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RTF Quarterly Newsletter: Quarter No. 27, January-March 2017

  • April 17, 2017

2017 has begun with a whirlwind of activity at the RTF. The first three meetings of the year (January 18, February 22, and March 21) brought with them exciting new developments for the Forum, including  approval for development and adoption of new measures, changes to existing measures, and the unveiling of the latest progresses for ongoing RTF efforts (website/guidelines/RCP). Below is a review of all that took place at the RTF from January to March 2017. To review a full list of RTF decisions, click here. 

Residential Lighting Updates Approved

At the January 18, 2017 RTF meeting the Forum approved measures updates to the Residential Lighting: Screw-In Lamps measure. This measure update was largely influenced by the growing market share of LED bulbs, which have replaced CFLs as the more cost-effective technology in many cases. The Screw-In Lamps measure was approved as a "Proven" measure, with "Active" status. The sunset date was set to January 31, 2018, which is relatively short. This was done so to ensure that the RTF could incorporate new market data into the measure analysis in a timely fashion. The RTF, through its Market Analysis Subcommittee, will continue to track developments in the rapidly moving residential lighting market, in order to ensure RTF savings estimates are as accurate as possible. 

Fixtures and Pin-Based Lamps

In addition to the Residential Lighting Screw-In Lamps measure, the RTF approved the development of two other Residential Lighting measures at the January 18, 2017 RTF meeting - Residential Lighting: Pin-Based Lamps, and Residential Lighting: LED Fixtures. Both of these measures were adopted as "Planning" measures, and the associated research strategy was adopted at the March 21, 2017 meeting. 

In 2015 savings from improved residential lighting efficiency accounted for 27% of total utility residential program savings. Because lighting savings are such a large part of many program portfolios, it is important the RTF accurately estimates these savings, and updates them regularly in concurrence with the latest market data.

 

Subcommittee Reviews BPA Lighting Models

In February of 2017 the RTF's Market Analysis Subcommittee began review of Bonneville's Non-Residential Lighting Market Model. The purpose of this work was to gain an accurate depiction of product flows and consumer choices in the non-residential lighting market across the region. The Subcommittee met five times over two months to complete a thorough review of the model, which was invaluable to the accuracy of BPA's work. Currently a draft version of the model is available online, with the final version expected in the next several weeks.

Additionally, in March of 2017 BPA published its final Residential Lighting Market Model, which the RTF Market Analysis Subcommittee reviewed in Q3 of 2016. Both models are available on the subcommittee webpage here. 

Capacity Benefits Guidelines

At the January RTF meeting, Lakin Garth of Cadmus Group presented phase one of RTF contract work for the development of guidelines language around the capacity benefits of energy efficiency. Contained in phase 1 of this project was a survey of current practices and quality standards for determining the demand impacts of efficiency. Cadmus also reviewed the RTF's current hourly profiles and their sources, and offered a description of sources of uncertainty within these profiles. This work has begun its second phase as of the end of Q1, which will include the development of a tool to systematically evaluate hourly load profiles. For more information see the RTF Guidelines Subcommittee page here. 

New Measures to be Developed

At the February 22, 2017 RTF meeting, the Forum reviewed a number of proposals for the development of new UES measures and Standard Protocols. In total, the RTF reviewed five proposed new measures:

Ultimately, the RTF voted to allocate resources to the development of two proposed measures (Commercial Secondary Glazing Systems, Variable Speed Pool Pumps), and voted to estimate energy savings and costs of Manufactured Homes Replacement. RTF staff hope to work on these new measures at some point this year. 

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 at some point in the first quarter of 2017.

  • 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 five times in Q1 of 2017 to review Bonneville's Non-Residential Lighting Market Model.
  • Pump Systems: The RTF's Pump Systems subcommittee met three times in the first quarter of 2017 to discuss the development of a measure for Circulator Pumps. This measure was developed, presented and approved and the March RTF meeting.
  • Implementers Group: The Implementers group meets every month after the monthly RTF meeting to discuss the outcome of the RTF meeting, upcoming RTF meeting topics, and other topics that affect program implementers in the region. 
  • Operations: The RTF Operations subcommittee meets monthly to review and discuss the RTF meeting agendas, decisions, and contracts.
  • Guidelines:The RTF convened a Capacity Benefits Work Group in March of 2017 to assist with work on the development of guidelines for the capacity benefits of energy efficiency. 
  • Research and Evaluation: The RTF’s Research & Evaluation Subcommittee meets on a need-basis to review RTF required research plans for measures that are determined to be out of compliance with the RTF’s quality and reliability requirements in terms of supporting research.
  • Residential Lighting: The RTF's Residential Lighting Subcommittee met once in Q1 of 2017 to discuss the incorporation of T12s into the baseline for its analysis of LED fixtures for shop light applications. 
  • Small and Rural Utilities: The RTF’s Small and Rural Utilities Subcommittee meets quarterly to discuss the effects of RTF decisions on the region’s small and rural utilities. Meeting details can be found on the Subcommittee webpage.

Approved Measure Changes

In addition to the items highlighted above, the first quarter of 2017 the RTF voted to approve the following changes to UES measures and Standard Protocols: