Portfolio Planning and Design

Designing Future-Ready Programs

Developing cost-effective programs for the energy transition is more complex than ever. As lighting is phased out of demand-side management (DSM) program offerings, DSM and distributed energy resource portfolio administrators must uncover new opportunities while integrating emerging trends such as beneficial electrification, flexible load technologies, as well as solar and battery storage solutions.

Our expertise helps utilities develop program portfolios that deliver measurable impacts:

  • Leverage customer and market insights to inform program design
  • Align with decarbonization and electrification targets
  • Address grid and system-level load constraints
  • Ensure compliance with regulatory and stakeholder requirements
  • Maximize cost-effectiveness across the DSM portfolio
  • Drive innovation and long-term transformation

We ensure your DSM portfolio harnesses the latest practices and technologies, delivering results today while preparing for tomorrow.

Econoler

Our Approach to DSM Portfolio and Program Planning

Our team combines technical expertise, market insights, and program experience to guide portfolio planning and design. We understand the policy and regulatory drivers shaping demand-side management (DSM) and our team brings extensive experience designing and evaluating a wide range of DSM programs across Canada.

We help program administrators:

  • Identify techno-economic potential for energy and capacity savings as well as beneficial electrification
  • Develop future-ready program portfolios grounded in market and technical realities
  • Design programs that are customer-focused and optimized for easy participation
  • Identify pathways for technology adoption
  • Develop market transformation initiatives that address barriers and enable measurable impacts
  • Define savings algorithms, assumptions, and baselines for DSM measures
  • Deliver rigorous and comprehensive cost-benefit analysis with defensible assumptions
  • Support regulatory filings and stakeholder engagement

Trusted Partners in DSM Program Planning and Portfolio Design

Econoler is a trusted partner of utilities, governments, and energy efficiency agencies across Canada, offering proven expertise in DSM program portfolios.

Our strengths include:

  • Extensive hands-on experience designing programs for leading DSM program administrators
  • Interdisciplinary team of engineers, data analysts, program designers, and market researchers
  • Expertise in cost-benefit analysis and technical reference manual development for Canadian utilities
  • Innovative approach to techno-economic potential studies
  • Research methodologies that engage all levels of the market ecosystem
  • Demonstrated track record in market transformation for key technologies

Sub-Services

We provide expert guidance on regulatory filings, stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning to meet energy transition objectives. We bring cross-jurisdictional insight and expertise in energy technologies, systems, programs, and policies.

Our practical approach emphasizes clear, adaptable models, transparent assumptions, and targeted data collection. Designed for scenario testing and easy updates, these studies help organizations plan effectively, integrate emerging trends, and make informed decisions over time.

We design clean energy programs that are effective, scalable, and aligned with today’s decarbonization challenges, all grounded in market research, technical analysis, and deep program expertise.

We help clients identify high-impact energy saving opportunities and chart pathways for new technologies. Our technology roadmaps support electrification, decarbonization, and innovation planning.

We define savings algorithms, assumptions, and baselines to provide the foundation for robust program planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Our comprehensive cost-benefit analyses consist of recognized methodologies, including the National Standard Practice Manual, to ensure defensible outcomes. Our research on both energy and non-energy impacts helps clients expand the scope of cost-effectiveness accounting, thus adding value for customers and society.

We support market transformation efforts by identifying key barriers to change and developing clear program theory and logic models. Our approach is to define how change is expected to occur, establish meaningful progress indicators, and track progress toward long-term market outcomes based on best practices. This ensures interventions are targeted, effective, and aligned with transformation goals.

Success Stories

Real-world examples of our work in action.
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Build Programs That Deliver Measurable Impacts

Contact us today to learn how Econoler can help you build programs and support your portfolio planning to meet your energy transition goals.

Contact our team