Is it Time to Start Running Energy Efficiency as a Business? (thought piece)

New York’s “Reforming the Energy Vision” or “REV” seeks a great many changes to the way utilities do business and how distribution systems and the buildings connected to them work. Thus far, most of the discussion of REV in the literature has focused on utility earnings incentives and treatment of energy efficiency (EE) as any other distributed energy resource for the purpose of avoiding distribution system investments.

Recently under REV, one of the more interesting changes involving EE has emerged whereby EE will evolve from a regulatory compliance exercise with dedicated cost recovery mechanisms to a core element of the utility’s business and a part of base rates. The challenge here is: How do utilities analyze EE investment options to fit within their business planning, budgeting and ratemaking processes and simultaneously address their state EE regulatory requirements?

Download the thought piece on running energy efficiency as a business