**Utility Sounding Board (USB) Call Summary**

**May 10, 2006**

**USB members in attendance via phone:**

-   Van Ashton -- Idaho Falls Power

-   Brent Barclay -- Columbia River PUD

-   Bruce Etzel -- Benton REA

-   Jay Himlie -- Mason Co. PUD #3

-   Keith Lockhart -- Springfield Utility Board

-   Kathy Moore -- Umatilla Electric/PNGC

> *Not attending: Mary Smith -- Puget Sound Energy; Tom Schumacher --
> Benton Co. PUD; Mike Little -- Seattle City Light*

**BPA staff in attendance at various times:**

-   Bruce Cody (RTF issues)

-   Jennifer Eskil (Industrial)

-   Karen Meadows

-   Jean Oates

-   Tim Scanlon (Commercial)

-   Chris Tash (EER)

-   Mira Vowles

**Handouts**

-   Agenda

-   Draft USB Rotation Schedule

-   Draft USB column for Energy Efficiency July newsletter

-   Summary of 4/12/06 USB Face-to-Face Meeting

[Utility Brown Bag Series (Mira Vowles)]{.underline}

-   The first in a series of Utility Brown Bag conference calls will
    take place on May 17. Energy Efficiency Representatives will send
    utilities "Save the Date" and reminder emails, including a link to
    the online PowerPoint presentation that will used for the session.

-   The next conference call will be June 21 on "Pre-rinse Spray Washers
    in Oregon".

-   Calls are also scheduled for "CFL Strategies", "New Construction"
    and "Commercial Lighting".

[Pre-rinse Spray Washers (Mira Vowles)]{.underline}

Mira discussed the opportunity for Oregon utilities (in NW Natural gas
service territory) to partner with the Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO)
Pre-Rinse Spray Washer program.
(<http://www.energytrust.org/buildingefficiency/sprayer.html>)

-   ETO hired Lockheed-Martin (L-M) to run the Pre-Rinse Spray Washer
    program, and their current focus is NW Natural gas service
    territory. If they find an end user with electrically heated water,
    they would currently offer nothing, resulting in a lost opportunity.

-   The ETO pays L-M \$173 per installed washer to cover all costs,
    including admin, marketing, plumber install, and reporting costs.
    The spray washer is free to the business owner. (The Post 2006
    Conservation Programs Approved Working Draft Implementation
    Guidelines \-- CRC & CAA (11/18/05)) credit/reimbursement for
    pre-rinse spray washers is \$150; with the admin allowance of 15
    percent, the total is \$172.50.) How much the utility pays L-M is
    negotiable.

-   Lyn Schmidt, with L-M, has run an ad in a restaurant magazine and a
    flyer in NW Natural bills. She will make cold calls to restaurant,
    and other business, owners in Oregon who are located in the NW
    Natural (gas) service territory. On cold calls she leaves an
    envelope of information with the owner, including an installation
    agreement. The owner sends the signed installation agreement to L-M.

-   In Oregon, a licensed plumber is required to install pre-rinse spray
    washers. L-M contracts with several plumbers. When L-M has 12 signed
    installation agreement, they send a plumber to install the new
    equipment. The old spray rinse washer is returned to L-M, who will
    reinstall the old washer if the end user is not satisfied with the
    new equipment within 3 months of installation. Less than 1% of the
    860 installed in Portland in 2005 requested their old washer back.

-   For BPA utilities that want to partner, L-M will add utility contact
    information and logos on their marketing and other materials for
    this project.

-   Currently, only NW Natural is participating in the program; Cascade
    Natural Gas and Avista Utilities are expected to participate later
    this year.

-   Feedback from those using the new type of washers is positive (USB
    comment).

-   The new washers cut water consumption from 8 to 1.6 gallons per
    minute. The new washers may need to run a bit longer than the old
    models, but still save energy.

-   A conference call for interested Oregon utilities is scheduled for
    June 21. The Energy Efficiency Representatives will e-mail a link to
    customers when the material for the call is available online.

-   Mira will send USB members a fact sheet and other materials about
    the measure, including the requirement for businesses to serve 10
    meals per week to qualify.

-   Mira will check to see if the contractor would also work in
    Washington.

-   Issues of concern to utilities:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Who would the agreement be with? The agreement wouldn't be with the
    Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO), but with their contractor, L-M.

-   Who will the end-user call if they have a problem? The L-M business
    card lists the L-M phone number; if there are problems with the
    installation or equipment, the end-user would call L-M.

[Newsletter Articles (Mira Vowles)]{.underline}

-   Comments are due by the end of May on the draft USB column article
    that will run in the July Energy Efficiency (EE) customer newsletter
    (<http://www.bpa.gov/Energy/N/reports/newsletter/>).

-   Add a notice in the newsletter that the Jump Starting Conservation
    2007 -- 2009 notebook contents are available online
    (<http://www.bpa.gov/Energy/N/Utilities_Sharing_EE/jsc/>) and on CD.

-   *(Note from Jean: We welcome customer ideas, articles, and photos
    for the newsletter. The newsletter contains articles about what
    utilities are doing in the conservation arena, new technology, and
    also a human interest section.)*

[Grocery Store Initiative (Karen Meadows)]{.underline}

Karen provided an update on the Grocery Store Initiative status.

-   In a few weeks, Energy Efficiency expects to have a draft contract
    and structure for non-utility (third party) activities. That draft
    will be sent to the USB. EE would like to use this contract as a
    model for future non-utility activities in hard to reach markets.

-   To make a regional grocery store initiative feasible, a high volume
    of potential grocery stores is needed. This means most utilities
    will need to participate.

-   When BPA is ready to launch the initiative, the Energy Efficiency
    Representative for a utility will discuss participation with the
    utility. Interested utilities will sign an exhibit or contract
    agreeing to BPA negotiated terms and conditions, and then the
    non-utility program contractor would talk to the utility. The
    non-utility program contractor will market the program, but will
    work with local utilities, first.

-   Participating utilities will choose whether they will use the
    Conservation Rate Credit (CRC), a Conservation Acquisition Agreement
    (CAA), or self (utility) fund to pay for measures installed in their
    service territory.

-   Utilities can use the full rate credit/reimbursement for measures,
    except for CFLs and strip curtains. This is more a refrigeration
    than lighting program.

-   Karen will send USB members a summary of issues to discuss in-depth
    at the next USB face-to-face meeting.

[Commercial New Construction (Tim Scanlon)]{.underline}

-   Seattle City Light will host a focus group meeting at the Seattle
    City Tower, room 3405, 700 5^th^ Avenue, on June 9, from 10 -- 3
    p.m.

-   Mira will send the USB more information and the agenda. Subjects
    that will be discussed include:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   What the NWPCC targets are

-   Overview of existing commercial new construction energy efficiency
    program activity

-   What's most effective

-   What's missing

-   BPA's role

[Compressed Air (Jennifer Eskil)]{.underline}

-   Energy Efficiency is keeping in close contact with the Northwest
    Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA), and is also looking at continuous
    energy management for compressed air.

-   All utilities can take advantage of the information posted on EE's
    compressed air web page
    (<http://www.bpa.gov/Energy/N/projects/industrial/compressed_air/>),
    but only utilities that choose the 12 cent option may use the TSP
    vendor pool.

-   For those utilities that choose the 12 cent option, EE will send out
    a compressed air contractor to do an audit for qualified facilities.

-   The TSP has been in operation for more than a year. EE conducted an
    internal assessment of TSP during that first year. Results include:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   114 requests were submitted

-   60 requests were approved for technical services.

-   Scoping is completed and proposal development underway for 15
    projects.

-   If recommendations are implemented, 50 of the approved projects
    could achieve about 15 aMW.

-   15 utilities chose the 12 cent option; nine chose the 15 cent option
    to date.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Additional budget has been added for TSP; it's only available for
    the 12 cent option.

-   Those utilities that chose to early start the CRC or CAA and that
    have no paid projects can switch payment options (12 cents vs. 15
    cents) before October 1; after that, they can't switch.

-   Karen asked for feedback from utilities on whether they think the
    Compressed Air Toolkit
    (<http://www.bpa.gov/Energy/N/projects/industrial/compressed_air/>)
    would work for other technologies.

[CFL Fixtures (Karen Meadows)]{.underline}

-   NEEA is discussing with BPA and several utilities whether to
    increase its level of effort for transforming the CFL fixture
    market. BPA will only provide credits/reimbursement at the CFL rate
    for fixtures.

[Regional Technical Forum April 18 Meeting Recap (Bruce
Cody)]{.underline}

-   RTF meeting highlights and USB discussion:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Proposed Research and Demonstration Project to Verify Delta Q Duct
    Leakage Testing Protocol - Bob Davis, Ecotope. This discussion was
    carried over from the previous RTF meeting. The RTF is looking at a
    new method of testing for leakage as the present Duct Blaster test
    is not as useful for existing and mobile homes. The test takes 20
    minutes and sometimes generates false positives. The RTF will use
    \$15,000 to test Delta Q on eight homes. Results are expected by
    September 30.

-   Proposed Training and Quality Assurance Process for PTCS Heat Pump
    Installation and Commissioning - Bob Davis, Ecotope. A proposal to
    approve the revised specifications as a working document was
    accepted. Amendments will be refined and sent out for review and
    approval. The group suggested that requirements be rewritten into
    independent specifications for installer requirements and training
    and quality assurance requirements. The intent is to make the
    specifications more user friendly and clear.

-   Proposed Training and Quality Assurance Process for Performance
    Tested Comfort System (PTCS™) Duct Sealing - David Hales and Bruce
    Manclark. The RTF approved the curriculum for proposed training and
    the quality assurance process.

-   Proposed Estimate of Future Carbon Dioxide Emission Offsets from
    Conservation and Renewable Resources - Jeff King.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   The study looks at the impact of energy efficiency on CO~2~
    production.

-   Uses the Aurora model to identify the marginal resource that is
    dropped.

-   Saves about one pound of carbon per kWh saved. The amount of CO~2~
    reduction depends on when the energy is saved. Its highest value is
    when a coal plant is the marginal producer.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Impact on Conservation Measure Total Resource Cost-Effectiveness of
    Carbon Dioxide Emissions Offsets - Charlie Grist and Tom Eckman.
    There's no big change from 1.2 mills per kWh adder for cost
    effectiveness that was used in the Fifth Council Plan.

-   Proposed Modification of the RTF's Residential Weatherization
    Specification for Prime Window Replacements to Accommodate Egress
    Requirements - Tom Eckman. If code requires a bigger window to allow
    egress, it will be an allowed measure.

-   Cost-Effectiveness of Prime Window Replacements in Low Income
    Weatherization Programs - Tom Eckman.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   The methodology for estimating cost effectiveness assumes that
    windows are the last measure installed.

-   Single glazing replacement is okay in all zones.

-   Double glazing with aluminum replacement is okay in zones 2 and 3.

> The RTF recommended sending spreadsheets to BPA for approval.

-   The next RTF meeting has been scheduled tentatively for June 6.

[General Discussion re Windows]{.underline}

The USB discussed their concern that windows meeting the new BPA
specifications of 0.30 are not readily available everywhere and may have
a very high incremental cost.

-   The U-value is a concern. Oregon code requires 0.40. BPA's
    requirement was 0.35 and is now 0.30; 0.31 is the lowest
    manufacturers currently offer in some regions, according to one USB
    member. Manufacturers are starting to grumble -- we may be pushing
    ourselves out of the market.

-   Manufacturers say it will be at least a year before 0.30 windows
    area available everywhere. BPA customers only have a three year
    program.

-   Different window specifications for different areas send a mixed
    message. Make it less than 0.35 across the board.

-   Idaho Falls Power signed up for the Early Start of CRC. The utility
    implemented its own transition to 0.30 windows, but hasn't had any
    come through in the couple of months since the utility transitioned
    to 0.30. The difference in cost is significant.

-   Utilities can run their own window program for 0.35 windows, but
    will forgo the 48 cents per square foot credit/reimbursement BPA
    offers for 0.30 windows. One USB member stated that, "BPA is forcing
    us out of windows; they don't want to do windows."

-   Karen said BPA will re-examine its 0.30 specification based on USB
    input, but is not inclined to add complexity to its programs.

[Heat Pump Q&A]{.underline}

> **Q:** Does CheckMe! qualify? (CheckMe! is described on the Emerald
> PUD web site: <http://www.epud.org/check_me.htm>)
>
> **A:** If CheckMe! meets the new specifications, it's on. If it
> doesn't, it's off. This issue will be discussed at the next RTF
> meeting. (Bruce Cody)
>
> **Q:** Will the utility input data on commissioning into the RTF
> planning, Tracking, and Reporting system, or does Ecos do that?
>
> **A:** BPA is trying to cut down the information required from the
> utility. Information on this issue will be sent to the USB via e-mail.

[USB Member Rotation Schedule (Mira Vowles)]{.underline}

-   The last draft of the rotation schedule is now considered final. The
    rotation will be open to possible changes at the time the rotation
    is scheduled to occur.

[2007 Utility Workshop (Mira Vowles)]{.underline}

-   The next utility workshop is planned for May 17 - 18, 2007. The
    workshop will run from Thursday afternoon through Friday morning. A
    vendor reception will be held in early evening on Thursday.

**Action Items**

+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| BPA  | -   Mira will send USB members a fact sheet and other         |
|      |     materials about the pre-rinse spray washers, including    |
|      |     the requirement for businesses to serve 10 meals per week |
|      |     to qualify. Mira will check to see if the contractor      |
|      |     (Lockheed-Martin) would also work in Washington.          |
|      |                                                               |
|      | -   Jean will add a notice in the July Energy Efficiency (EE) |
|      |     customer newsletter that the Jump Starting Conservation   |
|      |     2007 -- 2009 notebook contents are available online and   |
|      |     on CD.                                                    |
|      |                                                               |
|      | -   Karen will e-mail a draft contract and structure for      |
|      |     non-utility (third party) Grocery Store Initiative        |
|      |     activities. Karen also will send USB members a summary of |
|      |     issues related to this initiative to discuss in-depth at  |
|      |     the next USB face-to-face meeting.                        |
|      |                                                               |
|      | -   Mira will send the USB more information and the agenda    |
|      |     for the focus group meeting Seattle City Light will host  |
|      |     on June 9.                                                |
|      |                                                               |
|      | -   Karen: BPA will take a second look at U-values for        |
|      |     windows.                                                  |
|      |                                                               |
|      | -   BPA is trying to cut down the information required from   |
|      |     the utility for data input requirements for               |
|      |     commissioning. Information on this issue will be sent to  |
|      |     the USB via e-mail                                        |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| USB  | -   Comments are due by the end of May on the draft USB       |
|      |     column article that will run in the July EE newsletter    |
|      |                                                               |
|      | -   Provide feedback to Karen as to whether or not you think  |
|      |     the Compressed Air Toolkit would work for other           |
|      |     technologies.                                             |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+

Next Meetings

+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| -   June 14,     | Face-to-face meeting, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.      |
|     2006:        |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| -   July 12,     | Conference call, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.          |
|     2006:        |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+

**Potential Agenda Items for Next Meeting:**

-   Pre-rinse spray washers

-   Draft Grocery Store Initiative contract.

-   U-values

-   Using the Compressed Air Toolkit for other technologies.