Challenge: The Maryland Public Service Commission oversees the statewide evaluation of the EmPOWER Maryland Residential and Commercial energy efficiency programs for the five largest Maryland electric utilities and one gas utility. As a sub-contractor to Loper Energy Inc., Tierra supports the PSC’s oversight of the statewide evaluations.
Approach: The team, led by Loper Energy, advises Staff and the Commission on impact evaluation and cost effectiveness analysis policies and practices, and presents impact evaluation results and key findings in Commission hearings. The team ensures compliance with annual evaluation plans and guidance documents, conducts stakeholder group meetings, provides independent savings verification, and also participates in the Mid-Atlantic TRM review subcommittee and on behalf of the Commission. In addition to applying the lessons learned from their Maryland statewide evaluation oversight role, the Tierra Team leverages their knowledge and expertise of regional (as well as national) energy efficiency policy and resources such as the Mid-Atlantic TRM, EM&V Protocols and Requirements.
Project Highlights:
- Technical Assurance and Due Diligence Review
- Strategic Evaluation Plan Development
- TRM Review
- Collaborative Stakeholder Engagement
- Policy and Strategic Guidance
Outcome: Each year, the MD Independent Evaluator Team verifies energy and demand savings and cost-effectiveness estimates of the five EmPOWER electric utilities (BGE, SMECO, Pepco, PHI and DPL) and one gas utility (WGL) and their evaluation contractors. The annual verification reports combine in-depth analysis of program tracking data and extensive review of the intermediate and final work products of the evaluation contractors. Shared responsibilities include:
- Planning: Communicate EM&V Working Group objectives, assessment of methods and precision levels; develop detailed annual master evaluation plans; confirm evaluation plans reflect Statewide guidance
- Utility Program Tracking Data: Provide early feedback on data requirements and quality control
- Use of Deemed Savings Estimates and Useful lives: Review, critique, and, as necessary, update/correct deemed parameter estimates; recommend to Commission which parameters should be measured
- Design of Survey and Instruments: Review and suggest changes to survey instruments
- Baseline Conditions: Define baseline principles and objectives; review utility and utility EM&V Contractor baselines; recommend corrections as necessary
- Verification of Measure Installations: Review verification sample to confirm its reasonableness; perform due diligence on verification execution; QA/QC results
- Determination of Measure and Program Savings: Perform systematic review of methods, data, calculations and results; re-analyze primary data and re-estimate savings as needed
- Reporting: Independently verify program and portfolio level calculations of savings and cost effectiveness
- Recommend Program Design Changes: Independently recommend changes based on review of Utility EM&V Contractor reports and analysis of progress toward state goals
The PDF version of this project description can be downloaded here.
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