Nova Scotia - Canada

Evaluation of Nova Scotia energy efficiency programs

EXPERTISE : , Energy Efficiency and DSM Programs
SECTOR : , Commercial, Industrial, Residential, Public

client

Efficiency Nova Scotia

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Efficiency Nova Scotia (ENS) is operated by EfficiencyOne, an independent, non-profit organization. ENS’ mission is to enable Nova Scotians to use energy more efficiently by developing and managing energy efficiency (EE) and conservation programs for various customer segments.

Since 2008, Nova Scotia’s EE programs have been evaluated annually by an independent third-party consultant.

Highlights

Econoler was hired to perform the annual process and impact evaluations of the ENS EE program portfolio (consisting of 15 programs) for the years of 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Econoler has also prepared separate reports for assessing the non-electricity savings for seven of these 15 programs. Since 2012, the impacts of the codes and standards implemented in Nova Scotia have also been evaluated. In 2013, the evaluation of ENS’ enabling strategies was also conducted.

Targeting the residential, commercial and industrial sectors, ENS EE programs provide these sectors with various incentives on the use of diverse energy efficiency measures. The program components include incentives to buyers, retail markdown and instant rebates, home energy audits, home energy reports, direct install, appliance retirement, fuel substitution, feasibility studies and a customized approach (for major commercial and industrial customers).

The evaluation is aimed at achieving the following main objectives:

  • Assessing the effectiveness of program design and delivery;
  • Determining the extent to which program implementation is proceeding as planned (i.e., technologies have been installed and are working as expected.); and
  • Determining the gross and net energy and demand savings.

To carry out this assignment, Econoler performed the following major tasks:

  • A review of the program’s logic models;
  • In-depth interviews with program managers, delivery agents and program partners, such as retailers, distributors and manufacturers;
  • Phone and Internet surveys conducted with participants and builders, as well as one intercept survey at participating retail stores for an instant rebate program;
  • Mystery shopper visits at participating retail stores;
  • On-site visits, including metering activities, to validate equipment installation and operating conditions;
  • Thorough analysis of each program’s database;
  • Secondary data research to estimate market sizes for energy-efficient products;
  • Unitary savings review for all eligible energy-efficient products;
  • Billing analysis to validate participants’ heating-related electricity consumption;
  • Software calibration using billing data;
  • Review of HOT2000 simulation files;
  • Analysis of interactive effects;
  • Development of algorithms for measuring distortion effects, including free-ridership and spillover; and
  • Gross and net savings calculations for each program.

For each program year covered by the assignment, Econoler’s evaluations have so far attributed on average approximately 150 GWh in net annual electricity savings and 30 MW in net peak demand savings to ENS’ programs.

 

 

 

Return to search