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RTF Quarterly Newsletter: Quarter No. 33, July - September 2018

  • October 10, 2018

The third quarter of 2018 passed as a productive one for the RTF. This quarter the RTF made progress on a number of marquee items, as well as continuation of core RTF competencies.  Between July and September of 2018, the RTF convened a number of subcommittees, approved new measure analyses, released the results of the annual Regional Conservation Progress Report, and recommended a new Work Plan for 2019 for Council approval. Read on for more information on each of these efforts. Click here for a full review of noteworthy RTF decision items and news items.

2017 RCP Results Released

At the August meeting of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, RTF Manager Jennifer Light, and RTF Assistant Garrett Herndon briefed the full Council on the 2017 results of the annual Regional Conservation Progress (RCP) Report. This report entails the yearly collection of energy savings and cost data from the region’s public and investor-owned utilities, the Energy Trust of Oregon, and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. The 2017 RCP showed that the region is currently meeting the first two-year milestones for energy savings laid out in the Seventh Power Plan. The Plan called for 370 aMW of energy savings over the 2016-2017 period. Currently, the region has saved 408 aMW over that period, though these numbers will continue to be adjusted as the RTF continues to build its understanding of the effect of total-market change on energy savings. More detailed information on this year’s RCP can be found on the RTF website here.

 

RTF and PAC Recommend Final 2019 Work Plan for Council Approval

At their respective September meetings, both the RTF and the RTF Policy Advisory Committee heard presentations on the proposed 2019 Work Plan. Both bodies have been involved in the development of this Work Plan since the early stages and voted to approve recommending the final proposed Work Plan to the Council for their consideration for approval at is October meeting. In addition to the core work performed by the RTF, this proposed work plan allocates a small portion of its 2019 budget to develop savings estimates for a handful of demand response technologies. This effort is primarily an investigation into the role the RTF could play in supporting the region’s demand response planning work, and success in this area will inform if this work continues in subsequent years. The RTF’s proposed 2019 Work Plan is available on its website here.

RTF Convenes for SEEM Training

At the conclusion of the September RTF meeting the RTF and broader stakeholder base was offered a training on its Simplified Energy Enthalpy Model, by Ben Larson of Ecotope. SEEM, as it is commonly called, is used by RTF contract analysts to model residential building energy use. This model is updated regularly and is currently being calibrated in response to the release of results from the second Residential Building Stock Assessment (RBSA), completed by NEEA. Materials from this training can be found on the RTF website, including a video of the training, here.

Subcommittee Roundup

The RTF relies on its subcommittees to review and provide oversight or guidance on projects, provide feedback to the RTF on specific issues, and help develop and update sector-specific measure savings assumptions. The following subcommittees convened during the third quarter of 2018.

Climate Zone Subcommittee: The RTF convened a subcommittee to discuss a new proposed methodology for selecting representative locations for the climate zones to be used in building simulations for estimating savings of weather dependent RTF measures, such as those that involve heating and cooling savings. At the September RTF meeting, the RTF gave a “head nod” on this new methodology for selecting representative locations.

Implementers Group: The Implementers Group meets after each RTF meeting to discuss the outcome of the RTF meeting, upcoming RTF meeting topics, and other topics that affect program implementers in the region.

Market Analysis: This subcommittee was created to discuss ongoing market analysis being conducted in the region, as well as to provide review of said research. The RTF’s Market Analysis Subcommittee met twice in the third quarter of 2018. In August, the subcommittee met to discuss the methodology around Bonneville’s forthcoming HVAC market model. In September, the subcommittee convened again to discuss potential adjustments to the chain logic method used in the Residential Lighting Market Model NEEA is developing.

Operations: The RTF Operations subcommittee meets before each RTF meeting to review and discuss the RTF meeting agendas, decisions, and contracts. This subcommittee convened twice in the third quarter of 2018.

Research and Evaluation: The Research and Evaluation Subcommittee convenes on a need basis to discuss the development of RTF Research Strategies and the framing and utility of ongoing research in the region. In Q3 of 2018, the subcommittee met once to discuss research needs and draft research strategies for Residential Duct Sealing in Single Family Homes, and Ductless Heat Pumps in New Multifamily Construction.

Secondary Glazing Systems Subcommittee:  In September, a technical subcommittee was convened to discuss the RTF’s development of a measure for the installation of secondary glazing systems on windows in commercial buildings. This measure is set to come forward to the RTF in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Small and Rural Utilities Subcommittee: The Small/Rural Subcommittee maintains a dedicated function within the RTF to support the specific needs of small and rural utilities. This subcommittee met once in Q3 of 2018 to discuss changes to UES measures that may affect small/rural utilities differently, as well as potential roles the RTF could play to better meet the needs of small/rural utilities.

Approved Measure Changes

In addition to the items highlighted above, the third quarter of 2018 the RTF voted to approve the following changes to UES measures and Standard Protocols:

  • Approve updates to the methodology for defining lighting competition groups for upcoming measure updates to the residential and non-residential lighting measures
  • Extend the sunset date for the Residential Advanced Power Strips UES to September 30, 2018.
  • Deactivate the Commercial Efficient Tanks UES
  • Adopt updates to the Ductless Heat Pump for Single Family New Construction measure. Adopt as planning, with a Sunset Date of January 31, 2021
  • Adopt the updates for the Single-Family Duct Sealing UES measure. Adopt as Planning with a Sunset Date of September 30, 2021.
  • Extend the sunset date for the Residential Refrigerator and Freezer UES measures to January 2019.
  • Adopt the proposed 2019 work plan with recommendation to the Council for approval.
  • Extend the sunset date for the Residential Advanced Power Strips UES and Commercial Smart Plug Power Strip UES to November 30, 2018.
  • Adopt the Ductless Heat Pump for Low- and Mid-Rise Multifamily UES measure. Adopt as planning with a Sunset date of September 30, 2021.
  • Approve the updates to savings and costs for the Ductless Heat Pump for Forced Air Furnace UES measure. Deactivate all measure applications for heating zone 3. Measure applications for heating zone 1 and 2 are approved as proven. The Sunset Date for this measure was set to September 30, 2021.