The RTF is seeking one contract analyst (up to 1.0 FTE) for 2019 to work with the existing team of contract analysts on behalf of the RTF. This work includes reviewing and developing unit energy savings measures and standard protocols, defining research needs and developing related research strategies, and connecting individual RTF projects to regional programs and research.

On October 10th, 2018 the Northwest Power and Conservation Council voted unanimously to approve a new Work Plan and Business Plan for the coming year. Every year the RTF develops its Work Plan through a stakeholder involved process that draws on public comment and input from organizations involved regularly in the work of the RTF, as well as the RTF's voting membership and Policy Advisory Committee (PAC).

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.

As a region, the Northwest achieved 408 aMW of energy savings as a result of improved energy efficiency over 2016 and 2017. The 2017 Regional Conservation Progress Report data is now available.

The RTF is currently soliciting proposals for the development of hourly load profiles for select energy efficiency measures. The RTF has identified several priority hourly profiles that require updates to improve the reliability of RTF work.The work is anticipated to be completed over two different RTF Work Plan years, with some portion of the tasks occurring in the remainder of 2018, and the rest in 2019. All submissions are due to jlight@nwcouncil.org by COB September 28th, 2018.

At the August 14th meeting of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, the Council voted unanimously to release a white paper for public comment, which details how the Regional Technical Form (rtf.nwcouncil.org) generates estimates of energy savings from efficiency measures. This paper also provides information on how those estimates support the work performed by organizations throughout the region, including the Council itself, the region’s public and investor owned utilities, and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance.

With the year half way over, there is a good amount to report from the Regional Technical Forum. The second quarter of 2018 included a number of important measure updates, regional coordination efforts, and exploration of new territory, all of which depended on a wealth of vital stakeholder involvement. Below is a review of the happenings of the second quarter of 2018.

Every year, the RTF develops a draft Work Plan and Business Plan for stakeholder review and comment before finalizing for formal consideration by the RTF, the RTF Policy Advisory Committee, and the Council. On July 17th the Work Plan and Business Plan were released to the public, beginning a 30-day open comment period. Stakeholders should submit their comment to RTF Manager Jennifer Light by COB August 17th.

As the RTF adopts a new measure for Residential Aerators, data concerns are raised driving a need for research in the region.

RTF staff are pleased to release the 2017 Annual Report, which details the main themes of 2017, and provides a glimpse into work already underway in 2018.

The RTF is seeking public comment on the proposed framework for assessing the load shapes associated with the development of capacity contribution esitmates, as well as the review and recommendations for each RTF measure, as completed by Cadmus. The RTF will use the feedback gathered during this period to improve the process and support the identification of next steps. All comments should be provided to Jennifer Light (jlight@nwcouncil.org) by Friday, June 6, 2018.

The first four months of 2018 have passed in a blur. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably wondering “How is it April already?” Don’t worry folks, the RTF has still been diligently working. Let’s go over what you might have missed at the March RTF meeting.

2018 is well underway for the Regional Technical Forum. The start of the new year was met with a hum of activity, four days of full RTF meetings, and a number of analytically intense dialogues. Already the RTF had covered a lot of ground by the end of the first quarter. Below is a review of some of what occurred in the first three months of 2018.

With the most recent update of the Residential Lighting UES measure workbook, several changes were incorporated through the QA/QC process that shifted the cost-effectiveness and savings for a handful of measure applications.

The first of six two-day meetings this year, the January convening of the RTF was an energy efficiency extravaganza, jam packed with lively debate, after-hours extracurricular activities, and ultimately, a wealth of important RTF presentations and decisions. Let's take a look at what occurred at the RTF in January.

The RTF is seeking a contractor to complete data collection and analysis for its annual Regional Conservation Progress (RCP) report. Every year, the RTF conducts a survey of the region's utilities, NEEA, and the Energy Trust of Oregon on energy savings and expenditures. The RTF is seeking data for 2017 program savings and expenditures. The findings of this data collection inform the Council on the region's progress against the Seventh Power Plan conservation goals.

The fourth quarter of 2017 was full of activity here at the RTF, with important new measures being approved, thought-provoking presentations being offered, and vital subcommittee discussions taking place. Below is a review of some of what occurred in the last three months of 2017.

Happy 2018 RTF enthusiasts. The New Year is here and with it comes several new developments in the RTF world that you need to know about.