Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about proposing and
developing a measure are provided below.
What is an energy efficiency measure?
An energy using appliance, equipment, control system, or practice whose installation or implementation results in reduced energy use (purchased from the distribution utility) while maintaining a comparable or higher level of energy service as perceived by the customer. In all cases energy efficiency measures decrease the amount of energy used to provide a specific service or to accomplish a specific amount of work (e.g., kWh per cubic foot of a refrigerator held at a specific temperature, therms per gallon of hot water at a specific temperature, etc.) (Energy Efficiency Policy Manual, version 5, p. 52)
What is a deemed energy efficiency measure?
An energy efficiency measure for which per-unit energy savings and demand reduction are pre-determined.
Who can propose a deemed energy efficiency measure?
A organization or individual entity can submit a proposal through the Cal TF to develop a deemed energy efficiency measure to be considered for the California energy efficiency portfolios. Once fully developed, however, all measures intended for IOU portfolios must be submitted by an IOU to the CPUC for approval
What types of measures are eligible?
Any energy efficiency measure can be submitted as a proposal for Measure Screening. This process is intended to support the development of deemed energy efficiency measures. Measures that do not pass the screening stage or do not proceed through to approval for either POU or IOU portfolios may be eligible through a non-deemed pathway.
What if my idea for a new measure is similar to a measure already in the eTRM?
Before you invest in developing a measure proposal, be sure to check in the eTRM to make sure a measure that you want to propose does not already exist.
Some measures might be more appropriate as new measure offerings to an existing measure instead of being developed as a new stand-alone measure.
See next question. Contact Cal TF Staff if you have questions or need additional guidance.
How do I know if My Proposal should be for a new measure or to add offerings to an existing measure?
In general, if the proposed technology and the method to estimate measure energy savings and demand impacts are the same or very similar to a measure already in the eTRM, then your proposal should be to add offerings to that existing measure.
If your proposed technology is different than measures in the eTRM and/or the method to estimate savings and demand impacts is different, then your proposal is likely most appropriate for a new measure.
Contact Cal TF Staff if you have questions or need additional guidance on this topic.
Who reviews measure proposal FORMs?
The Measure Screening Committee will review all measure proposals.
Who is on the Measure Screening Committee?
The Measure Screening Committee includes one representative of each of the 4 California investor-owned utilities (IOUs) and each of the 2 largest publicly-owned utilities (POUs), and representatives from the California Efficiency + Demand Management Council and the National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO). Representatives from the California Energy Commission (CEC), the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), and the CPUC ex ante review consultants will serve on the Measure Screening Committee but will be non-voting.
What are the criteria for accepting a measure proposal?
Measure cost-effectiveness is an important, but not the only, criteria for accepting a measure during the Measure Screening phase. Other considerations can include (but are not limited to) market potential, stage of commercialization, and portfolio needs.
Who is my assigned Lead Utility contact?
The assigned Lead Utility will typically be the IOU that is designated as the sector and statewide program lead that best corresponds to the measure end use. The Lead Utility contact will be assigned when a measure passes the Measure Screening phase.
How long does this process take?
The measure development/update schedule will be established in the Measure Development/Update Plan and will be finalized jointly with the assigned Lead Utility, the CPUC ex ante review consultants, and Cal TF Staff.
What is the eTRM?
The California electronic Technical Reference Manual (eTRM) is an online relational database that, once approved, will serve as the repository for all statewide deemed energy efficiency measures for California.