides both gross and net savings, realization rates, and recommendations for program improvements.
As the prime contractor, ERS leads a multimillion, portfolio-wide process evaluation spanning 10 utility energy efficiency programs for Con Edison. The evaluation provided strategic input and guidance on how to reshape the portfolio to better align them with the objectives of New York State’s REV initiative.
ERS conducted a process evaluation of New Jersey Clean Energy Program (NJCEP) efficiency programs on behalf of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and Rutgers University. This process evaluation is follow-on work from a benchmarking study conducted by ERS.
The process evaluation involved interviews with program staff and stakeholders, large-scale surveys of both residential and commercial/industrial participants and nonparticipants, a market penetration analysis, and additional comparative research and analysis to answer specific questions about the portfolio.
Con Edison engaged with ERS to conduct a metering and market characterization effort to support their pioneering Brooklyn-Queens Demand Management (BQDM) Program. ERS utilized a data-driven approach to gather comprehensive site-specific information. The study targeted the most prominent sectors in the network: multifamily in-unit and common areas along with small businesses. The resulting load shapes, developed for summer, winter, shoulder, and annual periods, in conjunction with the equipment inventories, were analyzed to develop an understanding of how BQDM customers consume electricity. This information can be used to improve forecasting of network loads and efficiency program savings. Results were delivered through an interactive dashboard enabling the client to track the program’s progress and findings.
The utility companies in Massachusetts and Rhode Island provide code assistance as part of their commercial new construction and renovation programs. The goals for these evaluation efforts were to assess compliance rates on an energy impact basis, as well as to target specific code provisions in IECC 2009 and 2012, which have contributed to low compliance levels. ERS developed an evaluation methodology that was modified from a DOE‐endorsed code compliance calculation method that had been developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratories. Drawing a statistical sample from all commercial new construction projects in the two states, we reviewed plans sets and performed multiple site surveys for well over 150 commercial buildings.