Top States’ Secret Sauce
Dr. Sanem Sergici is a Principal in The Brattle Group’s Boston, MA office specializing in economic analysis of distributed energy resources (DERs); their impact on the distribution system operations and assessment of emerging utility business models and regulatory frameworks. She regularly assists her clients in matters related to innovative retail rate design, emerging technologies, big data analytics, grid modernization, and alternative ratemaking mechanisms.
Several states have forged ahead and are in the lead among the fifty in terms of successful energy efficiency programs. What explains the success of these leading states? And what are the lessons learned that are applicable to any state, leader or not?
PUF presents the perspectives and experiences of two thought-leaders, Sanem Sergici of The Brattle Group in the following article, and Tanuj Deora of Uplight. While Sergici looks broadly across the states, and takes us through her study's analysis, and while Deora focuses on a single state, both views are insightful breakdowns of what states can do to move into the lead in energy efficiency or to maintain their leadership heretofore secured. As you shall see for yourself by reading on.
Customer-sited energy efficiency is the nation's third-largest electricity resource, employing 2.3 million Americans and typically providing the lowest-cost way to meet customers' energy needs, according to the National Association of State Energy Officials 2019 U.S. Energy and Employment Report.