EPA cites as best practice ISO-NE’s evaluation manual for energy-efficiency resources

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized one of ISO New England’s evaluation manuals as a model resource for quantifying and verifying the savings from energy-efficiency (EE) measures.

Specifically, the ISO’s Measurement and Verification of Demand Reduction Value from Demand Resources was cited as one of the best practices for statistical sampling of demand resources participating in competitive wholesale electricity markets, as well as a resource for learning more about how EE savings can be quantified and verified.

Recognition came in the EPA’s Evaluation, Measurement and Verification (EM&V) Guidance for Demand-Side Energy Efficiency, currently in draft form, which will help states and EE providers successfully implement EM&V provisions in the Clean Power Plan (CPP). The CPP allows EE savings to be credited toward emission reductions if EE providers use best-practice approaches to ensure that EE measures are quantifiable and verifiable.

The ISO is only one of two Independent System Operators in the US that allow suppliers of EE programs and other demand-side resources to compete directly with electric generators to meet regional capacity needs in the region’s forward capacity market.