Colorado DSM Market Potential 

Assessment 

Final Report 

Prepared for 

Xcel Energy 

Denver, Colorado 

Prepared by 

KEMA, Inc. 

Oakland, California 

March 12, 2010 
 Experience you can trust. 

Copyright © 2010, KEMA, Inc. 

The information contained in this document is the exclusive, confidential and proprietary property of KEMA, 

Inc. and is protected under the trade secret and copyright laws of the U.S. and other international laws, treaties 

and conventions. No part of this work may be disclosed to any third party or used, reproduced or transmitted in 

any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any 

information storage or retrieval system, without first receiving the express written permission of KEMA, Inc. 

Except as otherwise noted, all trademarks appearing herein are proprietary to KEMA, Inc. 
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1. Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................... 1–1 

1.1 Scope and Approach............................................................................................................... 1–1 

1.2 Results .................................................................................................................................... 1–2 

1.2.1 Aggregate Base Energy-Efficiency Results............................................................... 1–4 

1.2.2 Base Energy-Efficiency Results by Sector ................................................................ 1–9 

1.2.3 Demand Response Results....................................................................................... 1–12 

1.2.4 Behavioral-conservation Results ............................................................................. 1–13 

1.2.5 Emerging Technology Results................................................................................. 1–15 

1.2.6 Sensitivity to Higher Avoided-Cost Forecasts......................................................... 1–16 

1.2.7 Comparison to Other Analyses................................................................................ 1–19 

1.2.8 Uncertainty of Results ............................................................................................. 1–20 

1.3 Conclusions .......................................................................................................................... 1–20 

2. Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 2–1 

2.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................ 2–1 

2.2 Study Approach ...................................................................................................................... 2–2 

2.3 Layout of the Report............................................................................................................... 2–2 

3. Methods and Scenarios ..................................................................................................................... 3–1 

3.1 Characterizing the Energy-Efficiency Resource..................................................................... 3–1 

3.1.1 Defining Energy-Efficiency Potential ....................................................................... 3–1 

3.2 Summary of Analytical Steps Used in this Study................................................................... 3–3 

3.3 Scenario Analysis ................................................................................................................... 3–5 

3.3.1 Fifty-percent Incentive Scenario................................................................................ 3–7 

3.3.2 Seventy-five-percent Incentive Scenario................................................................... 3–7 

3.3.3 One-hundred-percent Incentive Scenario .................................................................. 3–7 

3.3.4 Summary of Scenarios............................................................................................... 3–7 

3.3.5 Avoided-Cost Scenarios ............................................................................................ 3–9 

4. Baseline Results ................................................................................................................................ 4–1 

4.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................ 4–1 

4.2 Electricity................................................................................................................................ 4–3 

4.2.1 Residential ................................................................................................................. 4–3 

4.2.2 Commercial ............................................................................................................... 4–9 

4.2.3 Industrial.................................................................................................................. 4–13 

4.3 Natural Gas ........................................................................................................................... 4–14 

4.3.1 Residential ............................................................................................................... 4–14 

4.3.2 Commercial ............................................................................................................. 4–19 

4.3.3 Industrial...................................................................................................................4-22 
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5. Electric Energy-Efficiency Potential Results.....................................................................................5-1 

5.1 Technical and Economic Potential ..........................................................................................5-1 

5.1.1 Overall Technical and Economic Potential ................................................................5-1 

5.1.2 Technical and Economic Potential Detail...................................................................5-2 

5.1.3 Energy-Efficiency Supply Curves ..............................................................................5-9 

5.2 Achievable (Program) Potential ............................................................................................5-10 

5.2.1 CFL Potentials and Federal Lighting Standards.......................................................5-14 

5.2.2 Breakdown of Achievable Potential .........................................................................5-15 

5.3 Behavioral Conservation and Emerging Technologies .........................................................5-30 

5.3.1 Behavioral Conservation ..........................................................................................5-30 

5.3.2 Emerging Technologies............................................................................................5-32 

5.4 Alternate High Avoided-Cost Scenario .................................................................................5-38 

5.4.1 Economic Potentials .................................................................................................5-38 

5.4.2 Achievable Potentials ...............................................................................................5-41 

6. Natural-Gas Energy-Efficiency Potential Results..............................................................................6-1 

6.1 Technical and Economic Potential ..........................................................................................6-1 

6.1.1 Overall Technical and Economic Potential ................................................................6-1 

6.1.2 Technical and Economic Potential Detail...................................................................6-2 

6.1.3 Energy-Efficiency Supply Curves ..............................................................................6-7 

6.2 Achievable (Program) Potential ..............................................................................................6-8 

6.2.1 Breakdown of Achievable Potential .........................................................................6-11 

6.3 Behavioral Conservation .......................................................................................................6-20 

6.4 Alternate High Avoided Cost Scenario .................................................................................6-23 

6.4.1 Economic Potentials .................................................................................................6-23 

6.4.2 Achievable Potentials ...............................................................................................6-27 

7. Demand Response Potential Results..................................................................................................7-1 
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List of Figures:

Figure 1-1 Estimated Electric Energy-Efficiency Savings Potential, 2010-2020.....................................1–5 

Figure 1-2 Estimated Peak-Demand Savings Potential, 2010-2020 .........................................................1–5 

Figure 1-3 Estimated Natural Gas Savings Potential, 2010-2020.............................................................1–6 

Figure 1-4 Benefits and Costs of Electric Efficiency Savings—2010-2020*...........................................1–7 

Figure 1-5 Benefits and Costs of Natural-Gas Efficiency Savings—2010-2020*....................................1–8 

Figure 1-6 Net Achievable Energy Savings (2020) by Sector..................................................................1–9 

Figure 1-7 Residential Net Energy Savings Potential by End Use (2020)..............................................1–10 

Figure 1-8 Commercial Savings Potential by End Use (2020)...............................................................1–11 

Figure 1-9 Industrial Savings Potential by End Use (2020) ...................................................................1–12 

Figure 1-10 Electric Energy Economic Potentials with Emerging Technologies (11 Years).................1–16 

Figure 1-11 Peak-Demand Economic Potentials with Emerging Technologies (11 Years) ...................1–16 

Figure 1-12 Economic Electric Potentials by Avoided-Cost Scenario (2020)........................................1–17 

Figure 1-13 Economic Gas Potentials by Avoided-Cost Scenario (2020)..............................................1–18 

Figure 1-14 Comparison of Current DSM Potential Study to the 2006 DSM Potential Study Average 

Annual Savings and Program Costs................................................................................................1–19 

Figure 3-1 Conceptual Framework for Estimates of Fossil Fuel Resources.............................................3–2 

Figure 3-2 Conceptual Relationship among Energy-Efficiency Potential Definitions .............................3–3 

Figure 3-3 Conceptual Overview of Study Process ..................................................................................3–4 

Figure 3-4 Electric Avoided-Cost Forecast - Base .................................................................................3–11 

Figure 3-5 Electric Avoided-Cost Forecast – High Cost ........................................................................3–11 

Figure 3-6 Electric Avoided-Cost Forecast – Base-High Comparison...................................................3–12 

Figure 3-7 Natural Gas Avoided-Cost Forecast – Base-High Comparison ............................................3–12 

Figure 4-1 Electricity Usage Breakdown – Xcel Energy Colorado Service Territory..............................4–2 

Figure 4-2 Natural Gas Usage Breakdown—Xcel Energy Colorado Service Territory ...........................4–3 

Figure 4-3 Residential Electricity Shares by Segment, 2010....................................................................4–7 

Figure 4-4 Residential Electricity Shares by End Use, 2010....................................................................4–7 

Figure 4-5 Residential Electricity Usage by Customer Segment..............................................................4–8 

Figure 4-6 Residential Electricity Usage by End Use...............................................................................4–8 

Figure 4-7 Commercial Electricity Usage by Building Type .................................................................4–12 

Figure 4-8 Commercial Electricity Usage by End Use...........................................................................4–12 

Figure 4-9 Industrial Electricity Usage by Industry Type ......................................................................4–13 

Figure 4-10 Industrial Electricity Usage by End Use .............................................................................4–14 

Figure 4-11 Residential Natural-Gas Shares by Segment, 2010.............................................................4–17 

Figure 4-12 Residential Natural-Gas Shares by End Use, 2010 .............................................................4–17 
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Figure 4-13 Residential Natural-Gas Usage by Customer Segment.......................................................4–18 

Figure 4-14 Residential Natural-Gas Use by End Use............................................................................4–18 

Figure 4-15 Commercial Natural-Gas Usage by Building Type .............................................................4-21 

Figure 4-16 Commercial Natural-Gas Usage by End Use.......................................................................4-21 

Figure 4-17 Industrial Natural-Gas Usage by Industry Type...................................................................4-22 

Figure 4-18 Industrial Natural Gas Usage by End Use............................................................................4-23 

Figure 5-1 Estimated Electric Technical and Economic Potential, 2020 Xcel Energy Colorado 

Service Territory ................................................................................................................................5-2 

Figure 5-2 Technical and Economic Potential (2020) Energy Savings by Sector—GWh per Year..........5-3 

Figure 5-3 Technical and Economic Potential (2020) Demand Savings by Sector—MW........................5-3 

Figure 5-4 Technical and Economic Potential (2020) Percentage of Base Energy Use ............................5-4 

Figure 5-5 Technical and Economic Potential (2020) Percentage of Base Peak Demand.........................5-4 

Figure 5-6 Residential Energy-Savings Potential by Building Type (2020) .............................................5-4 

Figure 5-7 Residential Demand-Savings Potential by Building Type (2020) ...........................................5-4 

Figure 5-8 Commercial Economic Energy-Savings Potential by Building Type (2014) ..........................5-5 

Figure 5-9 Commercial Economic Demand-Savings Potential by Building Type (2014).........................5-5 

Figure 5-10 Industrial Economic Energy-Savings Potential by Business Type (2020).............................5-6 

Figure 5-11 Industrial Economic Demand-Savings Potential by Business Type (2020)...........................5-6 

Figure 5-12 Residential Economic Energy-Savings Potential by End Use (2020)....................................5-7 

Figure 5-13 Residential Economic Demand-Savings Potential by End Use (2020)..................................5-7 

Figure 5-14 Commercial Economic Energy Savings Potential by End Use (2014) ..................................5-8 

Figure 5-15 Commercial Economic Demand Savings Potential by End Use (2014) ................................5-8 

Figure 5-16 Industrial Economic Energy-Savings Potential by End Use (2020) ......................................5-8 

Figure 5-17 Industrial Economic Demand-Savings Potential by End Use (2020) ....................................5-8 

Figure 5-18 Electric Energy Supply Curve*..............................................................................................5-9 

Figure 5-19 Peak-Demand Supply Curve* ..............................................................................................5-10 

Figure 5-20 Achievable Electric Energy-Savings: All Sectors................................................................5-11

Figure 5-21 Achievable Peak-Demand Savings: All Sectors ..................................................................5-12 

Figure 5-22 Benefits and Costs of Energy-Efficiency Savings—2010-2020* ........................................5-13 

Figure 5-23 Incremental Impacts of Program CFLs versus Other Measures – 75% Incentive Case.......5-15 

Figure 5-24 Net Achievable Energy Savings (2020) by Sector—GWh per Year ...................................5-16 

Figure 5-25 Net Achievable Peak-Demand Savings (2020) by Sector—MW.........................................5-16 

Figure 5-26 Achievable Energy Savings: Residential Sector ..................................................................5-17

Figure 5-27 Achievable Peak-Demand Savings: Residential Sector .......................................................5-17 

Figure 5-28 Residential Net Energy-Savings Potential by End Use (2020) ............................................5-18 

Figure 5-29 Residential Net Peak-Savings Potential by End Use (2020)................................................5-18 
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Figure 5-30 Achievable Energy Savings: Commercial Sector ................................................................5-21 

Figure 5-31 Achievable Peak-Demand Savings: Commercial Sector .....................................................5-22 

Figure 5-32 Commercial Net Energy-Savings Potential by End Use (2020) ..........................................5-23 

Figure 5-33 Commercial Net Peak-Savings Potential by End-Use (2020)..............................................5-23 

Figure 5-34 Achievable Energy Savings: Industrial Sector.....................................................................5-26 

Figure 5-35 Achievable Peak-Demand Savings: Industrial Sector..........................................................5-26 

Figure 5-36 Industrial Net Energy-Savings Potential by End-Use (2020)...............................................5-27 

Figure 5-37 Industrial Net Peak-Savings Potential by End-Use (2020) ..................................................5-27 

Figure 5-38 Electric Technical and Economic Potentials with Behavioral-Conservation Activities ......5-31 

Figure 5-39 Electric Energy Economic Potentials with Emerging Technologies (11 Years)..................5-33 

Figure 5-40 Peak-Demand Economic Potentials with Emerging Technologies (11 Years) ....................5-34 

Figure 5-41 Residential Electric Economic Potentials with Emerging Technologies (11 Years) ...........5-35 

Figure 5-42 Residential Peak-Demand Economic Potentials with Emerging 

Technologies (11 Years) ..................................................................................................................5-35 

Figure 5-43 Commercial Electric Economic Potentials with Emerging Technologies (11 Years)..........5-36 

Figure 5-44 Commercial Peak-Demand Economic Potentials with Emerging 

Technologies (11 Years) ..................................................................................................................5-36 

Figure 5-45 Achievable Potentials for Residential Emerging Technologies ...........................................5-37 

Figure 5-46 Achievable Potentials for Commercial Emerging Technologies .........................................5-37 

Figure 5-47 Economic Electric Potentials by Avoided-Cost Scenario (2020).........................................5-38 

Figure 5-48 Economic Potential Comparison (2020) Energy Savings by Sector—GWh per Year.........5-39 

Figure 5-49 Economic Potential Comparison (2020) Demand Savings by Sector—MW.......................5-39 

Figure 5-50 Residential Economic Potential (2020) Energy Savings by End Use—GWh per Year.......5-40 

Figure 5-51 Residential Economic Potential (2020) Demand Savings by End Use—MW.....................5-40 

Figure 5-52 Commercial Economic Potential (2020) Energy Savings by End Use—GWh per Year.....5-41 

Figure 5-53 Commercial Economic Potential (2020) Demand Savings by End Use—MW ...................5-41 

Figure 6-1 Estimated Natural-Gas Technical and Economic Potential, 2020 Xcel Energy Colorado 

Service Territory ................................................................................................................................6-2 

Figure 6-2 Technical and Economic Potential (2020) Energy Savings by Sector Millions of 

Dth per Year.......................................................................................................................................6-3 

Figure 6-3 Technical and Economic Potential (2020) Percentage of Base Energy Use ............................6-3 

Figure 6-4 Residential Energy-Savings Potential by Building Type (2020) .............................................6-4 

Figure 6-5 Commercial Energy-Savings Potential by Building Type (2020)............................................6-4 

Figure 6-6 Industrial Energy-Savings Potential by Business Type (2020)................................................6-5 

Figure 6-7 Residential Economic Energy-Savings Potential by End Use (2020)......................................6-6 

Figure 6-8 Commercial Economic Energy-Savings Potential by End Use (2020) ....................................6-6 
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Figure 6-9 Industrial Economic Energy-Savings Potential by End Use (2020) ........................................6-7 

Figure 6-10 Natural-Gas Supply Curve* ...................................................................................................6-8 

Figure 6-11 Achievable Energy Savings: All Sectors................................................................................6-9 

Figure 6-12 Benefits and Costs of Energy-Efficiency Savings—2010-2020* ........................................6-10 

Figure 6-13 Net Achievable Energy Savings (2020) by Sector—Million Dth per Year .........................6-12 

Figure 6-14 Achievable Energy Savings: Residential Sector ..................................................................6-13

Figure 6-15 Residential Net Energy-Savings Potential by End Use (2020) ............................................6-13 

Figure 6-16 Achievable Energy Savings: Commercial Sector ................................................................6-16 

Figure 6-17 Commercial Net Energy-Savings Potential by End Use (2020) ..........................................6-17 

Figure 6-18 Achievable Energy Savings: Industrial Sector.....................................................................6-19 

Figure 6-19 Industrial Net Energy-Savings Potential by End-Use (2020)...............................................6-19 

Figure 6-20 Natural-Gas Technical and Economic Potentials with Behavioral-Conservation Activities6-22 

Figure 6-21 Economic Gas Potentials by Avoided-Cost Scenario (2020)...............................................6-24 

Figure 6-22 Economic Potential Comparison (2020) Energy Savings by Sector—Million 

Dth per Year.....................................................................................................................................6-25 

Figure 6-23 Residential Economic Potential (2020) Energy Savings by End Use—Millions 

of Dth per Year ................................................................................................................................6-26 

Figure 6-24 Commercial Economic Potential (2020) Energy Savings by End Use—Millions 

of Dth per Year ................................................................................................................................6-26 
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List of Tables:

Table 1-1 Summary of Cumulative DSM Potentials from All Sources—2010-2020...............................1–3

Table 1-2 Average Annual Achievable Potentials and Program Costs from All Sources—2010-2020...1–4

Table 1-3 Summary of Achievable Electric Potential Results—2010-2020.............................................1–8

Table 1-4 Summary of Achievable Natural Gas Potential Results—2010-2020......................................1–9

Table 1-5 Summary of Demand Response Potentials for (2010-2020) ..................................................1–13

Table 1-6 Achievable Potentials for Electric Behavioral Conservation (2010-2020).............................1–14

Table 1-7 Achievable Potentials for Natural-Gas Behavioral Conservation (2010-2020) .....................1–14

Table 1-8 Comparison of Achievable Energy Potentials for Base and High Avoided Cost Scenarios 

Cumulative to 2020.........................................................................................................................1–18

Table 1-9 Comparison of Current DSM Potential Study to the Current Xcel Energy DSM Plan 

Average Annual Savings and Program Costs .................................................................................1–20

Table 3-1 Scenario Average Spending during 2010-2020 Forecast Period ($1000s) 

Electric Programs..............................................................................................................................3–8

Table 3-2 Scenario Average Spending during 2010-2020 Forecast Period ($1000s) 

Natural-Gas Programs.......................................................................................................................3–9

Table 3-3 Electric Time-of-Use Period Definitions................................................................................3–10

Table 4-1 Residential Baseline Consumption Summary, Electricity – kWh, 2010 ..................................4–5

Table 4-2 Residential Baseline Peak Demand Summary, Electricity – kW, 2010 ...................................4–6

Table 4-3 Commercial Baseline Electricity Consumption Factors.........................................................4–10

Table 4-4 Commercial Baseline Electricity Consumption Summary – MWh and MW.........................4–11

Table 4-5 Residential Baseline Consumption Summary – Natural Gas - Therms..................................4–16

Table 4-6 Commercial Baseline Natural-Gas Consumption Summary ..................................................4–20

Table 5-1 Summary of Achievable Potential Results—2010-2020.........................................................5-14

Table 5-2 Low-Income Potentials Compared to Total Residential Potentials (2020) .............................5-19

Table 5-3 Measure-Specific Residential Results (Cumulative to 2020) – GWh .....................................5-20

Table 5-4 Measure-Specific Commercial Results (Cumulative to 2020) – GWh....................................5-24

Table 5-5 Measure-Specific Industrial Results (Cumulative to 2020) – GWh........................................5-28

Table 5-6 Achievable Potentials for Electric Behavioral Conservation ..................................................5-32

Table 5-7 Comparison of Achievable Energy Potentials for Base and High Avoided Cost Scenarios 

Cumulative to 2020 - GWh..............................................................................................................5-42

Table 5-8 Comparison of Achievable Energy Potentials for Base and High Avoided Cost Scenarios 

Cumulative to 2020 - MW ...............................................................................................................5-43

Table 6-1 Summary of Achievable Potential Results—2010-2020.........................................................6-11

Table 6-2 Low-Income Potentials Compared to Total Residential Potentials (2020) .............................6-14
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Table 6-3 Measure-Specific Residential Results (Cumulative to 2020) – Dth........................................6-15

Table 6-4 Measure-Specific Commercial Results (Cumulative to 2020) – Dth Existing Construction ..6-17

Table 6-5 Measure-Specific Commercial Results (Cumulative to 2020) – Dth New Construction ........6-18

Table 6-6 Measure-Specific Industrial Results (Cumulative to 2020) – Dth...........................................6-20

Table 6-7 Achievable Potentials for Natural-Gas Behavioral Conservation ...........................................6-23

Table 6-8 Comparison of Achievable Energy Potentials for Base and High Avoided Cost Scenarios 

Cumulative to 2020 – Millions of Dth.............................................................................................6-27

Table 7-1 Comparison of National Assessment of Demand Response Potentials for Colorado with 

Estimates for Xcel Energy (Cumulative to 2020)..............................................................................7-3

Table 7-2 Summary of Demand Response Potentials for (2010-2020) .....................................................7-4
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DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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1. Executive Summary 

This study assessed the electric and natural gas DSM (demand side management) potential for the 

residential, commercial, and industrial sectors in the Xcel Energy Colorado service territory. The study 

was commissioned by Xcel Energy and was proposed in Xcel Energy’s most recent Biennial Plan as an 

effort that would help inform the next Biennial Plan, to be filed in 2010. The goal of this study was to 

determine the levels of DSM savings available in the Xcel Energy Colorado service territory, the costs 

associated with procuring these savings, and whether the measures delivering the savings are cost 

effective in Colorado. This study provides energy-efficiency and demand-response potential estimates for 

an 11-year period, from 2010-2020. 

1.1 Scope and Approach 

In this study, three types of energy-efficiency potential were estimated: 

• Technical potential, defined as the complete penetration of all measures analyzed in applications 

where they were deemed technically feasible from an engineering perspective 

• Economic potential, defined as the technical potential of those energy-efficiency measures that 

are cost-effective when compared to supply-side alternatives 

• Achievable program potential, the amount of savings that would occur in response to specific 

program funding and measure incentive levels. 

In addition, naturally occurring energy-efficiency impacts were estimated. These are savings that result 

from normal market forces. Achievable program potential reflects savings that are projected beyond 

those that would occur naturally in the absence of any market intervention. 

The method used for estimating potential is a “bottom-up” approach in which energy-efficiency costs and 

savings are assessed at the customer-segment and energy-efficiency measure level. For cost-effective 

measures (based on the total resource cost, or TRC, test), program savings potential was estimated as a 

function of measure economics, rebate levels, and program marketing and education efforts. The 

modeling approach was implemented using KEMA’s DSM ASSYSTTM model. This model allows for 

efficient integration of large quantities of measure, building, and economic data to determine energyefficiency potential. 

For this study, three different program funding scenarios were constructed. The first scenario assumed 50 

percent of incremental measure costs are paid out in customer incentives. The second scenario allowed 

for incentives covering 75 percent of incremental measure costs. The final scenario allowed for 

incentives covering 100 percent of incremental measure costs. Program energy and peak-demand 

savings, as well as program cost effectiveness, were assessed under these three funding scenarios. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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The base assessment addressed measures and processes that are commercially available with proven 

savings and customer acceptance. In addition, we examined some emerging technologies and behavioralconservation approaches. These additional components show promise for future DSM program impacts, 

but projections of their savings potentials have much more uncertainty than those of more standard 

measures. Hence, the emerging technologies (primarily LED lighting and indirect evaporative cooling) 

and behavioral-conservation approaches were addressed separately, so that results would be isolated from 

the other parts of the analysis. The study did not address incremental improvements in energy efficiency 

due to the ongoing evolution and improvement of technologies. These improvements will lead to 

increased energy-efficiency potential, over time. Also, the study did not address the ongoing tightening 

of equipment and building standards, which will in turn lead to a decrease in energy-efficiency potential, 

over time. 

To estimate demand response (DR) impacts, we reviewed impacts from the Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission’s 2009 National Assessment of Demand Response Potential1

 for the State of Colorado and 

customized the results to the Xcel Energy Colorado service territory, utilizing information on Xcel 

Energy’s peak demand, relative to Colorado peak demand, and information on current programs being run 

by Xcel Energy. 

1.2 Results 

In Table 1-1, we report overall results of the DSM potential study, showing potentials for base energyefficiency programs, demand-response programs, behavioral-conservation efforts, and emerging 

technologies. Cumulative results from 2010 to 2020 are shown. Emerging technologies are shown at the 

bottom of the table because the results of the emerging technology analysis cover an 11-year period that 

does not necessarily line up with the 2010-2020 period because we are not sure when these technologies 

will be sufficiently developed for inclusion in full-scale energy efficiency programs. 

Base energy-efficiency and demand-response measures account for the majority of the net economic2

 and 

achievable potentials. These are measures where we have the most confidence in the savings estimates. 

Residential behavioral-conservation activities, if current assumptions hold, could increase achievable 

electric potentials by 2 percent to 4 percent and could increase natural gas potentials by 8 percent to 14 

percent, depending on the scenario. (Residential behavioral conservation has a bigger proportionate affect 

for gas because the residential share of energy usage is much higher for gas). Emerging technologies 

1 A National Assessment of Demand Response Potential, Staff Report, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 

prepared by The Brattle Group, Freeman, Sullivan & Co., and Global Energy Partners, LLC, June 2009. 

2

 Net economic potential is defined as economic potential minus naturally occurring savings. 
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DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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could increase achievable electric DSM savings by 7 percent to 20 percent, depending on the scenario, if 

the emerging measures prove to be commercially successful, although, substantive impacts from 

emerging technologies might not materialize for several more years. 

Table 1-1 

Summary of Cumulative DSM Potentials from All Sources—2010-2020 

 Scenario 

Fuel Source of Potential Technical Economic 

Net 

Economic 

100% 

Incentives 

75% 

Incentives 

50% 

Incentives 

Electricity Base Energy Efficiency 8,938 7,563 6,420 4,892 2,806 1,802 

GWh Conservation 218 216 216 176 107 44 

 Total 9,112 7,779 6,636 5,068 2,913 1,846 

Electricity Base Energy Efficiency 2,161 1,730 1,572 1,198 538 328 

MW Base Demand Response 689 689 689 478 478 300 

 Conservation 46 44 42 43 26 11 

 Total 2,892 2,463 2,303 1,720 1,043 639 

Natural Base Energy Efficiency 55.4 39.1 37.5 24.4 9.0 4.5 

Gas Conservation 2.2 2.1 2.1 1.9 1.3 0.5 

Million Dth Total 57.6 41.2 39.6 26.3 10.3 4.9 

Emerging GWh 2,207 1,800 1,781 991 335 119 

Technologies MW 635 628 627 262 95 48 

Notes: Net economic potential is defined as economic potential minus naturally occurring savings. Behavioral-conservation 

measures were modeled under high, medium, and low program-effort scenarios that correspond to the 100%, 75%, and 

50% incentives scenarios. Demand response utilizes two scenarios: business–as-usual (BAU) and expanded; the BAU lines 

up with the 50% incentives scenario and the expanded lines up with the 100% and 75% incentives scenarios. Emerging 

technologies are analyzed over an 11-year period that doesn’t necessarily line up with the 2010-2020 period, and therefore 

their results are reported separately from other electric results. Substantive impacts from emerging technologies might not 

materialize for another five years or more. 

Table 1-2 shows average annual savings accomplishment required to reach the achievable potentials 

presented in Table 1-1 along with average annual program costs. As shown in Table 1-2, expected 

average annual program costs for basic electric and gas energy efficiency programs range from $361 

million for the 100-percent incentives scenario to $119 million for the 75-percent incentives scenario to 

$57 million for the 50-percent incentive scenario. Demand response program costs range from $49 

million per year for the expanded scenario down to $31 million per year for the business-as-usual 

scenario. Annual behavioral conservation program costs for electricity and natural gas are $11 million, $6 

million, and $1 million for the high, medium, and low program scenarios. Emerging technology costs 

could range from $69 million per year for the 100-percent incentives scenario down to $5 million per year 

for the 50-percent incentives scenario. Overall, if emerging technologies are taken into account, potential 

electric savings range between 551 GWh per year (100-percent incentives) to 179 GWh per year (50-

percent incentives) and between 180 MW per year (100-percent incentives) to 62 MW per year (50-

percent incentives). Potential gas savings range between 2.4 million Dth per year (100-percent 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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incentives) to 0.4 million Dth per year (50-percent incentives). Overall program costs (including costs for 

emerging technologies) range from $489 million per year (100-percent incentives) down to $94 million 

per year (50-percent incentives). 

Table 1-2 

Average Annual Achievable Potentials and Program Costs from All Sources—2010-2020 

 Savings by Scenario Costs ($ Millions) by Scenario 

Fuel Source of Potential 

100% 

Incentives 

75% 

Incentives 

50% 

Incentives 

100% 

Incentives 

75% 

Incentives 

50% 

Incentives 

Electricity Base Energy Efficiency 444.8 255.1 163.8 $247.7 $87.0 $43.1 

GWh Conservation 16.0 9.8 4.0 $6.2 $3.0 $0.8 

 Total 460.8 264.8 167.8 $253.9 $90.0 $43.9 

Electricity Base Energy Efficiency 109.0 49.0 29.8 Shown above under GWh 

MW Demand Response 43.5 43.5 27.3 $48.6 $48.6 $31.2 

 Conservation 3.9 2.4 1.0 Shown above under GWh 

 Total 156.3 94.8 58.1 Equals GWh total plus DR costs 

Natural Base Energy Efficiency 2.2 0.8 0.4 $113.3 $32.4 $13.5 

Gas Conservation 0.2 0.1 0.0 $4.6 $2.6 $0.7 

Million Dth Total 2.4 0.9 0.4 $118.0 $35.0 $14.2 

Emerging GWh 90.1 30.5 10.8 $68.6 $14.1 $4.6 

Technologies MW 23.8 8.6 4.3 Shown above under GWh 

Also, see notes for Table 1-1. 

We discuss the various aspects of DSM potentials next, with a focus on the base energy-efficiency 

potentials because they provide the largest, most reliable source of future savings. 

1.2.1 Aggregate Base Energy-Efficiency Results 

Estimates of electric energy-savings potential are presented in Figure 1-1. Technical potential is 

estimated at 8,938 GWh per year; much of this potential is estimated to be economically viable. 

Economic potential is estimated at 7,563 GWh. Net3

 achievable program potentials range from 4,892 

GWh per year in the 100-percent incentive scenario to 2,806 GWh per year for the 75-percent incentive 

scenario to 1,802 GWh per year for the 50-percent incentive scenario. Economic potential is estimated to 

be 23 percent of base 2020 energy use; achievable potentials range from 76 percent of net economic 

potential (after factoring out naturally occurring savings) in the 100-percent incentive case to 44 percent 

 

3 Net refers to savings beyond those estimated to be naturally occurring; that is, from customer adoptions that would 

occur in the absence of any programs or standards. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

of net economic potential in the 75-percent incentive case to 28 percent of net economic potential in the 

50-percent incentive case. 

Peak-demand savings potential estimates are provided in Figure 1-2. Technical potential is estimated at 

2,161 MW, and economic potential is estimated at 1,730 MW. Net achievable program potential ranges 

from a high of 1,198 MW in the 100-percent incentive case down to 328 MW in the 50-percent incentive 

case. 

Figure 1-1 

Estimated Electric Energy-Efficiency Savings Potential, 2010-2020 

32,808

8,938 7,563 6,420 4,892

2,806 1,802

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

Base Use Technical Economic Econ minus

Nat Occ

100%

Incentives

75%

Incentives

50%

Incentives

Cumulative Annual GWh

Figure 1-2 

Estimated Peak-Demand Savings Potential, 2010-2020 

6,639

2,161

1,730 1,572 1,198

538 328

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

Base Use Technical Economic Econ minus

Nat Occ

100%

Incentives

75%

Incentives

50%

Incentives

Cumulative Peak MW

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

1–5 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Natural gas savings potential estimates are provided in Figure 1-3. Technical potential is estimated at 55 

million Dth, and economic potential is estimated at 39 million Dth. Net achievable program potential 

ranges from a high of 24 million Dth in the 100-percent incentive case to 9 million Dth in the 75-percent 

incentive case down to 4 million Dth in the 50-percent incentive case. Economic potential is estimated to 

be 28 percent of base 2020 gas use; achievable potentials range from 67 percent of net economic potential 

in the 100-percent incentive case to 23 percent of net economic potential in the 75-percent incentive case 

to 11 percent of net economic potential in the 50-percent incentive case. Much of the natural gas savings 

is tied to long-lived equipment that will not be replaced during the 2010-2020 period, so achievable gas 

potentials (as a percent of net economic potential) are somewhat lower than electric potentials. 

Figure 1-3 

Estimated Natural Gas Savings Potential, 2010-2020 

137.4

55.4

39.1 37.5

24.4

9.0 4.5

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Base Use Technical Economic Econ minus

Nat Occ

100%

Incentives

75%

Incentives

50%

Incentives

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

Figure 1-4 depicts costs and benefits under each program funding scenario from 2010 to 2020 for electric 

energy efficiency. The present value of program costs (including administration, marketing, and 

incentives) is $354 million under the 50-percent incentive scenario, $719 million under the 75-percent 

incentive scenario, and $2,130 million under the 100-percent incentive scenario. The present value of 

total avoided-cost benefits is $2,095 million under 50-percent incentives, $3,337 million under 75-percent 

incentives, and $6,496 million under 100-percent incentives. The present value of net avoided-cost 

benefits, i.e., the difference between total avoided-cost benefits and total costs (which include participant 

costs in addition to program costs), is $1,575 million under 50-percent incentives, $2,448 million under 

75-percent incentives, and $4,166 million under 100-percent incentives. 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

1–6 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 1-4 

Benefits and Costs of Electric Efficiency Savings—2010-2020* 

$573 $184 $278

$1,557

$441 $170

$201

$169 $166

$6,496

$3,337

$2,095

$0

$1,000

$2,000

$3,000

$4,000

$5,000

$6,000

$7,000

Present Value in $ Millions

Total Avoided Cost Benefits

Participant Costs

Program Incentives

Program Admin and Marketing

50% Incentive 100% Incentive

Net Benefits:

$1,575 Million

Net Benefits:

$4,166 Million

75% Incentive

Net Benefits:

$2,448 Million

* Present value of benefits and costs over normalized 20-year measure lives; nominal discount rate is 7.9 percent, 

inflation rate is 1.5 percent. 

Figure 1-5 shows the same sets of results for natural gas. The present value of program costs (including 

administration, marketing, and incentives) is $111 million under the 50-percent incentive scenario, $268 

million under the 75-percent incentive scenario, and $956 million under the 100-percent incentive 

scenario. The present value of total avoided-cost benefits is $339 million under 50-percent incentives, 

$689 million under 75-percent incentives, and $1,902 million under 100-percent incentives. The present 

value of net avoided-cost benefits, i.e., the difference between total avoided-cost benefits and total costs 

(which include participant costs in addition to program costs), is $180 million under 50-percent 

incentives, $367 million under 75-percent incentives, and $888 million under 100-percent incentives. 

For both electricity and natural gas, all three of the program funding scenarios are cost-effective based on 

the TRC (total resource cost) test, which was the test used in this study to determine program costeffectiveness. The electric TRC benefit-cost ratios are 4.0 for the 50-percent incentive scenario, 3.8 for 

the 75-percent incentive scenario, and 2.8 for the 100-percent incentive scenario. The natural gas TRC 

ratios are 2.1 for the 50-percent incentive scenario and the 75-percent incentive scenario, and 1.9 for the 

100-percent incentive scenario. Key results of our efficiency scenario forecasts from 2010 to 2020 are 

summarized in Table 1-3 (electricity) and Table 1-4 (natural gas). 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

1–7 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 1-5 

Benefits and Costs of Natural-Gas Efficiency Savings—2010-2020* 

$149 $64 $35

$807

$204

$76

$57

$54

$48

$1,902

$689

$339

$0

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

Present Value in $ Millions 

Total Avoided Cost Benefits

Participant Costs

Program Incentives

Program Admin and Marketing

50% Incentive 100% Incentive

Net Benefits:

$180 Million

Net Benefits:

$888 Million

75% Incentive

Net Benefits:

$367 Million

* Present value of benefits and costs over normalized 20-year measure lives; nominal discount rate is 7.7 percent, 

inflation rate is 1.5 percent. 

Table 1-3 

Summary of Achievable Electric Potential Results—2010-2020 

 Program Scenario 

Result 

50% 

Incentive 

75% 

Incentive 

100% 

Incentive 

Gross Energy Savings - GWh 2,946 3,949 6,036 

Gross Peak Demand Savings - MW 486 696 1,356 

Net Energy Savings - GWh 1,802 2,806 4,892 

Net Peak Demand Savings - MW 328 538 1,198 

Program Costs - Real, $ Million 

Administration $179 $303 $682 

Marketing $69 $70 $77 

Incentives $227 $584 $1,966 

Total $474 $957 $2,725 

PV Avoided Costs Benefits $2,095 $3,337 $6,496 

PV Annual Marketing and Admin Costs $184 $278 $573 

PV Net Measure Costs $336 $611 $1,757 

TRC Ratio 4.0 3.8 2.8 

PV (present value) of benefits and costs is calculated over a 20-year normalized measure life for 2010-

2020 program years, nominal discount rate = 7.9 percent, inflation rate = 1.5 percent; GWh and MW 

savings are cumulative through 2020. 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Table 1-4 

Summary of Achievable Natural Gas Potential Results—2010-2020 

 Program Scenario 

Result 

50% 

Incentive 

75% 

Incentive 

100% 

Incentive 

Gross Energy Savings - Millions of Dth 6.1 10.6 26.0 

Net Energy Savings - Millions of Dth 4.5 9.0 24.4 

Program Costs - Real, $ Million 

Administration $33 $71 $181 

Marketing $14 $15 $18 

Incentives $101 $271 $1,047 

Total $148 $357 $1,247 

PV Net Avoided Costs Benefits $339 $689 $1,902 

PV Annual Marketing and Admin Costs $35 $64 $149 

PV Measure Costs $124 $258 $865 

TRC Ratio 2.1 2.1 1.9 

PV (present value) of benefits and costs is calculated over a 20-year normalized measure life for 2010-

2020 program years, nominal discount rate = 7.7 percent, inflation rate = 1.5 percent; GWh and MW 

savings are cumulative through 2020. 

1.2.2 Base Energy-Efficiency Results by Sector 

Cumulative net-achievable-potential estimates by customer class are presented in Figure 1-6 for the 2010-

2020 period. The figure shows results for each funding scenario. Achievable electric energy savings are 

highest for the commercial sector, while achievable natural gas savings are highest for the residential 

sector. Note that nonresidential transport-only customers are not included in the gas analysis, and hence 

the gas study focuses more on residential and small nonresidential potentials. 

Figure 1-6 

Net Achievable Energy Savings (2020) by Sector 

Electricity- GWh Natural Gas – Million Dth 

2,045

2,473

374

866

1,654

285

565

1,054

184

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Residential Commercial Industrial

Cumulative Annual Savings by 2020 - GWh

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

20.5

3.7

0.1

7.0

2.0

0.1

3.3

1.1

0.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

Residential Commercial Industrial

Cumulative Annual Savings by 2020 - Dth (Millions)

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

1–9 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

1.2.2.1 Residential Sector 

Figure 1-7 shows the residential end-use distribution of electricity and natural-gas savings potential 

through 2020. Key electric end uses include lighting, cooling, refrigeration, and whole-building new 

construction measures. Key gas end uses include heating, water heating, and whole-building new 

construction measures. 

Figure 1-7 

Residential Net Energy Savings Potential by End Use (2020) 

Electricity Natural Gas 

505

155

54

496

202

32

27

106

20

56

395

107

41

25

314

71

19

16

88

17

28

140

47

15

12

187

34

9

16

86

17

15

128

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Cooling

Furnace/AC Fan

Heating

Lighting

Refrigeration

Water Heating

Plug Loads

Entertainment

Computers

Miscellaneous

Whole Bldg (New

Constr)

Cumulative Annual GWh

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

11.4

4.0

0.3

4.8

4.0

1.2

0.1

1.7

1.8

0.4

0.1

1.0

0 2 4 6 8 10 1

Heating

Water Heating

Cooking

Whole Bldg (New

Constr)

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

2

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

1.2.2.2 Commercial Sector 

Figure 1-8 shows the commercial end-use distribution of electricity and natural-gas savings potential 

through 2020. Key electric end uses include lighting, cooling, and data-center measures. Heating and 

water heating are the primary natural-gas end uses in terms of potential. 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 1-8 

Commercial Savings Potential by End Use (2020) 

Electricity Natural Gas 

913

159

339

90

102

19

161

44

44

25

665

102

138

39

65

19

121

29

20

18

423

53

65

17

38

19

64

20

8

13

0 200 400 600 800 1,000

Indoor Lighting

Outdoor Lighting

Cooling

Ventilation

Refrigeration

Office Equipment

Data

Center/Server

Water Heating

Vending Machines

Cooking

Cumulative Annual GWh

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

11.4

4.0

0.3

4.8

4.0

1.2

0.1

1.7

1.8

0.4

0.1

1.0

0 2 4 6 8 10 1

Heating

Water Heating

Cooking

Whole Bldg (New

Constr)

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

2

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

1.2.2.3 Industrial Sector 

Figure 1-9 shows the industrial end-use distribution of electricity and natural-gas savings potential 

through 2020. Key electric end uses include pumping, lighting, and compressed air. Boilers and process 

heating account for most of the natural-gas potential. 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 1-9 

Industrial Savings Potential by End Use (2020) 

Electricity Natural Gas 

55

39

133

19

7

7

17

97

2

48

24

106

10

4

5

9

78

1

40

14

70

7

2

3

5

43

0

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

Compressed Air

Fans

Pumps

Drives

Heating

Refrigeration

Cooling

Lighting

Other

Cumulative Annual GWh

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

0.06

0.02

0.06

0.05

0.01

0.03

0.03

0.00

0.02

0.00 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07

Boiler

HVAC

Process Heat

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

1.2.3 Demand Response Results 

Xcel Energy runs DR programs: a residential direct load control program, a non-residential direct load 

control program, targeted to medium-sized customers that is contracted out to a third party implementer, 

and an interruptible tariff program that is targeted at large customers. The residential direct load control 

program is currently saving about 101 MW per year and could be expanded to about 211 MW per year if 

Xcel Energy can capture about 50 percent of the residential central air conditioning market. The 

nonresidential direct load control program is currently savings about 20 MW per year and is in the 

process of being expanded to 40 MW. Xcel Energy does not see much added potential for expanding the 

program further. The interruptible tariff program is currently savings about 179 MW per year, and Xcel 

Energy believes it can expand this program to about 227 MW per year. Table 1-5 summarizes impacts 

and costs for a continuation of the current Xcel Energy programs (the business-as-usual scenario) and for 

an expansion of the current programs (expanded business-as-usual). 

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Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Table 1-5 

Summary of Demand Response Potentials for (2010-2020) 

 Scenario 

Result 

Business-as-Usual 

(BAU) Expanded BAU 

Net Peak Demand Savings - MW 300 478 

 

Program Costs - Real, $ Million 

Administration $14 $20 

Marketing $13 $19 

Third-Party $16 $32 

Incentives $300 $464 

Total $343 $535 

 

PV Avoided Cost Benefits $494 $646 

PV Mkt, Admin, and 3rd Party Costs $30 $49 

PV Net Equipment Costs $44 $65 

TRC Ratio 6.7 5.7 

PV (present value) of benefits and costs is calculated using a nominal discount rate = 7.9 percent, 

inflation rate = 1.5 percent; MW savings are cumulative through 2020. 

1.2.4 Behavioral-conservation Results 

We assessed two types of behavioral-conservation activities for the study: (1) indirect feedback 

approaches, which utilize energy information reports that motivate customers to use less, and (2) direct 

feedback interventions, such use of in-home energy-use monitors. Both of these approaches have shown 

some promise in motivating customers to use less energy. However, factors such as persistence and the 

expected amount of energy savings have not been tested over a significant period of time or across a wide 

range of customers. The indirect feedback approaches account for 90 percent of the behavioralconservation economic potentials since they are applicable to a much larger number of customers than the 

direct feedback measures. There are also significant concerns about the persistence of the direct feedback 

methods since many customers lose interest in monitoring home energy use through these devices. 

Hence, we focused on the indirect approach to estimate achievable program potential. For the analysis, 

we allowed for two-percent energy savings at a cost of $10 per home per year and modeled three levels of 

effort that: (1) targeted only the highest energy users; (2) targeted the high and medium energy users; and 

(3) targeted all residential customers. 

Table 1-6 and Table 1-7 present the respective electric and gas results for the 2010-2020 period. As 

shown, electric behavioral-conservation potentials – if the assumptions outlined above hold up – could 

save between 44 and 176 GWh on annual program costs averaging between $9 million and $68 million 

dollars, depending on how many customers are targeted for indirect interventions. Natural-gas 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

1–14

behavioral-conservation potentials could save between 0.46 and 1.90 million Dth on annual program costs 

averaging between $7.6 million and $51 million dollars, depending on the extent of program activities. 

Table 1-6 

Achievable Potentials for Electric Behavioral Conservation (2010-2020) 

 Scenario 

Result 

Low 

Large Users Only 

Medium: 

Lrg-Med Users 

High: 

All Customers 

Gross Energy Savings - GWh 43.7 107.4 175.8 

Gross Peak Demand Savings - MW 10.7 26.3 43.1 

Net Energy Savings - GWh 43.7 107.4 175.8 

Net Peak Demand Savings - MW 10.7 26.3 43.1 

Program Costs - Real, $ Million 

Administration $0.1 $0.4 $0.8 

Marketing $8.4 $32.6 $67.0 

Incentives $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 

Total $8.6 $33.0 $67.8 

PV Avoided Costs Benefits $35.1 $86.2 $141.0 

PV Annual Marketing and Admin Costs $6.3 $24.2 $49.8 

PV Net Measure Costs $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 

TRC Ratio 5.6 3.6 2.8 

PV (present value) of benefits and costs is calculated over a 20-year normalized measure life for 2010-2020 program years, 

nominal discount rate = 7.9 percent, inflation rate = 1.5 percent; GWh and MW savings are cumulative through 2020. 

Table 1-7 

Achievable Potentials for Natural-Gas Behavioral Conservation (2010-2020) 

 Scenario 

Result 

Low 

Large Users Only 

Medium 

Lrg-Med Users 

High 

All Customers 

Gross Energy Savings - Millions of Dth 0.46 1.29 1.90 

Net Energy Savings - Millions of Dth 0.46 1.29 1.90 

Program Costs - Real, $ Million 

Administration $0.1 $0.4 $0.8 

Marketing $7.4 $28.6 $50.5 

Incentives $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 

Total $7.6 $29.0 $51.0 

PV Net Avoided Costs Benefits $25.0 $70.5 $104.1 

PV Annual Marketing and Admin Costs $5.6 $21.3 $37.4 

PV Measure Costs $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 

TRC Ratio 4.4 3.3 2.8 

PV (present value) of benefits and costs is calculated over a 20-year normalized measure life for 2010-2020 program years, 

nominal discount rate = 7.9 percent, inflation rate = 1.5 percent; GWh and MW savings are cumulative through 2020. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

1–15

1.2.5 Emerging Technology Results 

The ultimate impacts and timing of emerging technologies are very uncertain due to both technological 

and market barriers. Despite these uncertainties associated with particular technologies, we know that 

energy-efficiency measures will continue to evolve, and emerging technologies will play a significant role 

in future program years. Examples of some emerging technologies that might become available over the 

next 10 years include: energy-efficient smart windows, automated fault detection of air conditioners, 

night ventilation cooling systems, evaporative pre-condensers for air conditioners, advanced cooling 

refrigerants, advanced controls and sensors for industry, microwave processing of materials, and indirect 

evaporative cooling in the commercial sector. 

In order to address the possible effects of emerging energy-efficiency measures, we focused our potential 

analysis on several of the more promising emerging technologies: 

• LED lighting, including LED street lighting, LED replacements for incandescent/CFL lighting in 

the residential sector, and LED replacements for fluorescent tube lighting in the commercial 

sector; 

• Induction street lighting, which is somewhat less efficient and also less costly than LED lighting; 

• Fiber-optic refrigeration display lighting; and 

• Indirect evaporative cooling in the residential sector. 

For the analysis, we assumed that these measures were all commercially available and could provide 

claimed savings. We also assumed equipment costs that made these measures commercially viable. 

Figure 1-10 and Figure 1-11 show the effects on economic potential (energy and peak demand, 

respectively) from the addition of emerging technologies. Overall, economic potential increases by 1,800 

GWh (24 percent) and 628 MW (36 percent) when emerging technologies are considered. Economic 

potential for energy savings increases by about the same rate for the residential and commercial sectors, 

but economic peak-demand potential increases most in the residential sector (61 percent for the residential 

sector compared to 15 percent in the commercial sector) as a result of the indirect evaporative cooler 

measure. We expect that up to 55 percent of the energy savings from emerging technologies could be 

achieved through programs over an 11-year period once these technologies are proven to be commercially 

viable. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 1-10 

Electric Energy Economic Potentials with Emerging Technologies (11 Years) 

2,813

4,145

7,563

3,610

5,148

9,363

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

Residential Commercial Total

Cumulative Annual GWh

Base

With Emerging Tech

Figure 1-11 

Peak-Demand Economic Potentials with Emerging Technologies (11 Years) 

818 826

1,730

1,320

952

2,358

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Residential Commercial Total

Cumulative Peak MW

Base

With Emerging Tech

1.2.6 Sensitivity to Higher Avoided-Cost Forecasts 

The avoided cost assumptions used in the potential study are based on the marginal energy cost forecast 

that Xcel Energy Developed in October 2009. This forecast also detailed the annual commodity cost 

assumption used each year for gas. This new forecast resulted in a reduction from the assumptions used 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

in the 2009-2010 DMS Plan in the marginal energy costs used in electric avoided cost assumptions, and a 

reduction in the gas volumetric costs and retail rates, for years 2010-2038. 

In addition to the analysis we developed using the Xcel Energy October 2009 avoided-cost forecast, we 

tested the sensitivity of our analysis to higher avoided costs by also examining potentials under the 2009-

2010 DSM Plan avoided costs, which reflect a higher value of energy efficiency. For the higher cost 

scenario, we utilized electric costs that were about 35 percent higher than base costs and gas costs that 

were about 40 percent higher than base costs. Figure 1-12 and Figure 1-13 show how electric and gas 

economic potentials change as a result of the higher avoided-cost assumptions. Electric potentials 

increase by about 3.5 percent and gas potentials increase by about 5.1 percent. These changes are not 

large since many of the studied measures were already cost effective in the base avoided-cost scenario. 

Table 1-8 provides a comparison of cumulative achievable potentials to 2020 for the base and high cost 

scenarios. Results are shown by sector and by program scenario. Overall, naturally occurring energy 

efficiency increases 25% for electricity and 30% for natural gas in the high cost scenario, as the higher 

energy prices make energy efficiency investments more attractive to customers, even without Xcel 

Energy programs. Program potentials also increase, in most cases, as the higher cost of energy makes it 

easier for Xcel Energy to promote energy efficiency. The increase is higher for natural-gas potentials. 

For the electric 100-percent incentives scenario, program potentials actually decrease slightly in the high 

cost scenario, as the effects of naturally occurring energy efficiency outweigh program effects. 

Figure 1-12 

Economic Electric Potentials by Avoided-Cost Scenario (2020) 

7,563 GWh

1,730 MW

7,823 GWh

1,794 MW

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

Energy Savings Potential Peak Demand Potential

Base Avoided Cost

High Avoided Cost

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Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 1-13 

Economic Gas Potentials by Avoided-Cost Scenario (2020) 

39 Million Dth 41 Million Dth

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Base Avoided Cost High Avoided Cost

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

Table 1-8 

Comparison of Achievable Energy Potentials for Base and High Avoided Cost Scenarios 

Cumulative to 2020 

 Program GWh by Cost Scenario Million Dth by Cost Scenario 

Sector Scenario Base High % Chg Base High % Chg 

Residential 50% Incentive 565 616 9% 3.299 4.467 35% 

 75% Incentive 866 964 11% 6.975 8.934 28% 

 100% Incentive 2,045 2,056 1% 20.493 21.854 7% 

 Naturally Occurring 311 390 25% 0.468 0.745 59% 

Commercial 50% Incentive 1,054 1,153 9% 1.131 1.253 11% 

 75% Incentive 1,654 1,715 4% 1.977 2.197 11% 

 100% Incentive 2,473 2,439 -1% 3.739 3.831 2% 

 Naturally Occurring 754 922 22% 1.082 1.277 18% 

Industrial 50% Incentive 184 211 15% 0.052 0.060 16% 

 75% Incentive 285 286 0% 0.087 0.094 8% 

 100% Incentive 374 349 -7% 0.136 0.138 1% 

 Naturally Occurring 79 119 50% 0.035 0.046 32% 

Total 50% Incentive 1,802 1,979 10% 4.483 5.781 29% 

 75% Incentive 2,806 2,965 6% 9.039 11.224 24% 

 100% Incentive 4,892 4,845 -1% 24.369 25.823 6% 

 Naturally Occurring 1,144 1,431 25% 1.585 2.068 30% 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

1.2.7 Comparison to Other Analyses 

Figure 1-14 provides a comparison of the results from the current DSM potential study with those of the 

previous study, completed in 2006. The figure shows average annual GWh savings and associated 

average annual program costs. (Only the 50-percent and 75-percent incentive scenarios are presented 

because a 100-percent incentive scenario was not developed for the 2006 study.) As shown, energy 

savings increase by 81 percent in the 50-percent incentives scenario and by 32 percent in the 75-percent 

incentives scenario. Program costs increase by 122 percent and 66 percent in the 50-percent and 75-

percent incentives scenarios, respectively. 

Figure 1-14 

Comparison of Current DSM Potential Study to the 2006 DSM Potential Study 

Average Annual Savings and Program Costs 

Energy Savings Program Costs 

90.7

193.0

163.8

255.1

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

50% Incentives 75% Incentives

Scenario

Average Annual GWh

Previous Study

Current Study

$19.4

$52.3

$43.1

$87.0

$0

$10

$20

$30

$40

$50

$60

$70

$80

$90

$100

50% Incentives 75% Incentives

Scenario

Average Program Costs ($ Millions)

Previous Study

Current Study

Table 1-9 provides a comparison of savings and program costs for the current DSM potential study and 

Xcel Energy’s current DSM plan. As the table shows, the Xcel Energy electric plan estimates fall in 

between this study’s 50-percent and 75-percent incentives scenarios. The Xcel Energy gas plan comes in 

very close to this study’s 50-percent incentives scenario. 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

1–20

Table 1-9 

Comparison of Current DSM Potential Study to the Current Xcel Energy DSM Plan 

Average Annual Savings and Program Costs 

 Electric Natural Gas 

Scenario / Study GWh 

Program Cost 

($ Million) Million Dth 

Program Cost 

($ Million) 

50% Incentives 163.8 $43.1 0.41 $13.5 

75% Incentives 255.1 $87.0 0.82 $32.4 

Plan 237.5 $55.5 0.40 $12.8 

1.2.8 Uncertainty of Results 

We want to caution the reader that there is inherent uncertainty in the results presented in this report 

because they are forecasts of what could happen in the future. Our estimates of technical and economic 

potential have the lowest degree of uncertainty. These are estimates that account for savings, costs, and 

current saturations of DSM measures but do not factor in human behavior. 

The achievable program estimates do take into account behavior, as our modeling efforts try to predict 

program participation levels while factoring in measure awareness and economics, as well as barriers to 

measure uptake. Hence, the uncertainty in our achievable potential estimates is greater. This uncertainty 

is lowest in the 50-percent incentive scenario as these results are most consistent with current program 

experience. Uncertainty is higher in the 75-percent and 100-percent incentive scenarios, as these are 

projections that extend beyond the bulk of historical experience. This uncertainty is greatest for the 100-

percent incentive scenario because we have no “real world” program experience where all the incremental 

measure costs are paid for by the utility over an extended period of time. Typically, a utility may offer 

the equivalent of 100-percent incentives for limited measures and customer segments in order to 

overcome high barriers in specific markets and to gain a high level of program participation while 

limiting program costs. 

1.3 Conclusions 

As the results of this study indicate, there is a significant amount of energy efficiency potential remaining 

in the Xcel Energy Colorado service territory. For electricity, the residential and commercial sectors 

provide the largest sources of potential savings. 
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DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Key residential end uses, in terms of potentials, include cooling, lighting, and refrigeration. Wholebuilding new construction measures are also a source of large potential savings. It may be necessary to 

offer fairly large incentives to capture the largest amounts of residential electricity savings potential, as 

our modeling results show the largest jump in savings coming when incentives are increase above 75 

percent of incremental measure cost. Plug loads, home entertainment equipment, and home office 

equipment also provide a significant of energy savings potential, but use of customer incentives for 

measures in these end uses does not appear to be the way to go as there is usually very little cost 

differential between standard-efficiency and high-efficiency equipment. Customer education and 

upstream activities are probably more useful approaches to increase the availability and purchases of 

more efficient electronic equipment. 

In the commercial sector, lighting and cooling continue to provide the largest sources of electric energy 

efficiency potential. Data center and server measures also appear to be a growing source of potential 

energy savings. 

Xcel Energy’s demand response programs will continue to be a large source of peak demand savings. 

These programs account for over half the savings potential in the 50-percent incentive scenario, and 

provide a substantial source of savings potential in all program scenarios. 

The residential sector is by far the largest source of natural-gas savings potential. (Note that gas transport 

customers were excluded from our analysis, and hence the residential sector comprises about 70 percent 

of the gas consumption under study.) The key residential end uses are space heating and water heating, 

and key measures include high efficiency water heaters, furnaces and boilers as well as building shell 

measures such as insulation and weatherization. Residential new construction measures also provide a 

large source of potential natural-gas savings. Similar to the electric findings, it may take fairly large 

incentives to capture high levels of residential gas potential. 

Behavioral conservation activities may also play a role in reducing energy consumption in Xcel Energy’s 

service territory. However, the persistence of behavior-oriented measures has not been tested over an 

extended period of time, so continued evaluation of behavioral conservation programs will be necessary 

to ensure that savings don’t dissipate over time. 

Emerging technologies will play an increasing role in the energy efficiency portfolio as traditional 

measures reach high market saturation levels. It will be useful for Xcel Energy to run pilot programs to 

test both the technical effectiveness and the market acceptance of emerging technologies before rolling 

out full scale programs. 

Finally, we investigated the effectiveness of whole-house retrofit programs on increasing energy 

efficiency potential in the Xcel Energy market. We’ve concluded that whole-house treatments will not 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

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increase the identified potentials we developed in this study using our bottom up methodology. Rather, 

they may provide a way to reduce program costs by maximizing the effects of customer outreach efforts. 

Xcel Energy should explore ways to bundle retrofit measures into a comprehensive program offering. 

Pilot program costs should be carefully tracked to determine if a whole-house approach can provide 

savings over traditional measure-specific delivery of energy efficiency services. 
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2. Introduction 

2.1 Overview 

In its 2009-2010 Biennial DSM Plan, filed in August 2008, Public Service proposed to conduct a 

combined electric and natural-gas DSM market potential study in time to inform its next Biennial 

Plan to be filed in summer 2010 and its next Resource Plan to be filed in 2011. 

The study will: 

1. Help determine how much electric and natural-gas technical, economic, achievable (market), and 

naturally occurring potential exists within Xcel Energy’s Colorado service territory for costeffective energy-efficiency and demand-response resources. 

2. Be used to inform the company’s Resource Plan in 2011 as well as subsequent biennial filings in 

2010 and to comply with directives from the COPUC in Decision C08-560. 

3. Assist in establishing mechanisms by which the company can continuously evaluate opportunities 

for cost-effective DSM, including but not limited to financial modeling. 

KEMA, Inc. (KEMA) was retained to conduct this demand-side management (DSM) market potential 

study. The study provides estimates of potential electricity and peak-demand savings and natural-gas 

savings from DSM measures in Xcel Energy’s Colorado service territory. For electric potentials, this 

study is an update of work that was performed by KEMA in the 2005-2006 period. 

The scope of this study includes new and existing residential and nonresidential buildings, as well as 

industrial process savings. The study covers an 11-year period spanning 2010-2020. Given the near- to 

mid-term focus, the base study was restricted to DSM measures that are presently commercially available. 

A number of measures were evaluated as emerging technologies, for example LED lighting. While 

commercially available, these products are characterized by limited availability, low consumer awareness, 

uncertainty about average energy savings, and high current costs that have the potential to drop 

significantly with market adoption. Unit energy savings and cost inputs for these measures are near-term 

(2-3 year) forecasts, based on current trends. 

Data for the study come from a number of different sources, including primary data collected for this 

project, on-site data collected in 2005 for the previous DSM assessment, secondary sources that include 

internal Xcel Energy studies and data, as well as a variety of information from third parties. The primary 

data collection effort for this study involved 300 residential phone surveys and 303 commercial phone 

surveys. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

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2.2 Study Approach 

This study involved identification and development of baseline end-use and measure data and 

development of estimates of future energy-efficiency impacts under varying levels of program effort. 

Residential phone surveys and commercial phone surveys were utilized, in conjunction with information 

from secondary sources, to aid in development of the baseline and measure data. 

The baseline characterization allowed us to identify the types and approximate sizes of the various market 

segments that are the most likely sources of DSM potential in Xcel Energy’s Colorado service territory. 

These characteristics then served as inputs to a modeling process that incorporated Xcel Energy energycost parameters and specific energy-efficiency measure characteristics (such as costs, savings, and 

existing penetration estimates) to provide more detailed potential estimates. 

To aid in the analysis, we utilized the KEMA DSM ASSYSTTM model. This model provides a thorough, 

clear, and transparent documentation database, as well as an extremely efficient data processing system 

for estimating technical, economic, and achievable potential. We estimated technical, economic, and 

achievable program potential for the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, with a focus on 

energy-efficiency impacts over the next 10 years. 

To estimate demand response (DR) impacts, we reviewed impacts from the Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission’s 2009 National Assessment of Demand Response Potential4

 for the State of Colorado and 

customized the results to the Xcel Energy Colorado service territory, utilizing information on Xcel 

Energy’s peak demand relative to the Colorado peak demand and information on current programs being 

run by Xcel Energy. 

2.3 Layout of the Report 

Section 3 discusses the methodology and concepts used to develop the technical, economic, and 

achievable potential estimates. Section 4 provides baseline results developed for the study. Section 6 

discusses the results of the electric energy-efficiency potential analysis by sector and over time. Section 6 

presents similar results for gas energy-efficiency potential. Section 7 presents demand-response potential 

results. 

4 A National Assessment of Demand Response Potential, Staff Report, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 

prepared by The Brattle Group, Freeman, Sullivan & Co., and Global Energy Partners, LLC, June 2009 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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The report contains the following appendices: 

• Appendix A: Detailed Methodology and Model Description—Further detail on what was 

discussed in Section 2. 

• Appendix B: Measure Descriptions—Describes the measures included in the study. 

• Appendix C: Economic Inputs—Provides avoided cost, electric rate, discount rate, and inflation 

rate assumptions used for the study. 

• Appendix D: Building and TOU Factor Inputs—Shows the base household counts, square footage 

estimates for commercial building types, and base energy use by industrial segment. This 

appendix also includes time-of-use factors by sector and end-use. 

• Appendix E: Measure Inputs—Lists the electric measures included in the analysis with the costs, 

estimated savings, applicability, and estimated current saturation factors. 

• Appendix F: Measure Inputs—Lists the natural-gas measures included in the analysis with the 

costs, estimated savings, applicability, and estimated current saturation factors. 

• Appendix G: Non-Additive Measure Level Results—Shows energy-efficiency potential for each 

measure independent of any other measure. 

• Appendix H: Supply-Curve Data—Shows the data behind the energy supply curves provided in 

Section 1 of the report. 

• Appendix I: Achievable Program Potential—Provides the forecasts for the achievable potential 

scenarios. 
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3. Methods and Scenarios 

This section provides a brief overview of the concepts, methods, and scenarios used to conduct this study. 

Additional methodological details are provided in Appendix A. 

3.1 Characterizing the Energy-Efficiency Resource 

Energy efficiency has been characterized for some time now as an alternative to energy supply options, 

such as conventional power plants that produce electricity from fossil or nuclear fuels. In the early 1980s, 

researchers developed and popularized the use of a conservation supply-curve paradigm to characterize 

the potential costs and benefits of energy conservation and efficiency. Under this framework, 

technologies or practices that reduced energy use through efficiency were characterized as “liberating 

‘supply’ for other energy demands” and could therefore be thought of as a resource and plotted on an 

energy supply curve. The energy-efficiency resource paradigm argued simply that the more energy 

efficiency or “nega-watts” produced, the fewer new plants would be needed to meet end-users’ power 

demands. 

3.1.1 Defining Energy-Efficiency Potential 

Energy-efficiency potential studies were popular throughout the utility industry from the late 1980s 

through the mid-1990s. This period coincided with the advent of what was called least-cost or integrated 

resource planning (IRP). Energy-efficiency potential studies became one of the primary means of 

characterizing the resource availability and value of energy efficiency within the overall resource 

planning process. 

Like any resource, there are a number of ways in which the energy-efficiency resource can be estimated 

and characterized. Definitions of energy-efficiency potential are similar to definitions of potential 

developed for finite fossil-fuel resources, like coal, oil, and natural gas. For example, fossil-fuel resources 

are typically characterized along two primary dimensions: the degree of geological certainty with which 

resources may be found and the likelihood that extraction of the resource will be economic. This 

relationship is shown conceptually in Figure 3-1. 

Somewhat analogously, this energy-efficiency potential study defines several different types of energyefficiency potential, namely, technical, economic, achievable program, and naturally occurring. These 

potentials are shown conceptually in Figure 3-2 and described below. 

• Technical potential is defined in this study as the complete penetration of all measures analyzed 

in applications where they were deemed technically feasible from an engineering perspective. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 3-1 

Conceptual Framework for Estimates of Fossil Fuel Resources 

Decreasing Economic Feasibility

Decreasing Certainty of Existence

Possible

and 

Economically Feasible

Possible

but not

Economically Feasible

Known

but not

Economically Feasible

Known

and

Economically Feasible

• Economic potential refers to the technical potential of those energy conservation measures that 

are cost effective when compared to supply-side alternatives. 

• Achievable program potential refers to the amount of savings that would occur in response to 

specific program funding and measure incentive levels. Savings associated with program 

potential are savings that are projected beyond those that would occur naturally in the absence of 

any market intervention. 

• Naturally occurring potential refers to the amount of savings estimated to occur as a result of 

normal market forces; that is, in the absence of any utility or governmental intervention. 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 3-2 

Conceptual Relationship among Energy-Efficiency Potential Definitions 

Achievable Program

Technical

Economic

Naturally Occurring

3.2 Summary of Analytical Steps Used in this Study 

The crux of this study involves carrying out a number of basic analytical steps to produce estimates of the 

energy-efficiency potentials introduced above. The basic analytical steps for this study are shown in 

relation to one another in Figure 3-3. The bulk of the analytical process for this study was carried out in a 

model developed by KEMA for conducting energy-efficiency potential studies. Details on the steps 

employed and analyses conducted are described in Appendix A. The model used, DSM ASSYSTTM, is a 

Microsoft Excel®-based model that integrates technology-specific engineering and customer behavior 

data with utility market saturation data, load shapes, rate projections, and marginal costs into an easily 

updated data management system. 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 3-3 

Conceptual Overview of Study Process 

Building Data

End Use Saturation

End Use Consumption

Loadshapes

Building ft2, # Homes

Building Data

End Use Saturation

End Use Consumption

Loadshapes

Building ft2, # Homes

Measure Data

Costs

Savings

Current Saturation

Program Data 

and

Adoption Inputs

Economic 

Potential

Technical

Potential

Naturally

Occurring 

Efficiency

Model 

Inputs

S

cen

ar oi s

Economic Data

Avoided Costs

Rates

Discount/Inflation Rate

Achievable 

Program 

Potential

The key steps implemented in this study are: 

Step 1: Develop Initial Input Data 

• Develop a list of energy-efficiency measure opportunities to include in scope. In this step, an 

initial draft measure list was developed and circulated internally within Xcel Energy and to 

an external advisory group. The final measure list was developed after incorporating 

comments. 

• Gather and develop technical data (costs and savings) on efficient measure opportunities. 

Data on measures were gathered from a variety of sources. Measure descriptions are provided 

in Appendix B, and detail on measure inputs is provided in Appendix E. 

• Gather, analyze, and develop information on building characteristics, including total square 

footage or total number of households, energy consumption and intensity by end use, end-use 

consumption load patterns by time of day and year (i.e., load shapes), market shares of key 

electric consuming equipment, and market shares of energy-efficiency technologies and 

practices. Section 4 of this report describes the baseline data developed for this study. 

To aid in development of baseline data for the project, two primary data collection efforts 

were undertaken: a phone survey of 300 residential homes and a phone survey of 303 

commercial establishments. 

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Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

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• Collect data on economic parameters: avoided costs, electricity rates, discount rates, and 

inflation rate. These inputs are provided in Appendix C of this report. 

Step 2: Estimate Technical Potential and Develop Supply Curves 

• Match and integrate data on efficient measures to data on existing building characteristics to 

produce estimates of technical potential and energy-efficiency supply curves. 

Step 3: Estimate Economic Potential 

• Match and integrate measure and building data with economic assumptions to produce 

indicators of costs from different viewpoints (e.g., societal and consumer). 

• Estimate total economic potential. 

Step 4: Estimate Achievable Program and Naturally Occurring Potentials 

• Screen initial measures for inclusion in the program analysis. This screening may take into 

account factors such as cost effectiveness, potential market size, non-energy benefits, market 

barriers, and potentially adverse effects associated with a measure. For this study, measures 

were screened using the total-resource-cost test, while considering only electric avoided-cost 

benefits. 

• Gather and develop estimates of program costs (e.g., for administration and marketing) and 

historic program savings. 

• Develop estimates of customer adoption of energy-efficiency measures as a function of the 

economic attractiveness of the measures, barriers to their adoption, and the effects of program 

intervention. 

• Estimate achievable program and naturally occurring potentials. 

Step 5: Scenario Analyses 

• Recalculate potentials under alternate program scenarios. 

3.3 Scenario Analysis 

Scenario analysis is a tool commonly used to structure the uncertainty and examine the robustness of 

projected outcomes to changes in key underlying assumptions. This section describes the alternative 

scenarios under which demand-side management (DSM) potential was estimated in this study. We 

developed these scenarios of DSM potential for two key reasons: 

1. Our estimates of potential depend on future adoptions of energy-efficiency measures that are a 

function of data inputs and assumptions, which are themselves forecasts. For example, our 

projections depend on estimates of measure availability, measure cost, measure savings, measure 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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saturation levels, retail rates, and avoided costs. Each of the inputs to our analysis is subject to 

some degree of uncertainty. 

2. The ultimate achievable energy-efficiency potential depends, by definition, on policy choices, 

including the level of resources and strategies used to increase measure adoption. 

The cost components of program funding that vary under each scenario include: 

Marketing and Education Expenditures 

• Customers must be aware of efficiency measures and their associated benefits in order to 

adopt those measures. In our analysis, program marketing expenditures are converted to 

increases in awareness. Thus, under higher levels of marketing expenditures, higher levels of 

awareness are achieved. 

Incentives and Direct Implementation Expenditures 

• The higher the percentage of measure costs paid by the program, the higher the participants’ 

benefit-cost ratios and, consequently, the number of measure adoptions. 

Administration Expenditures 

• Purely administrative costs, though necessary and important to the program process, do not 

directly lead to adoptions; however, they have been included in program funding because 

they are an input to program benefit-cost tests. 

For the study, the primary analysis focused a base case consisting of commercially available, established 

efficiency technologies. In addition to this base analysis, we analyzed: 

• Emerging technologies 

• Behavioral-conservation measures 

• Demand response 

For each analysis, three program-funding scenarios were considered: a 50-percent incentive scenario, a 

75-percent incentive scenario, and a 100-percent incentive scenario. These scenarios are discussed below. 

In all scenarios, a number of measures were modeled without financial incentives. These include office 

equipment power-management enabling, industrial operations and maintenance (O&M) measures, and 

Energy Star office equipment and consumer electronics for the residential sector. Because these measures 

are very cost effective, it was deemed that provision of an incentive would primarily benefit free riders. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

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Note for the low-income segment, all scenarios reflect 100 percent incentives (as a percent of incremental 

measure cost). Program effort was adjusted across scenarios such that low-income program potentials 

roughly track other residential program potentials. 

3.3.1 Fifty-percent Incentive Scenario 

In the 50-percent incentive scenario, base incentive levels are set to 50 percent of incremental measure 

costs. For the behavioral conservation program, which isn’t tied to incentives, we extended the program to 

cover only the largest residential energy users. Program administration budgets are set at modest 

amounts, roughly corresponding to minimum program support levels. Marketing/customer education 

budgets correspond to current Xcel Energy budgets. 

3.3.2 Seventy-five-percent Incentive Scenario 

In this scenario, incentives were increased to cover 75 percent of incremental measure costs, except for 

the low-income giveaway items and measures that had constrained incentives as discussed above. For the 

behavioral conservation program, we extended coverage to both the large and medium sized residential 

energy users. Program administration budgets were also increased for this scenario. 

3.3.3 One-hundred-percent Incentive Scenario 

In this scenario, incentives were increased to cover 100 percent of incremental measure costs, with the 

exception of constrained measures. The behavioral conservation program was extended to cover all 

residential customers. Program administration budgets were increased again for this scenario. 

3.3.4 Summary of Scenarios 

Table 3-1 shows average spending on electricity programs for each of the scenarios for the 2010-2020 

forecast period for the base analysis, which does not include emerging technologies, behavioralconservation measures, or demand response. Table 3-2 shows average spending on natural-gas programs 

for the base analysis. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Table 3-1 

Scenario Average Spending during 2010-2020 Forecast Period ($1000s) 

Electric Programs 

 % Incremental 

Funding Market Cost Components Measure Cost 

Level Segment Admin Marketing Incentives Total Paid* 

50% Residential Existing $3,286 $2,695 $2,593 $8,574 50% 

Incentives Residential New Construction $889 $200 $3,722 $4,811 50% 

 Residential Low Income $126 $100 $3,684 $3,910 100% 

 Commercial Existing $8,203 $2,048 $7,041 $17,291 50% 

 Commercial New Construction $2,569 $600 $2,155 $5,323 50% 

 Industrial $1,163 $600 $1,448 $3,211 50% 

 Total $16,236 $6,243 $20,642 $43,121 75% Residential Existing $7,038 $2,695 $9,632 $19,365 75% 

Incentives Residential New Construction $2,479 $200 $9,506 $12,185 75% 

 Residential Low Income $193 $200 $6,057 $6,450 100% 

 Commercial Existing $13,204 $2,048 $19,792 $35,044 75% 

 Commercial New Construction $3,122 $600 $4,352 $8,074 75% 

 Industrial $1,526 $600 $3,763 $5,889 75% 

 Total $27,563 $6,343 $53,102 $87,007 100% Residential Existing $26,670 $2,695 $62,065 $91,431 100% 

Incentives Residential New Construction $8,000 $200 $34,600 $42,800 100% 

 Residential Low Income $581 $842 $10,995 $12,418 100% 

 Commercial Existing $21,062 $2,048 $55,868 $78,977 100% 

 Commercial New Construction $3,864 $600 $7,959 $12,423 100% 

 Industrial $1,854 $600 $7,225 $9,679 100% 

 Total $62,031 $6,985 $178,712 $247,728 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

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Table 3-2 

Scenario Average Spending during 2010-2020 Forecast Period ($1000s) 

Natural-Gas Programs 

 % Incremental 

Funding Market Cost Components Measure Cost 

Level Segment Admin Marketing Incentives Total Paid* 

50% Residential Existing $1,021 $550 $2,444 $4,015 50% 

Incentives Residential New Construction $1,036 $200 $2,309 $3,546 50% 

 Residential Low Income $129 $100 $2,958 $3,187 100% 

 Commercial Existing $626 $240 $1,054 $1,920 50% 

 Commercial New Construction $205 $130 $387 $721 50% 

 Industrial $22 $20 $42 $83 50% 

 Total $3,038 $1,240 $9,194 $13,472 75% Residential Existing $2,603 $550 $9,552 $12,705 75% 

Incentives Residential New Construction $2,027 $200 $6,978 $9,205 75% 

 Residential Low Income $203 $200 $4,050 $4,452 100% 

 Commercial Existing $1,293 $240 $3,113 $4,646 75% 

 Commercial New Construction $267 $130 $837 $1,234 75% 

 Industrial $36 $20 $110 $167 75% 

 Total $6,429 $1,340 $24,641 $32,409 100% Residential Existing $8,093 $550 $48,161 $56,804 100% 

Incentives Residential New Construction $4,027 $200 $25,654 $29,881 100% 

 Residential Low Income $606 $500 $9,526 $10,632 100% 

 Commercial Existing $3,281 $240 $9,956 $13,478 100% 

 Commercial New Construction $417 $130 $1,644 $2,191 100% 

 Industrial $57 $20 $276 $353 100% 

 Total $16,483 $1,640 $95,217 $113,339 

3.3.5 Avoided-Cost Scenarios 

The avoided-cost assumptions used in the study are based on the marginal energy cost forecast that Xcel 

Energy developed in October 2009. This forecast also detailed the annual commodity cost assumption 

used each year for gas. This new forecast resulted in a reduction from the assumptions used in the 2009-

2010 DMS Plan in the marginal energy costs used in electric avoided cost assumptions, and a reduction in 

the gas volumetric costs and retail rates, for years 2010-2038. 

In order to test the sensitivity of the potential analysis to higher avoided costs, we also developed 

estimates of energy efficiency potential using the cost assumptions from the 2009-2010 DSM Plan. In 

this report, we refer to the most current avoided cost forecast as the base forecast and the 2009-2010 DSM 

Plan forecast as the high-cost forecast. 
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3.3.5.1 Electric Avoided Costs 

The electric avoided costs were developed by time-of-use (TOU) period. These periods are shown in 

Table 3-3. Figure 3-4 shows the base electric avoided-cost forecast by TOU period, and Figure 3-5 shows 

the high electric avoided-cost forecast by TOU period. Figure 3-6 provides a comparison of the forecasts 

using load-weighted averages of the TOU forecasts. Overall, the high-cost forecast is about 35 percent 

higher than the base forecast. Note that both forecasts include adders for environmental externalities 

(CO2 and SOx) and also 10-percent adders for non-energy benefits (20-percent adders for the low-income 

market segment). In addition to energy avoided costs, capacity avoided costs are included in the analysis, 

starting at $179 per kW and increasing by about 3.3 percent per year. 

Table 3-3 

Electric Time-of-Use Period Definitions 

TOU Period Weekday Hours Weekend Hours 

Summer Off-Peak 0:01-6:00 0:01-8:00 

Summer Mid-Peak 6:01-7:00, 23:01-24:00 8:01-9:00, 22:01-24:00 

Summer On-Peak 7:01-12:00, 17:01-23:00 9:01-22:00 

Summer Super-Peak 12:01-17:00 

Winter Off-Peak 0:01-6:00, 23:01-24:00 0:01-9:00, 23:01-24:00 

Winter On-Peak 6:01-23:00 9:01-23:00 

Summer June-September 

Winter October-May 

* Time-of-use periods were determined by analysis of the 2009 hourly marginal costs to identify periods that 

have similar prices. These periods are independent of any billing TOU rates. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 3-4 

Electric Avoided-Cost Forecast - Base 

$0.00

$0.02

$0.04

$0.06

$0.08

$0.10

$0.12

$0.14

$0.16

$0.18

$0.20

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

$ per kWh

Summer Super-Peak

Summer On-Peak

Summer Mid-Peak

Summer Off-Peak

Winter On-Peak

Winter Off-Peak

Figure 3-5 

Electric Avoided-Cost Forecast – High Cost 

$0.00

$0.02

$0.04

$0.06

$0.08

$0.10

$0.12

$0.14

$0.16

$0.18

$0.20

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

$ per kWh

Summer Super-Peak

Summer On-Peak

Summer Mid-Peak

Summer Off-Peak

Winter On-Peak

Winter Off-Peak

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 3-6 

Electric Avoided-Cost Forecast – Base-High Comparison 

$0.00

$0.02

$0.04

$0.06

$0.08

$0.10

$0.12

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

$ per kWh

High-Average

Base-Average

3.3.5.2 Natural-Gas Avoided Costs 

Figure 3-7 shows the base and high natural gas avoided-cost forecasts. Overall, the high-cost forecast is 

about 40 percent higher than the base forecast. Note that both forecasts include five-percent adders for 

non-energy benefits. 

Figure 3-7 

Natural Gas Avoided-Cost Forecast – Base-High Comparison 

$0.00

$0.20

$0.40

$0.60

$0.80

$1.00

$1.20

$1.40

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

$ per therm

High

Base

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4. Baseline Results 

4.1 Overview 

Estimating the potential for energy-efficiency improvements requires a comparison of the energy impacts 

of standard-efficiency technologies with those of alternative high-efficiency equipment. This, in turn, 

dictates a relatively detailed understanding of the energy characteristics of the marketplace. Baseline data 

that were required for each studied market segment includes: 

• Total count of energy-consuming units (floor space of commercial buildings, number of 

residential dwellings, and the base kWh consumption of industrial facilities) 

• Annual energy consumption for each end use studied (both in terms of total consumption in GWh 

and normalized for intensity on a per-unit basis (e.g., kWh/ft2

) 

• End-use load shapes (that describe the amount of energy used or power demand over certain 

times of the day and days of the year) 

• The saturation of electric end uses (e.g., the fraction of total commercial floor space with electric 

air conditioning) 

• The market share of each base equipment type for example, the fraction of total commercial floor 

space served by 4-foot fluorescent lighting fixtures) 

• Market share for each energy-efficiency measure in scope (for example, the fraction of total 

commercial floor space already served by CFLs). 

Data for the baseline analysis comes from a number of sources, including Xcel Energy billing data 

extracts, Xcel Energy internal studies and analyses, U.S. Department of Energy studies, on-site surveys 

conducted for the 2006 Xcel Energy Colorado DSM assessment, and telephone surveys conducted as part 

of this project, and other secondary sources. Baseline data sources vary by sector and are described 

further below. 

Figure 4-1 shows the overall breakdown of electricity use and peak demand by sector for the Xcel Energy 

Colorado service territory. The commercial sector accounts for the largest share of energy usage, followed 

by the residential, industrial, and TCU (transportation, communications, and utilities) sectors. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 4-1 

Electricity Usage Breakdown – Xcel Energy Colorado Service Territory 

Residential

31%

Ag

1%

Commercial

45%

Construction

1%

Industrial

Mining 12%

2%

TCU

5%

Unclassified

3%

Total Electric Use: 28,552 GWh

Source: Xcel Energy Billing Records 2008, Calibrated 

to 2010 Sales Forecast (from February/March 2009)

Figure 4-2 shows the overall breakdown of natural-gas use by sector for the Xcel Energy Colorado 

service territory. Residential accounts for the largest share of natural-gas usage, followed by the 

commercial and industrial sectors. 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–2 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 4-2 

Natural Gas Usage Breakdown—Xcel Energy Colorado Service Territory 

Residential

71%

Commercial

23%

Construction

1%

Industrial

2%

TCU

1%

Unclassified

2%

Mining

0.1%

Ag

0.2%

Total Gas Use: 1.348 Million Therms

Source: Xcel Energy Billing Records 2008, 

Calibrated to 2010 Sales Forecast (from Feb./Mar. 2009)

4.2 Electricity 

4.2.1 Residential 

For the residential sector, customer counts were provided by Xcel Energy. Dwellings were split into 

single-family and multifamily components using data from the Xcel Energy billing system, the Xcel 

Energy Residential Use Study (2004), and 300 residential on-site surveys that were conducted as part of 

this study. 

For the energy-efficiency potential study, we broke the residential sector into five segments: 

• Single family–large 

• Single family–medium 

• Single family–small 

• Multifamily 

• Low income 

For single-family homes, the large and small segments are designed to comprise 20 percent of the singlefamily homes category each, and the medium segment comprises 60 percent of the single-family homes. 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–3 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–4 

The saturation analysis to derive percentage of homes that have a given end use was conducted using the 

most recent Xcel Energy Home Use Study. UECs (energy use per appliance) were developed using 

secondary source data. Household estimates for each segment were based on analysis of the Home Use 

Study. 

Load-shape data from Xcel Energy and KEMA end-use databases were utilized to allocate annual energy 

usage to Xcel Energy’s time-of-use (TOU) periods. Peak period usage, developed on a sector-specific and 

end-use basis, was calibrated to equal the Xcel Energy summer peak. 

Table 4-1 (energy) and Table 4-2 (peak demand) summarize the residential baseline electricity 

consumption results developed for the study. Figure 4-3 shows the breakdown of electricity use by 

residential segment. Figure 4-4 breaks down electricity use by end use. 

Overall consumption for energy and peak demand by customer segment is shown in Figure 4-5. Although 

the small single-family and large single-family segments represent the same number of homes, the energy 

use for the large single-family segment is more than four times that of small single-family homes, and 

peak demand is almost seven times as high. 

Figure 4-6 shows energy use and peak demand by end use. Overall, lighting and cooling are the largest 

end uses in terms of electricity consumption, each with over 1,500 GWh, followed by miscellaneous, 

refrigeration, and TVs/entertainment. Central air conditioning (CAC) is the largest end use in terms of 

peak demand, with six times the peak of the next largest end use. 
Xcel Energy Colorado 

Table 4-1

Residential Baseline Consumption Summary, Electricity – kWh, 2010

End Use Saturation UEC Avg Use Saturation UEC Avg Use Saturation UEC Avg Use Saturation UEC Avg USplit-System Air Conditioner 0.56 3,880 2,169 0.49 1,514 741 0.26 572 148 0.40 1,922 

Room Air Conditioner 0.08 1,941 163 0.05 758 35 0.06 286 18 0.18 960 Evaporative Cooler 0.25 2,191 539 0.27 578 157 0.30 125 38 0.04 807 

Dehumidifier 0.16 407 64 0.06 275 15 0.06 157 9 0.07 340 Furnace Fan--Furnace + CAC 0.52 1,796 939 0.47 765 357 0.26 284 74 0.29 792 

Resistance Space Heating 0.13 4,363 563 0.07 1,866 131 0.04 692 30 0.31 1,908 Lighting, Std Fixt 1.00 2,228 2,228 1.00 868 868 1.00 270 270 1.00 744 

Incandescent Downlight 0.44 710 312 0.44 409 180 0.44 113 50 0.20 304 

Fluorescent Fixture 0.60 371 223 0.60 214 128 0.60 59 36 0.60 126 

Refrigerator 1.66 811 1,346 1.32 737 972 1.11 663 738 1.02 546 Freezer 0.76 336 255 0.48 336 161 0.33 336 110 0.22 275 

Water Heating 0.07 3,902 285 0.08 2,346 176 0.11 1,205 128 0.21 1,997 

Clotheswasher 1.00 674 673 1.00 674 674 0.93 674 623 0.66 519 Clothes Dryer 0.78 526 408 0.91 413 376 0.81 177 143 0.51 329 

Dishwasher 0.97 613 595 0.93 613 572 0.80 312 250 0.76 464 

Pool Pump 0.06 2,629 158 0.05 1,673 77 0.02 399 7 0.00 0 

Misc. Residential 1.00 2,588 2,588 1.00 932 932 1.00 373 373 1.00 419 

CRT TV 2.73 153 416 1.96 153 300 1.54 78 120 1.50 153 Plasma TV 0.10 424 43 0.11 424 47 0.09 216 19 0.11 424 

Set-Top Box 1.91 130 248 0.98 130 127 0.82 130 107 0.66 130 

DVD Player 1.60 36 58 1.42 36 51 1.60 36 58 1.01 36 

Desktop PC 1.77 237 419 1.34 237 317 0.81 237 192 0.83 237 

Laptop PC 0.18 72 13 0.18 72 13 0.18 72 13 0.14 72 

Cooking 0.86 349 300 0.78 302 234 0.66 251 165 0.88 255 Use Per Home 15,006 7,642 3,718 

Homes 158,525 475,574 158,525 3

Total Use 2,378,776,897 3,634,268,607 589,385,429 1,771,5

Single Family Large Single Family Medium Single Family Small Multifamily 

Source: Xcel Energy Billing Data-2008, Xcel Energy Home Use Data-2008, KEMA Analysis, Calibrated to 2010 Sales Forecast (from Feb/Mar 2009) DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–5 
Xcel Energy Colorado 

Source: Xcel Energy Billing Data-2008, Xcel Energy Home Use Data-2008, KEMA Analysis, Calibrated to 2010 Peak Demand Forecas

End Use

Homes with 

End Use All homes

Homes with 

End Use All homes

Homes with 

End Use All homes

Homes with 

End Use All homes

Homes with 

End Use 

Split-System Air Conditioner 3.897 2.178 1.625 0.795 0.638 0.165 1.847 0.735 1.55Room Air Conditioner 1.949 0.164 0.813 0.037 0.319 0.020 0.923 0.162 0.77Evaporative Cooler 1.293 0.318 0.539 0.147 0.212 0.064 0.776 0.029 0.59Dehumidifier 0.057 0.009 0.041 0.002 0.024 0.001 0.045 0.003 0.03Furnace Fan--Furnace + CAC 0.855 0.447 0.389 0.182 0.150 0.039 0.361 0.104 0.37Resistance Space Heating 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.00Lighting, Bulbs 0.209 0.209 0.119 0.119 0.051 0.051 0.088 0.088 0.10Fluorescent Fixture 0.039 0.023 0.022 0.013 0.010 0.006 0.012 0.007 0.02Refrigerator 0.111 0.184 0.101 0.133 0.091 0.101 0.075 0.076 0.10Freezer 0.047 0.035 0.047 0.022 0.047 0.015 0.038 0.008 0.04Water Heating 0.496 0.036 0.318 0.024 0.170 0.018 0.243 0.051 0.30Clotheswasher 0.011 0.011 0.010 0.010 0.007 0.007 0.007 0.005 0.01Clothes Dryer 0.069 0.054 0.055 0.050 0.032 0.026 0.043 0.022 0.06Dishwasher 0.031 0.030 0.026 0.025 0.020 0.016 0.020 0.015 0.02Pool Pump 0.292 0.018 0.186 0.009 0.044 0.001 0.000 0.000 0.18Misc. Residential 0.293 0.293 0.119 0.119 0.039 0.039 0.021 0.021 0.11TV 0.026 0.044 0.019 0.029 0.011 0.017 0.016 0.024 0.01Big Screen TV 0.093 0.060 0.067 0.031 0.040 0.017 0.057 0.027 0.05Set-Top Box 0.017 0.029 0.017 0.016 0.017 0.031 0.017 0.026 0.01DVD Player 0.005 0.007 0.005 0.007 0.005 0.007 0.005 0.005 0.00Desktop PC 0.030 0.053 0.029 0.039 0.023 0.019 0.027 0.022 0.02Laptop PC 0.008 0.001 0.008 0.001 0.008 0.001 0.008 0.001 0.00Cooking 0.057 0.049 0.049 0.038 0.041 0.027 0.042 0.037 0.04Use Per Home 4.254 1.847 0.690 1.468 

Homes 145,627 416,842 129,697 253,377 

Total Use 619,520 769,873 89,479 371,835 

Single Family Large Single Family Medium Single Family Small Multifamily Low 

Table 4-2

Residential Baseline Peak Demand Summary, Electricity – kW, 2010

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–6 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 4-3 

Residential Electricity Shares by Segment, 2010 

Single 

Family 

Large

25%

Single 

Family 

Medium

36%

Single 

Family 

Small

5%

Multifamily

17%

Low 

Income

17%

Source: Xcel Energy Billing Data-2008, Xcel Energy 

Home Use Data-2008, KEMA Analysis 

Figure 4-4 

Residential Electricity Shares by End Use, 2010 

Cooling

17%

Dishwasher

2%

Freezer

2%

Furnace Fan

6% Heating

5% Lighting

17%

Misc

14%

Refrigerator

12%

TV-Ent

9%

Water Heating

4%

Cooking

3%

Computer

4%

Clothes Dryer

4%

Clotheswasher

1%

Source: Xcel Energy Billing Data-2008, Xcel Energy 

Home Use Data-2008, KEMA Analysis 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–7 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 4-5 

Residential Electricity Usage by Customer Segment 

Energy Peak Demand 

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000

Single Family

Large

Single Family

Medium

Single Family

Small

Multifamily

Low Income

GWh

0 200 400 600 800 1,000

Single Family

Large

Single Family

Medium

Single Family

Small

Multifamily

Low Income

MW

Figure 4-6 

Residential Electricity Usage by End Use 

Energy Peak Demand 

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000

Cooking

Computer

TV-Ent

Misc

Dishwasher

Clothes Dryer

Clotheswasher

Water Heating

Freezer

Refrigerator

Lighting

Furnace Fan

Heating

Cooling

GWh

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400

Cooking

Computer

TV-Ent

Misc

Dishwasher

Clothes Dryer

Clotheswasher

Water Heating

Freezer

Refrigerator

Lighting

Furnace Fan

Heating

Cooling

MW

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–8 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–9 

4.2.2 Commercial 

The primary sources of commercial data for the Xcel Energy Colorado service area were the U.S. DOE 

Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) and Xcel Energy’s billed consumption data. 

CBECS data for the Mountain Region were used to develop end-use saturation and EUI (Energy 

Utilization Indices in kWh per square foot) data as well as whole-building EUI estimates. 

For the commercial sector, no estimates of consuming units (square feet of commercial space by building 

type) were available for the Xcel Energy Colorado territory. Square footage estimates were developed for 

each key building type by dividing Xcel Energy’s energy consumption (kWh) by whole-building EUIs 

(kWh per square foot). 

Load shape data from Xcel Energy were utilized to allocate annual energy usage to Xcel Energy’s timeof-use (TOU) periods. Peak-period usage, developed on a sector-specific and end-use basis, was 

calibrated to equal the Xcel Energy summer peak. 

Table 4-3 and Table 4-4 summarize the commercial baseline electricity consumption results developed 

for the study. 

Figure 4-7 shows commercial electricity consumption and peak-demand by building type. The office and 

miscellaneous building types account for the largest shares of both energy and peak-demand usage. 

Figure 4-8 shows commercial electricity consumption and peak demand by end use. Lighting contributes 

the most to electricity consumption at almost 6,000 GWh per year, followed by cooling and commercial 

miscellaneous at less than 2,000 GWh per year each. During peak demand, cooling contributes the largest 

share at almost 1,400 MW, followed by indoor lighting at about 800 MW. 
Xcel Energy Colorado 

Table 4-3 

Commercial Baseline Electricity Consumption Factors 

Saturation Office Retail Restaurant Grocery Warehouse School College Health Lodging 

Indoor Lighting 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Outdoor Lighting 0.89 0.52 0.36 0.58 0.71 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.65 Chillers 0.31 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.45 0.63 0.82 0.23 DX Packaged Systems 0.55 0.56 0.81 0.81 0.86 0.55 0.37 0.18 0.77 Ventilation 0.95 0.97 0.99 1.00 0.33 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Refrigeration 0.12 0.11 0.99 1.00 0.28 0.67 0.66 1.00 0.51 Office Equip 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Servers-Data Centers 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.04 0.02 0.00 Vending Machines 0.39 0.30 0.47 0.40 0.73 0.68 0.41 0.57 0.36 Cooking 0.08 0.02 0.54 0.34 0.05 0.45 0.07 0.27 0.46 Heating 0.37 0.67 0.06 0.40 0.22 0.17 0.37 0.01 0.54 Miscellaneous 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 EUI = kWh per ft2 Office Retail Restaurant Grocery Warehouse School College Health Lodging Indoor Lighting 6.7 4.0 3.1 6.2 2.8 4.1 4.3 7.0 4.3 Outdoor Lighting 1.2 1.1 3.2 1.7 0.3 0.8 0.2 0.4 0.5 Chillers 1.8 0.9 2.5 1.1 0.5 1.8 1.7 2.0 2.0 DX Packaged Systems 3.1 1.5 4.3 1.9 0.9 3.1 3.0 3.5 3.5 Ventilation 1.8 0.6 2.0 0.7 0.2 1.0 1.0 1.5 0.6 Refrigeration 0.1 0.2 7.4 21.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.8 0.8 Office Equip 1.4 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.8 1.2 0.8 0.2 Servers-Data Centers 100.0 83.0 83.0 83.0 83.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Vending Machines 0.8 0.2 0.9 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.5 Cooking 2.2 1.1 1.9 0.6 0.0 1.3 1.3 0.2 3.1 Heating 1.5 1.1 3.0 1.6 0.2 1.6 1.6 1.3 1.9 Miscellaneous 1.3 0.5 3.8 1.5 0.8 0.4 0.5 2.8 1.7 

Office Retail Restaurant Grocery Warehouse School College Health Lodging 

Square Footage (1000's) 302,169 170,918 38,799 21,728 175,719 53,376 34,899 46,064 35,096 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–10
Xcel Energy Colorado 

MWh Office Retail Restaurant Grocery Warehouse School College Health Lodging Indoor Lighting 2,039,486 677,762 120,321 135,600 487,346 219,033 151,294 324,211 149,61Outdoor Lighting 319,254 93,077 45,223 21,417 37,255 42,128 6,962 16,618 11,45Chillers 168,384 2,016 0 0 0 43,629 38,121 75,390 16,31

DX Packaged Systems 514,765 145,847 133,883 34,145 137,445 91,814 38,302 29,325 93,83Ventilation 508,581 92,860 77,330 15,653 13,138 53,329 34,963 70,818 21,18Refrigeration 5,199 3,704 284,717 465,669 20,314 12,642 8,119 35,549 13,55Office Equip 409,423 11,675 2,481 6,259 28,937 44,761 42,658 34,549 7,90Servers-Data Centers 440,495 0 0 5,360 38,408 24,697 149,484 79,940 7,37Vending Machines 99,342 8,373 17,123 1,784 30,686 11,791 4,074 4,536 6,17Cooking 52,303 3,968 40,322 4,705 0 30,343 3,039 2,332 50,81

Heating 165,011 126,963 7,540 14,210 8,057 14,216 20,467 338 35,37

Miscellaneous 388,738 84,499 148,418 31,756 145,719 23,584 16,215 127,035 60,13Total 5,110,981 1,250,742 877,357 736,557 947,307 611,967 513,698 800,642 473,72MW Office Retail Restaurant Grocery Warehouse School College Health Lodging Indoor Lighting 337.4 108.8 20.9 18.4 76.7 26.7 28.5 43.8 18.

Outdoor Lightng 3.9 5.4 2.7 0.5 0.4 1.5 0.0 0.1 0.

Chillers 126.1 1.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 22.9 23.9 43.3 10.

DX Packaged Systems 385.4 123.8 85.7 23.2 136.7 48.2 24.0 16.8 57.Ventilation 159.5 26.7 20.5 3.4 4.2 10.7 10.0 14.8 4.

Refrigeration 0.6 0.5 35.1 61.8 3.2 1.4 1.0 4.2 1.

Office Equip 50.5 1.9 0.4 1.0 4.3 3.5 6.8 4.4 1.

Servers-Data Centers 54.3 0.0 0.0 0.9 5.7 1.9 23.7 10.1 1.

Vending Machines 12.9 1.3 3.0 0.3 5.1 0.9 0.7 0.6 0.

Cooking 7.0 0.6 7.4 0.6 0.0 2.0 0.5 0.4 9.Heating 10.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 1.5 0.0 0.

Miscellaneous 50.2 13.2 25.2 4.5 24.3 1.8 2.8 15.6 8.

Total 1,197.8 284.6 200.9 114.4 260.6 121.7 123.4 154.1 114.

Table 4-4 

Commercial Baseline Electricity Consumption Summary – MWh and MW 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–11
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 4-7 

Commercial Electricity Usage by Building Type 

Energy Peak Demand 

0 2,000,000 4,000,000 6,000,000

Other

Lodging

Health

College

School

Warehouse

Grocery

Restaurant

Retail

Office

MWh

0 500 1000 1500

Other

Lodging

Health

College

School

Warehouse

Grocery

Restaurant

Retail

Office

M W

Figure 4-8 

Commercial Electricity Usage by End Use 

Energy Peak Demand 

0 2,000,000 4,000,000 6,000,000

Misc

Heating

Cooking

Data Centers

Office

Equipment

Refrigeration

Ventilation

Cooling

Lighting

MWh

0 500 1,000 1,500

Misc

Heating

Cooking

Data Centers

Office

Equipment

Refrigeration

Ventilation

Cooling

Lighting

MW

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–12
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

4.2.3 Industrial 

Data on the industrial sector consisted of Xcel Energy’s billing data and end-use consumption data at the 

national level, developed as part of the U.S. DOE Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS). 

The motors end-use data were further disaggregated using national-level data developed by KEMA as 

part of a U.S. Motors Assessment Study conducted for the DOE in 1998. Given the relatively small size 

of the Xcel Energy industrial sector relative to its residential and commercial sectors, it was determined 

that aggregate national-level data were sufficient for the industrial baseline work. Similar to the 

residential and commercial sectors, industrial peak-demand estimates were calibrated to ensure that they 

were consistent with Xcel Energy’s system peak demand. 

Figure 4-9 summarizes industrial electricity consumption and peak demand by industry type. The 

electronics industry accounts for the largest share of energy use, followed by the primary metals industry. 

Electronics, primary metals, food, mining, and fabricated metals all account for significant shares of 

industrial peak demand. 

Figure 4-9 

Industrial Electricity Usage by Industry Type 

Energy Peak Demand 

0 200 400 600 800

WWT

Mining

Misc

Transp Equip

Electronics

Ind Machinery

Fab Metals

Primary Metals

Stone-clay-glass

Plastics

Petroleum

Chemicals

Printing

Paper

Lumber

Textiles

Food

GWh

0 50 100 150

WWT

Mining

Misc

Transp Equip

Electronics

Ind Machinery

Fab Metals

Primary Metals

Stone-clay-glass

Plastics

Petroleum

Chemicals

Printing

Paper

Lumber

Textiles

Food

MW

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–13
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 4-10 shows electricity consumption and peak demand estimates by industrial end use. Process 

drives account for the largest single share of energy consumption, followed by pumping systems, HVAC, 

and process heating. HVAC and process drives contribute most to peak demand, followed by process 

cooling. 

Figure 4-10 

Industrial Electricity Usage by End Use 

Energy Peak Demand 

0 200 400 600 800

Proc Heat

Proc Cool

Pumps

Fans

Comp Air

Proc Drives

Proc Other

HVAC

Lighting

Other

Boiler Use

CHP Proc

GWh

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Proc Heat

Proc Cool

Pumps

Fans

Comp Air

Proc Drives

Proc Other

HVAC

Lighting

Other

Boiler Use

CHP Proc

MW

4.3 Natural Gas 

4.3.1 Residential 

As with electricity, we broke the residential sector into five segments for the natural-gas study: 

• Single family–large 

• Single family–medium 

• Single family–small 

• Multifamily 

• Low income 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–14
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–15

For single-family homes, the large and small segments are designed to comprise 20 percent of the singlefamily homes category each, and the medium segment comprises 60 percent of the single-family homes. 

The saturation analysis to derive percentage of homes that have a given end use was conducted using the 

most recent Xcel Energy Home Use Study. UECs (energy use per appliance) were developed using 

secondary source data. Household estimates for each segment were based on analysis of the Home Use 

Study. 

Table 4-5 summarizes the residential baseline natural-gas consumption results developed for the study. 

Figure 4-11 shows the breakdown of natural-gas use by residential segment. Figure 4-12 breaks down 

natural-gas use by end use. 

Overall consumption of natural-gas and peak-day use is shown in Figure 4-13 by customer segment. 

Although the small single-family and large single-family segments represent the same number of homes, 

the natural-gas use for the large single-family segment is more than three times that of small single-family 

homes. 

Figure 4-14 shows energy use and peak-day use for natural gas by end use. Natural-gas usage is 

dominated by furnace use at about 50,000 Dth, followed by water heating and boiler use. Furnaces are the 

largest contributors to peak-day gas use, followed by boilers. 
Xcel Energy Colorado 

Table 4-5 

Residential Baseline Consumption Summary – Natural Gas - Therms 

End Use Saturation UEC Avg Use Saturation UEC Avg Use Saturation UEC Avg Use Saturation UEC Avg UFurnace 0.70 1,027 716 0.81 608 492 0.85 310 262 0.51 527 

Boiler 0.14 1,258 177 0.12 734 85 0.02 368 6 0.11 646 

Room Heat 0.02 973 22 0.00 575 0 0.04 270 10 0.07 434 

Water Heating 0.95 345 330 0.90 234 211 0.90 134 120 0.77 257 

Clothes Drying 0.20 56 11 0.07 44 3 0.08 37 3 0.10 35 

Cooking 0.33 92 30 0.30 82 25 0.32 79 25 0.19 74 Other 0.05 295 14 0.04 185 8 0.02 140 3 0.02 140 Use Per Home 1,300 823 429 

Homes 186,244 558,732 186,244 20Total Use 242,097,338 460,073,052 79,965,483 118,19

Single Family Large Single Family Medium Single Family Small Multifamily 

Source: Xcel Energy Billing Data-2008, Xcel Energy Home Use Data-2008, KEMA Analysis, Calibrated to 2010 Sales Forecast (from Feb./Mar. 2009) DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–16
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 4-11 

Residential Natural-Gas Shares by Segment, 2010 

Single 

Family 

Large

24%

Single 

Family 

Medium

43%

Single 

Family 

Small

7%

Multifamily

10%

Low 

Income

16%

Source: Xcel Energy Billing Data-2008, Xcel Energy 

Home Use Data-2008, KEMA Analysis 

Figure 4-12 

Residential Natural-Gas Shares by End Use, 2010 

Furnace

50%

Boiler

13%

Room 

Heat

4%

Water 

Heating

28%

Cooking

3%

Other

2%

Clothes 

Drying

0.3%

Source: Xcel Energy Billing Data-2008, Xcel Energy 

Home Use Data-2008, KEMA Analysis 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–17
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 4-13 

Residential Natural-Gas Usage by Customer Segment 

Energy Peak Demand 

0 15,000 30,000 45,000

Single Family Large

Single Family Medium

Single Family Small

Multifamily

Low Income

Dth (thousands)

0 100 200 300 400 500

Single Family Large

Single Family Medium

Single Family Small

Multifamily

Low Income

Dth/day (thousands)

Figure 4-14 

Residential Natural-Gas Use by End Use 

Energy Peak Demand 

0 20,000 40,000 60,000

Other

Cooking

Clothes Drying

Water Heating

Room Heat

Boiler

Furnace

Dth (thousands)

0 200 400 600 800

Other

Cooking

Clothes Drying

Water Heating

Room Heat

Boiler

Furnace

Dth/day (thousands)

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–18
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–19

4.3.2 Commercial 

The primary sources of commercial data for the Xcel Energy Colorado service area were the U.S. DOE 

Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) and Xcel Energy’s billed consumption data. 

CBECS data for the Mountain Region were used to develop end-use saturation and EUI (Energy 

Utilization Indices in therms per square foot) data as well as whole-building EUI estimates. 

For the commercial sector, no estimates of consuming units (square feet of commercial space by building 

type) were available for the Xcel Energy Colorado territory. Square footage estimates were developed for 

each key building type by dividing Xcel Energy’s energy consumption (kWh) by whole-building EUIs 

(kWh per square foot). 

Load-shape data from Xcel Energy were utilized to allocate annual energy usage to Xcel Energy’s timeof-use (TOU) periods. Peak-period usage, developed on a sector-specific and end-use basis, was 

calibrated to equal the Xcel Energy summer peak. 

Table 4-6 summarizes the commercial baseline natural-gas consumption results developed for the study. 

Figure 4-15 shows commercial natural-gas consumption and peak-day use by building type. The office 

and miscellaneous building types account for the largest shares of both energy and peak-day usage. 

Figure 4-16 shows commercial natural-gas consumption and peak-day use by end use. Heating 

contributes most to energy consumption at more than 20 million Dth per year, followed by water heating 

at about 7 million Dth per year. For peak-day use, heating is by far the largest contributor at about 

340,000 Dth per day. Water heating has the next largest impact, at only 20,000 Dth per day. 
Xcel Energy Colorado 

Table 4-6 

Commercial Baseline Natural-Gas Consumption Summary 

Saturation Office Retail Restaurant Grocery Warehouse School College Health Lodging OthHeating 0.95 0.84 0.31 0.99 0.77 0.89 0.98 0.62 0.80 Water Heating - high standby 0.83 0.55 0.52 0.78 0.89 0.82 0.91 0.95 1.00 Water Heating - low standby 0.00 0.00 0.52 0.00 0.00 0.82 0.91 0.95 1.00 Fryer 0.04 0.10 0.71 0.00 0.06 0.24 0.01 0.39 0.52 Steamer 0.04 0.00 0.52 0.00 0.00 0.53 0.01 0.39 0.06 Convection Oven 0.04 0.09 0.66 0.32 0.12 0.56 0.01 0.35 0.52 Griddle 0.08 0.01 0.65 0.13 0.23 0.60 0.01 0.35 0.52 Range 0.09 0.10 0.76 0.32 0.23 0.51 0.01 0.33 0.54 Other 0.00 0.00 0.13 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.33 0.08 0.03 EUI (kBtu/End-use ft2) Office Retail Restaurant Grocery Warehouse School College Health Lodging OthHeating 78.0 18.8 18.8 13.1 16.5 32.8 10.8 2.8 15.0 

Water Heating - high standby 8.9 4.8 21.9 20.4 2.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

Water Heating - low standby 0.0 0.0 27.5 0.0 0.0 10.0 12.1 27.0 24.4 

Fryer 1.6 6.1 24.8 14.7 1.9 1.1 1.6 3.1 5.3 

Steamer 0.9 3.6 14.5 8.6 1.1 0.7 0.9 1.8 3.1 

Convection Oven 0.2 0.9 3.7 2.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.5 0.8 

Griddle 0.6 2.4 9.9 5.9 0.8 0.5 0.6 1.3 2.1 

Range 0.8 3.1 12.6 7.5 1.0 0.6 0.8 1.6 2.7 

Other 0.0 0.0 14.9 0.0 0.0 11.8 9.8 0.0 0.0 

Office Retail Restaurant Grocery Warehouse School College Health Lodging Oth

Square Feet (1000s) 166,188 121,981 29,671 16,864 129,268 30,254 28,860 34,172 26,077 8Heating 12,340,476 1,920,287 174,970 218,848 1,647,324 883,092 305,791 59,656 312,224 3,67Water Heating - high standby 1,236,327 316,572 340,055 268,087 236,571 0 0 0 0 2,34

Water Heating - low standby 0 0 426,821 0 0 248,172 318,484 874,380 637,221 

Fryer 11,266 70,505 521,774 0 14,354 8,188 308 41,505 72,447 3Steamer 6,574 0 224,377 0 0 10,656 180 24,218 5,057 1

Convection Oven 1,765 9,666 73,381 11,854 4,396 2,876 47 5,612 10,888 Griddle 8,391 2,556 190,944 13,274 23,054 8,228 123 14,828 28,766 1Range 11,825 35,772 282,233 40,390 29,355 8,914 157 18,010 37,953 2Other 0 0 56,768 0 0 33,157 93,629 0 0 44

Total 13,616,625 2,355,359 2,291,321 552,453 1,955,054 1,203,283 718,718 1,038,209 1,104,557 6,56

Dth by End Use

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4–20
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4-21 

Figure 4-15 

Commercial Natural-Gas Usage by Building Type 

Energy Peak-Day Use 

0 4,000 8,000 12,000 16,000

Other

Lodging

Health

College

School

Warehouse

Grocery

Restaurant

Retail

Office

Dth (thousands)

0 50 100 150 200 250

Other

Lodging

Health

College

School

Warehouse

Grocery

Restaurant

Retail

Office

Dth/day (thousands)

Figure 4-16 

Commercial Natural-Gas Usage by End Use 

Energy Peak-Day Use 

0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000

Heating

Water

Heating

Cooking

Other

Dth (thousands)

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

Heating

Water

Heating

Cooking

Other

Dth/day (thousands)
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4-22 

4.3.3 Industrial 

Data for the industrial sector consisted of Xcel Energy’s billing data and end-use consumption data at the 

national level developed as part of the U.S. DOE Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS). 

The motors end-use data were further disaggregated using national-level data developed by KEMA as 

part of a U.S. Motors Assessment Study conducted for the DOE in 1998. Given the relatively small size 

of the Xcel Energy industrial sector relative to the residential and commercial sectors, it was determined 

that aggregate national-level data were sufficient for the industrial baseline work. Similar to the 

residential and commercial sectors, industrial peak-demand estimates were calibrated to ensure that they 

were consistent with Xcel Energy’s system peak demand. 

Figure 4-17 summarizes industrial natural-gas consumption and peak-day use by industry type. The 

electronics industry accounts for the largest share of industrial natural-gas use, followed by the food and 

fabricated-metals industry. Electronics contributes the most to industrial peak-day use, followed by 

fabricated metals and printing. 

Figure 4-17 

Industrial Natural-Gas Usage by Industry Type 

Energy Peak-Day Use 

0 100 200 300 400 500

Misc

Transp Equip

Electronics

Ind Machinery

Fab Metals

Primary Metals

Stone-clay-glass

Plastics

Petroleum

Chemicals

Printing

Paper

Lumber

Textiles

Food

Dth (Thousands)

01234

Misc

Transp Equip

Electronics

Ind Machinery

Fab Metals

Primary Metals

Stone-clay-glass

Plastics

Petroleum

Chemicals

Printing

Paper

Lumber

Textiles

Food

Dth/day (Thousands)
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

Figure 4-18 shows natural-gas consumption and peak-day use estimates by industrial end use. Process 

heat accounts for the largest single share of natural-gas consumption, followed by boiler systems and 

HVAC. HVAC is the largest contributor to peak-day use, followed by process heat and boilers. 

Figure 4-18 

Industrial Natural Gas Usage by End Use 

Energy Peak-Day Use 

0 500 1,000 1,500

Proc Heat

HVAC

Boiler Use

CHP

Other

Dth (Thousands)

0 2 4 6 8 10

Proc Heat

HVAC

Boiler Use

CHP

Other

Dth/day (Thousands)

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

4-23 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-1 

5. Electric Energy-Efficiency Potential Results 

In this section, we present estimates of electric energy-efficiency potential. First, we present technical and 

economic potential results for all electric measures considered in the study. Next, we present estimates of 

achievable program potential under different program funding scenarios. The base results exclude 

impacts from behavioral-conservation programs and from emerging technologies. These additional 

elements are discussed separately, since these measures do not have the track record of more proven 

energy-efficiency technologies, and their impacts are more uncertain. 

5.1 Technical and Economic Potential 

Estimates of overall energy-efficiency technical and economic potential are discussed in section 5.1.1. 

More detail on these potentials is presented in section 5.1.2. Energy-efficiency supply curves are shown in 

section 5.1.3. 

5.1.1 Overall Technical and Economic Potential 

Figure 5-1 presents our overall estimates of total technical and economic potential for electrical energy 

and peak-demand savings for the Xcel Energy Colorado service territory. Technical potential represents 

the sum of all savings from all of the measures deemed applicable and technically feasible. Economic 

potential is based on efficiency measures that are cost-effective, which is based on the total resource cost 

(TRC) test―a benefit-cost test that compares the value of avoided energy production and power-plant 

construction to the costs of energy-efficiency measures and program activities necessary to deliver them. 

The values of both energy savings and peak-demand reductions are incorporated in the TRC test. 

Energy Savings. Technical potential is estimated at about 8,938 GWh per year, and economic potential at 

7,563 GWh per year by 2020 (about 27 and 23 percent of base 2020 usage, respectively). 

Peak-Demand Savings. Technical potential is estimated at about 2,161 MW, and economic potential at 

1,730 MW by 2020 (about 33 and 26 percent of base 2020 demand, respectively). 

Note that the technical and economic potentials include the effect of CFLs, although federal lighting 

standards may preclude much of the CFL potential in Xcel Energy programs. Overall, CFLs account for 

about 1,200 GWh of energy-savings potential (16 percent of total economic energy savings potential) and 

150 MW of peak-demand potential (8 percent of total economic peak-demand potential) in 2020. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-2 

Figure 5-1 

Estimated Electric Technical and Economic Potential, 2020 

Xcel Energy Colorado Service Territory 

8,938 GWh

2,161 MW

7,563 GWh

1,730 MW

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

Energy Savings Potential Peak Demand Potential

Technical

Economic

5.1.2 Technical and Economic Potential Detail 

In this subsection, we explore technical and economic potential in more detail, looking at potentials by 

sector and by end use. 

5.1.2.1 Potentials by Sector 

Figure 5-2 and Figure 5-3 show estimates of technical- and economic-energy and demand savings 

potential by sector. Figure 5-4 and Figure 5-5 show the same potentials as a percentage of 2020 base 

energy and base peak demand. 

The commercial sector provides the largest contribution to both technical and economic potential for 

energy savings, accounting for about 55 percent of these potentials. The commercial sector also 

contributes the most to the technical and economic potential for peak-demand savings, accounting for 

about 45 percent of these potentials. The residential sector accounts for a similar share of economic peakdemand potential. 

As shown in Figure 5-4 and Figure 5-5, the residential sector has a somewhat higher savings potential in 

relation to base energy use than does the commercial or industrial sectors. The estimated savings fraction 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-3 

is lowest for the industrial sector at around 12 percent, which is lower than the 14 to 22 percent of costeffective industrial savings estimated by the National Academy of Sciences5

, but is in line with industrial 

savings fractions estimated by EPRI6

. 

Figure 5-2 

Technical and Economic Potential (2020) 

Energy Savings by Sector—GWh per Year 

Figure 5-3 

Technical and Economic Potential (2020) 

Demand Savings by Sector—MW 

3,373

4,923

643

2,813

4,145

605

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

Residential Commercial Industrial

Cumulative Annual Savings by 2020 - GWh

Technical

Economic 949

1,119

93

818 826

86

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

Residential Commercial Industrial

Cumulative Savings by 2020 - MW

Technical

Economic

 

5 Real Prospects for Energy Efficiency in the United States, America’s Energy Future Energy Efficiency 

Subcommittee, Nation Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, National Research Council, 2009. 

6 Assessment of Achievable Potential from Energy Efficiency and Demand Response Programs in the U.S., EPRI, 

2009. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-4 

Figure 5-4 

Technical and Economic Potential (2020) 

Percentage of Base Energy Use 

Figure 5-5 

Technical and Economic Potential (2020) 

Percentage of Base Peak Demand 

34%

28%

12%

28%

24%

12%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Residential Commercial Industrial

Percent of Forecast Energy Use

Technical

Economic 38%

33%

13%

33%

24%

12%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Residential Commercial Industrial

Percent of Forecast Peak Demand

Technical

Economic

5.1.2.2 Potentials by Building Type 

Figure 5-6 and Figure 5-7 show the potentials in the residential sector by building type. Single-family 

homes account for about two-thirds of the potential, and low-income homes account for about 15 percent 

of the potential. 

Figure 5-6 

Residential Energy-Savings Potential by 

Building Type (2020) 

Figure 5-7 

Residential Demand-Savings Potential by 

Building Type (2020) 

2,223

624

526

1,879

488

446

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500

Single Family

Multifamily

Low Income

Cumulative Annual GWh

Technical

Econonomic

635

178

135

547

153

118

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

Single Family

Multifamily

Low Income

Cumulative Peak MW

Technical

Econonomic
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-5 

Figure 5-8 and Figure 5-9 show the building-type breakdown of commercial potential. Offices account for 

almost 40 percent of the economic potential, followed by retail, warehouses, and other commercial 

buildings. 

Figure 5-8 

Commercial Economic Energy-Savings 

Potential by Building Type (2014) 

Figure 5-9 

Commercial Economic Demand-Savings 

Potential by Building Type (2014) 

1,874

478

297

233

428

223

195

294

171

729

1,600

416

252

215

325

169

171

245

152

600

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000

Office

Retail

Restaurant

Grocery

Warehouse

School

College

Health

Lodging

Other

Cumulative Annual GWh

Technical

Econonomic

420

116

78

35

118

41

44

53

38

176

310

86

59

30

78

29

36

41

30

128

0 100 200 300 400 500

Office

Retail

Restaurant

Grocery

Warehouse

School

College

Health

Lodging

Other

Cumulative Peak MW

Technical

Econonomic

Figure 5-10 and Figure 5-11 show the business-type breakdown of industrial potential. Key industries in 

terms of economic potential include electronics, food processing, and petroleum refining. The electronics 

industry contributes a relatively higher amount to peak demand as the result of having more HVAC loads. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-6 

Figure 5-10 

Industrial Economic Energy-Savings 

Potential by Business Type (2020) 

Figure 5-11 

Industrial Economic Demand-Savings 

Potential by Business Type (2020) 

77

3

17

9

35

20

85

20

46

56

52

20

95

8

8

54

35

75

3

16

8

31

19

83

20

43

54

49

19

87

7

7

49

34

0 20 40 60 80 100

Food

Textiles-Apparel 

Lumber-Furniture

Paper

Printing

Chemicals

Petroleum

Rubber-Plastics

Stone-Clay-Glass

Prim Metals

Fab Metals

Ind Mach

Electronics

Transp Equip

Misc Ind

Mining

Water/WW

Cumulative Annual GWh

Technical

Econonomic

11

2

3

1

6

3

10

3

6

9

8

5

14

1

1

6

4

11

2

3

1

5

2

10

3

5

8

8

5

13

1

1

6

4

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Food

Textiles-Apparel 

Lumber-Furniture

Paper

Printing

Chemicals

Petroleum

Rubber-Plastics

Stone-Clay-Glass

Prim Metals

Fab Metals

Ind Mach

Electronics

Transp Equip

Misc Ind

Mining

Water/WW

Cumulative Peak MW

Technical

Econonomic

5.1.2.3 Potentials by End Use 

Figure 5-12 and Figure 5-13 show the end-use breakdown of technical and economic potential in the 

residential sector. Energy savings potential is split fairly evenly among the lighting and cooling end uses, 

followed by refrigeration and plug loads (including entertainment and computers). Cooling accounts for 

most of the peak-demand savings potential, since very little lighting is used on warm summer afternoons. 

Whole-building new construction measures also account for significant amounts of both energy and peakdemand potential. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-7 

Figure 5-12 

Residential Economic Energy-Savings 

Potential by End Use (2020) 

Figure 5-13 

Residential Economic Demand-Savings 

Potential by End Use (2020) 

820

165

166

765

344

169

85

213

42

119

485

636

165

75

733

306

46

53

213

42

76

470

0 200 400 600 800 1,000

Cooling

Furnace/AC Fan

Heating

Lighting

Refrigeration

Water Heating

Plug Loads

Entertainment

Computers

Miscellaneous

Whole Bldg (New

Constr)

Cumulative Annual GWh

Technical

Econonomic

587

45

0

71

52

18

10

27

5

16

119

490

45

0

68

46

5

6

27

5

11

115

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

Cooling

Furnace/AC Fan

Heating

Lighting

Refrigeration

Water Heating

Plug Loads

Entertainment

Computers

Miscellaneous

Whole Bldg (New

Constr)

Cumulative Peak MW

Technical

Econonomic

Figure 5-14 and Figure 5-15 show the end-use breakdown of commercial potential. Lighting’s end use is 

the largest contributor to both energy and peak-demand economic-savings potential. CFLs and premium 

T8 lamps with electronic ballasts are key lighting measures. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-8 

Figure 5-14 

Commercial Economic Energy Savings 

Potential by End Use (2014) 

Figure 5-15 

Commercial Economic Demand Savings 

Potential by End Use (2014) 

2,121

196

609

332

144

217

210

79

50

36

930

1,768

185

425

108

142

216

210

78

49

34

930

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500

Indoor Lighting

Outdoor Lighting

Cooling

Ventilation

Refrigeration

Office Equipment

Data Center/Server

Water Heating

Vending Machines

Cooking

Whole Bldg (New Constr)

Cumulative Annual GWh

Technical

Econonomic

348

5

395

111

15

21

28

10

5

5

175

278

5

263

21

15

21

28

10

5

5

175

0 100 200 300 400 500

Indoor Lighting

Outdoor Lighting

Cooling

Ventilation

Refrigeration

Office Equipment

Data Center/Server

Water Heating

Vending Machines

Cooking

Whole Bldg (New Constr)

Cumulative Peak MW

Technical

Econonomic

Figure 5-16 and Figure 5-17 show the end-use breakdown of industrial potential. Pumping-system 

measures provide the largest source of economic potential, followed by compressed-air systems and 

lighting. 

Figure 5-16 

Industrial Economic Energy-Savings 

Potential by End Use (2020) 

Figure 5-17 

Industrial Economic Demand-Savings 

Potential by End Use (2020) 

108

64

225

44

20

9

64

103

6

105

62

221

44

20

9

38

101

6

0 50 100 150 200 250

Compressed Air

Fans

Pumps

Drives

Heating

Refrigeration

Cooling

Lighting

Other

Cumulative Annual GWh

Technical

Econonomic

15

7

29

7

3

2

13

16

1

14

7

28

7

3

2

8

16

1

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Compressed Air

Fans

Pumps

Drives

Heating

Refrigeration

Cooling

Lighting

Other

Cumulative Peak MW

Technical

Econonomic
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-9 

5.1.3 Energy-Efficiency Supply Curves 

A common way to illustrate the amount of energy savings per dollar spent is to construct an energyefficiency supply curve. A supply curve typically is depicted on two axes: one captures the cost per unit 

of saved energy (e.g., levelized $/kWh saved), and the other shows energy savings at each level of cost. 

Measures are sorted on a least-cost basis, and total savings are calculated incrementally with respect to 

measures that precede them. The costs of the measures are levelized over the life of the savings achieved. 

Figure 5-18 and Figure 5-19 present the supply curves constructed for this study for electric energyefficiency and peak-demand efficiency, respectively. Each curve represents savings as a percentage of 

total energy or peak demand. These curves show that energy savings of about 16 percent are available at 

under $0.05 per kWh, and peak demand savings of about 9 percent are available at under $100 per MW. 

Savings potentials and levelized costs for the individual measures that comprise the supply curves are 

provided in Appendix G. 

Figure 5-18 

Electric Energy Supply Curve* 

$0.00

$0.05

$0.10

$0.15

$0.20

$0.25

$0.30

$0.35

$0.40

$0.45

$0.50

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Savings Potential as a Percent of Total Energy Sales

Levelized $/kWh Saved

*Levelized cost per kWh saved is calculated using a 7.9 percent nominal discount rate. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-10 

Figure 5-19 

Peak-Demand Supply Curve* 

$0

$100

$200

$300

$400

$500

$600

$700

$800

$900

$1,000

0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0%

Savings Potential as a Percent of Total Peak Demand

Levelized $/kW Saved

*Levelized cost per kW saved is calculated using a 7.9 percent nominal discount rate. 

5.2 Achievable (Program) Potential 

In contrast to technical and economic potential estimates, achievable potential estimates take into account 

market and other factors that affect the adoption of efficiency measures. Our method of estimating 

measure adoption takes into account market barriers and reflects actual consumer- and business-implicit 

discount rates. This section presents results for achievable potential, first at the summary level and then 

by sector. More detail on achievable program potential is shown in Appendix H. 

Achievable potential refers to the amount of savings that would occur in response to one or more specific 

program interventions. Net savings associated with program potential are savings that are projected 

beyond those that would occur naturally in the absence of any market intervention. Because achievable 

potential depends on the type and degree of intervention applied, we developed potential estimates under 

alternative funding scenarios: 50-percent incentives, 75-percent incentives, and 100-percent incentives. 

These scenarios reflect the percentage of incremental measure cost that is assumed to be paid in customer 

incentives. (The low-income market segment was modeled using 100-percent incentives for each 

scenario, but the level of program effort increased across scenarios in line with increases in other market 

segments.) We estimated program energy and peak-demand savings under each scenario for the 

2010-2020 period. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-11 

Figure 5-20 and Figure 5-21 show our estimates of achievable potential savings over time. As shown in 

Figure 5-20, by 2020, cumulative net7

 energy savings are projected to be 1,802 GWh under the 50-

percent incentive scenario, 2,806 GWh under the 75-percent incentive scenario, and 4,892 GWh under th

100-percent incentive scenario. 

e 

incentives. 

Achievable Electric Energy-Savings: All Sectors 

Figure 5-21 depicts projected net peak-demand savings of 328 MW under

50-percent incentives, 538 MW under 75-percent incentives, and 1,198 MW under 100-percent 

Figure 5-20 

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Cumulative Annual GWh

Naturally Occurring

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

Prog Cost to 2020: $2,725 Mil

Prog Cost to 2020: $957 Mil

Prog Cost to 2020: $474Mil

 

7

 Throughout this section, net refers to savings beyond those estimated to be naturally occurring; that is, from 

customer adoptions that would occur in the absence of any programs or standards. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-12 

Figure 5-21 

Achievable Peak-Demand Savings: All Sectors 

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Cumulative Peak MW

Naturally Occurring

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

Prog Cost to 2020: $2,725 Mil

Prog Cost to 2020: $957 Mil

Prog Cost to 2020: $474 Mil

Figure 5-22 depicts costs and benefits under each funding scenario from 2010 to 2020. The present value 

of program costs (including administration, marketing, and incentives) is $354 million under the 50-

percent incentive scenario, $719 million under the 75-percent incentive scenario, and $2,130 million 

under the 100-percent incentive scenario. The present value of total avoided-cost benefits is $2,095 

million under 50-percent incentives, $3,337 million under 75-percent incentives, and $6,496 million 

under 100-percent incentives. The present value of net avoided-cost benefits, i.e., the difference between 

total avoided-cost benefits and total costs (which include participant costs in addition to program costs), is 

$1,575 million under 50-percent incentives, $2,448 million under 75-percent incentives, and $4,166 

million under 100-percent incentives. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-13 

Figure 5-22 

Benefits and Costs of Energy-Efficiency Savings—2010-2020* 

$573 $184 $278

$1,557

$441 $170

$201

$169 $166

$6,496

$3,337

$2,095

$0

$1,000

$2,000

$3,000

$4,000

$5,000

$6,000

$7,000

Present Value in $ Millions

Total Avoided Cost Benefits

Participant Costs

Program Incentives

Program Admin and Marketing

50% Incentive 100% Incentive

Net Benefits:

$1,575 Million

Net Benefits:

$4,166 Million

75% Incentive

Net Benefits:

$2,448 Million

* Present value of benefits and costs over normalized 20-year measure lives; nominal discount rate is 7.9 percent, 

inflation rate is 1.5 percent. 

All three of the funding scenarios are cost-effective based on the TRC test, which is the test used in this 

study to determine program cost-effectiveness. The TRC benefit-cost ratios are 4.06 for the 50-percent 

incentive scenario, 3.8 for the 75-percent incentive scenario, and 2.8 for the 100-percent incentive 

scenario. This indicates that program cost-effectiveness declines somewhat with increasing program 

effort, reflecting penetration of more measures with lower cost-effectiveness levels. Key results of our 

efficiency scenario forecasts from 2010 to 2020 are summarized in Table 5-1. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-14 

Table 5-1 

Summary of Achievable Potential Results—2010-2020 

 Program Scenario 

Result 

50% 

Incentive 

75% 

Incentive 

100% 

Incentive 

Gross Energy Savings - GWh 2,946 3,949 6,036 

Gross Peak Demand Savings - MW 486 696 1,356 

Net Energy Savings - GWh 1,802 2,806 4,892 

Net Peak Demand Savings - MW 328 538 1,198 

Program Costs - Real, $ Million 

Administration $179 $303 $682 

Marketing $69 $70 $77 

Incentives $227 $584 $1,966 

Total $474 $957 $2,725 

PV Avoided Costs Benefits $2,095 $3,337 $6,496 

PV Annual Marketing and Admin Costs $184 $278 $573 

PV Net Measure Costs $336 $611 $1,757 

TRC Ratio 4.0 3.8 2.8 

PV (present value) of benefits and costs is calculated over a 20-year normalized measure life for 2010-

2020 program years, nominal discount rate = 7.9 percent, inflation rate = 1.5 percent; GWh and MW 

savings are cumulative through 2020. 

5.2.1 CFL Potentials and Federal Lighting Standards 

Federal lighting standards that are being introduced in 2012 and continue tightening through 2020 will 

reduce the allowed minimum energy consumption for incandescent bulbs. This, in turn, will lower 

impacts of program CFLs. While it is not entirely clear how markets will respond to the new standards, it 

appears that CFL impacts will be reduced in two ways: (1) CFL savings over a base incandescent bulb 

will be lower as the base incandescent usage drops; and (2) the more efficient incandescent bulbs will 

likely cost more, and this effect will increase a naturally occurring shift to CFLs due to price effects. 

Figure 5-23 illustrates how the impacts of program CFLs are reduced over time in response to the federal 

standards. Overall, we expect some reduction in impacts between 2012 and 2014 and further reduction in 

CFL impacts after 2020. In addition to the effects of standards, continued penetration of CFLs into the 

market will also put a dampening effect on future program CFL impacts, as the measure reaches high 

saturation levels and it becomes more difficult to find customers who have not converted most of their 

lighting to CFLs. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-15 

Figure 5-23 

Incremental Impacts of Program CFLs versus Other Measures – 75% Incentive Case 

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Incremental Program Impacts - Annual GWh

Other Measures

CFLs 

5.2.2 Breakdown of Achievable Potential 

Cumulative net achievable potential estimates by customer class for the period of 2010-2020 are 

presented in Figure 5-24 and Figure 5-25. These figures show results for each funding scenario. Under the 

program assumptions developed for this study, achievable energy savings are highest for the commercial 

sector, while peak-demand savings are highest for the commercial sector in the 50-percent and 75-percent 

incentive scenarios and are higher for the residential sector in the 100-percent incentive scenario. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-16 

Figure 5-24 

Net Achievable Energy Savings 

(2020) by Sector—GWh per Year 

Figure 5-25 

Net Achievable Peak-Demand Savings 

(2020) by Sector—MW 

2,045

2,473

374

866

1,654

285

565

1,054

184

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Residential Commercial Industrial

Cumulative Annual Savings by 2020 - GWh

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

620

527

52

189

310

39

112

191

24

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Residential Commercial Industrial

Cumulative Savings by 2020 - MW

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

5.2.2.1 Residential Sector 

Figure 5-26 and Figure 5-27 show cumulative net achievable program savings by residential program 

scenario. By 2020, net energy savings reach 565 GWh under the 50-percent incentive scenario, 189 GWh 

under the 75-percent incentive scenario, and 620 GWh under the 100-percent incentive scenario. Energy 

savings are most sensitive to changes in incentives in the 75- to 100-percent range. For peak demand, net 

savings increase from 112 MW under 50-percent incentives to 189 MW under 75-percent incentives to 

620 MW under 100-percent incentives. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-17 

Figure 5-26 

Achievable Energy Savings: Residential Sector 

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Cumulative Annual GWh

Naturally Occurring

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

Figure 5-27 

Achievable Peak-Demand Savings: Residential Sector 

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Cumulative MW

Naturally Occurring

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

Figure 5-28 and Figure 5-29 show the end-use distribution of energy and peak-demand savings, 

cumulative to 2020. Key end uses for energy-savings potential include lighting, cooling, refrigeration, 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-18 

Energy Star entertainment systems, and new construction measures. Cooling and new construction 

measures provide much of the peak-demand savings potential. The figures also show that our models 

predict a large increase in savings when incentives are increased from 75 percent to 100 percent of 

incremental measure cost. This is especially true for the replace-on-burnout measures where customers 

are much more likely to choose energy-efficient equipment at the time of replacement if there is no cost 

premium over standard-efficiency equipment. 

Figure 5-28 

Residential Net Energy-Savings Potential 

by End Use (2020) 

Figure 5-29 

Residential Net Peak-Savings Potential 

by End Use (2020) 

505

155

54

496

202

32

27

106

20

56

395

107

41

25

314

71

19

16

88

17

28

140

47

15

12

187

34

9

16

86

17

15

128

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Cooling

Furnace/AC Fan

Heating

Lighting

Refrigeration

Water Heating

Plug Loads

Entertainment

Computers

Miscellaneous

Whole Bldg (New

Constr)

Cumulative Annual GWh

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

374

42

0

46

30

3

3

14

2

8

97

83

11

0

29

11

2

2

11

2

4

34

37

4

0

17

5

1

2

11

2

2

31

0 100 200 300 400

Cooling

Furnace/AC Fan

Heating

Lighting

Refrigeration

Water Heating

Plug Loads

Entertainment

Computers

Miscellaneous

Whole Bldg (New

Constr)

Cumulative Peak MW

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

Table 5-2 shows how the low-income potentials compare to the overall residential potentials. The lowincome segment accounts for about 13 percent of total residential economic potential and about 10 

percent of total residential achievable potential. The primary reason for drop-off in low-income 

achievable potential relative to total residential potential is the exclusion of CFLs from the low-income 

totals. Note that the low-income segment was not modeled using varying incentive levels. Rather, this 

segment was assumed to receive incentives equal to 100 percent of incremental measure cost for all 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-19 

program scenarios, and the level of program effort was adjusted to allow for the low-income potentials to 

track other residential segments in terms of program achievements. 

Table 5-2 

Low-Income Potentials Compared to Total Residential Potentials (2020) 

 Program Scenario 

Economic 

Potential 

100% 

Incentive 

75% 

Incentive 

50% 

Incentive 

Residential 2,813 2,045 866 565 

Low Income 366 185 92 55 

% of Residential 13% 9% 11% 10% 

Note: Low-income economic potentials include CFLs, but the low-income achievable 

potentials exclude CFLs. 

Table 5-3 lists the various potentials for residential measures that passed cost-effectiveness screening. 

The list is sorted by economic potential. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-20 

Table 5-3 

Measure-Specific Residential Results (Cumulative to 2020) – GWh 

Measure

Average 

TRC 

Ratio Technical Economic

Econ net of 

Nat Occ

Ach 

@100% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

Ach 

@75% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

Ach 

@50% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

CFL 13W 35.4 477.6 477.6 259.6 255.7 99% 226.9 87% 164.1 63%

CFL 13W - Specialty 2.7 245.5 245.5 243.8 239.9 98% 86.8 36% 22.6 9%

WINDOWS - Default With Sunscreen 3.2 198.1 197.3 197.3 183.4 93% 21.2 11% 11.4 6%

ECM Furnace Fan (variable speed motor) 5.4 164.5 164.5 164.1 154.8 94% 41.3 25% 15.1 9%

Refrigerator (Energy Star) 2.2 152.8 152.8 151.7 62.7 41% 25.6 17% 15.9 11%

Evaporative Cooler - Direct 1.6 132.2 126.0 125.1 118.3 95% 34.5 28% 13.5 11%

Refrigerator - Early Replacement (Energy Star) 1.9 115.2 115.2 114.9 108.7 95% 36.2 32% 13.7 12%

Energy Star Big Screen TV 150.1 91.7 91.7 65.1 48.9 75% 41.0 63% 39.7 61%

Energy Star Set-Top Box 32.7 86.5 86.5 69.1 41.5 60% 34.3 50% 33.4 48%

WINDOWS - Double-Glazed Clear to Energy Star 2.6 80.5 80.5 80.3 29.3 36% 10.3 13% 5.3 7%

14 SEER (12.15 EER) Split-System Air Conditioner 1.6 62.8 62.3 62.1 23.7 38% 5.5 9% 2.8 5%

Whole House Fans 1.3 107.4 49.2 49.1 45.6 93% 6.6 13% 1.1 2%

Whole House Fans 1.3 107.4 49.2 49.1 45.6 93% 6.6 13% 1.1 2%

High Efficiency CD (EF=3.01 w/moisture sensor) 1.3 49.6 40.0 39.8 24.5 61% 7.9 20% 4.3 11%

Energy Star Desktop PC 20.5 39.9 39.9 32.9 19.1 58% 16.4 50% 16.1 49%

Air Source Heat Pump 2.9 38.8 38.8 38.1 19.2 50% 12.3 32% 7.5 20%

Crawlspace insulation 5.7 35.8 35.8 35.7 33.4 94% 8.3 23% 3.0 8%

Proper Refrigerant Charging and Air Flow 2.0 34.4 33.6 33.6 33.3 99% 8.8 26% 3.4 10%

Energy Star DVD Player 17.7 21.0 21.0 17.8 10.1 56% 8.2 46% 8.0 45%

Programmable Thermostat 2.8 19.8 19.7 19.6 19.6 100% 5.5 28% 2.1 11%

Freezer (Energy Star) 1.3 19.5 19.5 19.3 13.1 68% 4.4 23% 2.6 13%

Energy Star Home Audio 18.8 19.3 19.3 15.9 9.4 59% 7.6 48% 7.4 47%

Freezer - Early Replacement (Energy Star) 1.5 18.2 18.2 18.2 17.2 95% 5.0 28% 2.0 11%

High Efficiency One Speed Pool Pump (1.5 hp) 4.7 17.2 17.0 15.8 14.8 94% 11.7 74% 8.3 53%

Two Speed Pool Pump (1.5 hp) 1.8 16.8 16.6 16.6 15.4 93% 7.4 45% 2.3 14%

HE Room Air Conditioner - CEE Tier 1 EER 11.3 1.7 15.4 15.2 15.2 8.9 59% 2.8 18% 1.3 9%

Energy Star TV 8.8 13.8 13.8 12.6 5.4 43% 4.6 36% 4.5 36%

Proper Sizing and Quality Install 4.0 12.1 12.1 12.0 4.7 39% 1.6 14% 0.6 5%

Ceiling R-0 to R-49 Insulation 2.8 10.2 10.1 10.0 9.9 99% 4.8 48% 1.8 18%

ROB 2L4'T8, 1EB 0.9 41.8 10.0 10.0 0.7 7% 0.2 2% 0.1 1%

Heat Pump Water Heater - Energy Star 0.6 67.7 9.6 9.6 7.2 75% 3.3 35% 1.4 14%

Energy Star Cordless Phones 8.5 8.7 8.7 7.8 3.5 45% 2.9 37% 2.8 37%

Energy Star CW CEE Tier 2 (MEF=2.0) 1.2 14.1 8.3 8.3 4.4 53% 2.0 24% 0.8 10%

Pipe Wrap 3.8 7.5 7.5 7.2 6.8 94% 4.5 63% 2.3 32%

Energy Star DTA (Digital to Analog Converter) 7.6 7.8 7.5 6.8 3.0 44% 2.5 37% 2.5 36%

Duct Sealing - from 40% AHU to 12% 2.8 7.9 7.5 7.4 7.4 99% 2.7 36% 1.0 14%

Plug Load Controls - Smart Power Strip 0.6 21.2 7.3 7.3 7.3 99% 0.1 1% 0.0 0%

Low Flow Showerhead 1.5 Gal/Min 3.8 7.0 7.0 6.7 6.3 94% 4.7 70% 2.4 35%

Duct Sealing - from 24% AHU to 12% 1.1 11.7 6.4 6.4 6.3 99% 1.7 27% 1.1 17%

Wall Blow-in R-0 to R-13 Insulation 1.3 12.7 6.3 6.3 6.3 99% 2.1 33% 1.1 18%

Energy Star Battery Chargers 5.3 5.4 5.2 4.8 1.7 36% 1.5 31% 1.5 30%

Energy Star External Power Adapters 5.3 5.4 5.2 4.8 1.7 36% 1.5 31% 1.5 30%

HE Water Heater (EF=0.93) 1.2 8.6 4.8 4.8 2.4 50% 1.1 23% 0.5 10%

Faucent Aerators 3.2 4.4 4.4 4.2 4.0 94% 2.7 63% 1.2 29%

Self Install Weatherization 1.8 4.2 4.0 3.9 3.7 94% 1.6 40% 0.6 15%

Duct Insulation 4.7 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.9 100% 2.1 54% 0.9 23%

Tankless Water Heater 0.7 25.4 3.9 3.9 1.4 36% 0.5 12% 0.2 6%

Energy Star Laptop PC 7.9 2.2 2.2 2.0 0.9 45% 0.8 38% 0.7 36%

Ceiling Fans 0.8 8.9 2.0 2.0 1.8 91% 0.1 5% 0.0 1%

10% better than Energy Star Dehumidifier 8.5 2.0 2.0 1.9 1.3 66% 0.7 36% 0.4 21%

Ceiling R-11 to R-49 Insulation 0.8 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 99% 0.0 6% 0.0 1%

 New Construction Meausres

Best Practice Home 1.4 279.3 263.9 253.4 221.4 87% 70.5 28% 63.2 25%

ENERGY STAR Home 2.2 205.6 205.6 194.6 173.9 89% 69.6 36% 64.8 33%

Note: TRC ratios are averages across multiple market segments. In some cases, the average TRC ratio may be below 1.0, but the 

measure is cost effective for some market segments, and thus, economic savings can be positive. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-21 

5.2.2.2 Commercial Sector 

Figure 5-30 and Figure 5-31 show cumulative net achievable program savings by commercial program 

scenario. By 2020, net energy savings reach 1,054 GWh under the 50-percent incentive scenario, 1,645 

GWh under the 75-percent incentive scenario, and 2,473 GWh under the 100-percent incentive scenario. 

Peak-demand savings by 2020 range from 191 MW in the 50-percent incentive scenario to 310 MW in 

the 75-percent incentive scenario to 527 MW in the 100 percent incentive scenario. Savings increases 

begin to taper off in the more advanced scenarios as the lighting measures begin to reach high saturation 

levels and increased program penetration becomes more difficult. 

Figure 5-30 

Achievable Energy Savings: Commercial Sector 

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Cumulative Annual GWh

Naturally Occurring

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-22 

Figure 5-31 

Achievable Peak-Demand Savings: Commercial Sector 

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Cumulative MW

Naturally Occurring

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

Figure 5-32 and Figure 5-33 show the end-use distribution of energy and peak-demand savings. Lighting 

contributes most to both the energy and peak-demand savings potential (except in the 100-percent 

incentive scenario), followed by cooling, data center, and outdoor lighting measures. As one would 

expect, HVAC contributes a higher share to peak-demand savings potential versus energy-savings 

potential. While office equipment measures are shown to be a contributor to net savings, no incentives are 

provided for measures affecting this end use. Rather, results show effects of program marketing and 

education efforts to make customers more aware of the benefits of implementing equipment powermanagement capabilities. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-23 

Figure 5-32 

Commercial Net Energy-Savings Potential 

by End Use (2020) 

Figure 5-33 

Commercial Net Peak-Savings Potential 

by End-Use (2020) 

913

159

339

90

102

19

161

44

44

25

665

102

138

39

65

19

121

29

20

18

423

53

65

17

38

19

64

20

8

13

0 200 400 600 800 1,000

Indoor Lighting

Outdoor Lighting

Cooling

Ventilation

Refrigeration

Office Equipment

Data

Center/Server

Water Heating

Vending Machines

Cooking

Cumulative Annual GWh

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

139

4

204

17

11

2

21

6

4

3

100

3

82

6

7

2

16

4

2

2

63

1

39

3

4

2

8

3

1

2

0 50 100 150 200 250

Indoor Lighting

Outdoor Lighting

Cooling

Ventilation

Refrigeration

Office Equipment

Data

Center/Server

Water Heating

Vending Machines

Cooking

Cumulative Peak MW

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

Table 5-4 lists the various potentials for commercial measures that passed cost-effectiveness screening. 

Lighting measures, especially the premium T8 lighting with electronic ballast and CFLs, account for 

much of the savings potential. Limited achievable program potential for office equipment measures 

reflect the fact that incentives are not being provided and that program savings are mainly from 

information-based efforts. Lower achievable program potentials for some replace-on-burnout measures 

(such as air conditioners, chillers, and ventilation motors) reflect the fact that these measures that have 

limited opportunities due to equipment lifecycles. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-24 

Table 5-4 

Measure-Specific Commercial Results (Cumulative to 2020) – GWh 

Measure

Average 

TRC 

Ratio Technical Economic

Econ net 

of Nat 

Occ

Ach 

@100% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econo

mic

Ach 

@75% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econo

mic

Ach 

@50% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econo

mic

CFL Screw-in 18W 126.2 369.1 369.1 64.7 58.7 91% 54.5 84% 44.2 68%

High Performance Lighting R/R - 25% Savings 9.2 307.2 307.2 296.9 114.7 39% 82.8 28% 63.2 21%

RET 2L4' Premium T8, 1EB 7.9 182.1 182.1 143.3 140.6 98% 122.8 86% 87.0 61%

High Pressure Sodium 250W Lamp 1.1 177.0 166.1 157.5 145.5 92% 89.9 57% 42.9 27%

RET 4L4' Premium T8, 1EB 19.8 147.3 147.3 54.7 52.7 96% 49.3 90% 42.9 78%

CFL Hardwired, Modular 18W 4.4 123.0 123.0 112.4 65.7 58% 36.0 32% 14.6 13%

RET 2L4' Premium T8, 1EB, Reflector 16.0 111.7 111.7 95.0 93.4 98% 84.3 89% 53.1 56%

PC Network Power Management Enabling 37.2 95.3 95.3 38.7 11.0 29% 11.0 29% 11.0 29%

Data Center Best Practices 68.3 93.1 93.1 88.5 82.5 93% 65.2 74% 25.1 28%

ROB 2L4' Premium T8, 1EB 8.7 87.5 87.5 83.5 40.4 48% 30.5 37% 23.8 28%

Data Center Improved Operations 167.7 81.3 81.3 50.9 45.6 90% 44.2 87% 36.7 72%

Occupancy Sensor, 8L4' Fluorescent Fixtures 3.6 81.3 81.3 78.0 72.3 93% 46.8 60% 20.8 27%

Occupancy Sensor, 4L4' Fluorescent Fixtures 2.8 79.4 79.4 77.6 71.7 92% 37.0 48% 13.5 17%

DX Packaged System, EER=10.9, 10 tons 5.2 79.3 79.3 78.4 41.1 52% 19.4 25% 12.0 15%

Aerosol Duct Sealing - DX 2.9 73.6 73.6 72.4 66.5 92% 22.3 31% 8.8 12%

ROB 4L4' Premium T8, 1EB 6.6 71.2 71.2 69.3 26.2 38% 18.5 27% 13.8 20%

Vending Misers (cooled machines only) 3.7 50.2 49.2 47.0 43.6 93% 20.3 43% 7.8 17%

Energy Star or Better PC 53.5 45.8 45.8 8.8 3.9 44% 3.9 44% 3.9 44%

RET 1L4' Premium T8, 1EB, Reflector OEM 7.2 45.6 45.6 44.8 44.2 98% 25.0 56% 7.2 16%

Economizer - DX 2.0 48.0 41.8 40.4 37.3 92% 17.4 43% 8.2 20%

Heat Recovery Unit 8.4 41.4 40.7 29.5 26.7 91% 17.4 59% 11.2 38%

Data Center State of the Art practices 35.4 35.7 35.7 35.5 33.2 93% 11.9 34% 2.2 6%

Convection Oven 7.7 33.4 33.4 31.1 23.9 77% 17.2 55% 13.2 43%

Freezer-Cooler Replacement Gaskets 14.6 29.2 29.2 13.7 11.8 86% 10.3 75% 8.2 60%

DX Coil Cleaning 6.2 27.3 27.3 25.8 24.0 93% 14.7 57% 7.4 29%

PSMH + electronic ballast 2.3 25.3 25.3 24.8 22.4 90% 9.9 40% 3.5 14%

Cool Roof - DX 4.2 32.6 24.8 23.1 21.1 91% 7.0 30% 3.5 15%

Centrifugal Chiller, 0.51 kW/ton, 500 tons 6.6 24.4 24.4 24.2 9.5 39% 5.1 21% 3.3 14%

Window Film (Standard) - DX 4.0 35.7 24.4 23.5 21.7 92% 9.4 40% 4.7 20%

High Bay T5 5.3 23.2 23.2 20.6 18.8 91% 13.9 67% 8.5 41%

PC Manual Power Management Enabling 11.4 22.9 22.9 19.5 0.8 4% 0.8 4% 0.8 4%

Printer Power Management Enabling 3.5 22.3 22.3 22.0 0.2 1% 0.2 1% 0.2 1%

Monitor Power Management Enabling 30.8 22.3 22.3 13.8 2.2 16% 2.2 16% 2.2 16%

Variable Speed Drive Control, 40 HP 2.5 21.8 21.7 20.1 18.6 92% 11.1 55% 6.1 31%

Heat Pump Water Heater (air source) 7.9 21.4 21.4 20.5 10.7 52% 7.5 36% 5.7 28%

High-efficiency fan motors 1.9 21.7 21.4 21.1 19.5 93% 7.8 37% 2.5 12%

LED Exit Sign 2.5 20.2 20.2 19.9 19.6 98% 9.8 49% 2.9 15%

Prog. Thermostat - DX 1.8 22.4 19.4 18.8 17.3 92% 8.0 43% 3.7 20%

Induction High Bay Lighting 1.9 19.1 19.1 19.0 17.5 92% 5.5 29% 1.7 9%

Geothermal Heat Pump, EER=13, 10 tons - DX 6.7 18.9 18.9 18.2 16.8 93% 9.4 52% 4.4 24%

RET 2 - 1L4' Premium T8, 1EB, Reflector OEM 6.9 18.6 18.6 18.3 18.1 98% 9.7 53% 2.6 14%

Outdoor Lighting Controls (Photocell/Timeclock) 4.3 18.6 18.6 13.4 13.1 98% 12.4 93% 9.7 73%

Oversized Air Cooled Condenser 3.5 18.5 18.5 17.2 16.9 98% 12.6 73% 6.8 40%

Variable Speed Drive Control, 5 HP 0.9 28.8 17.7 17.5 16.1 92% 5.2 30% 1.8 10%

Night covers for display cases 2.8 16.9 16.8 14.9 13.8 92% 10.4 69% 6.4 43%

RET 2 - 2L4' Premium T8, 1EB 7.2 15.1 15.1 12.4 12.1 98% 10.4 84% 7.2 58%

Variable Speed Drive Control, 15 HP 1.5 17.6 14.7 14.2 13.1 92% 6.3 44% 2.9 21%

Note: TRC ratios are averages across multiple market segments. In some cases, the average TRC ratio may be below 1.0, but the 

measure is cost effective for some market segments, and thus, economic savings can be positive. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-25 

Table 5-4 (Continued) 

Measure-Specific Commercial Results (Cumulative to 2020) – GWh 

Measure

Average 

TRC 

Ratio Technical Economic

Econ net 

of Nat 

Occ

Ach 

@100% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econo

mic

Ach 

@75% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econo

mic

Ach 

@50% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econo

mic

PSMH, magnetic ballast, 320 W 32.5 14.1 14.1 4.5 3.5 80% 3.2 73% 2.8 63%

Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) 1.9 17.6 14.1 14.0 12.8 92% 3.2 23% 1.0 7%

Fan Motor, 5hp, 1800rpm, 89.5% 2.1 13.9 13.3 13.2 7.6 58% 3.0 23% 1.7 13%

Ceiling/roof Insulation - DX 2.3 13.8 12.8 12.6 11.6 92% 3.1 24% 1.0 8%

Economizer - Chiller 1.2 17.3 12.1 12.0 11.8 98% 2.3 19% 0.5 4%

Air Handler Optimization, 15 HP 2.6 11.5 11.4 11.3 10.5 93% 4.7 42% 1.4 13%

Refrigeration Commissioning 1.5 11.7 11.4 11.2 10.4 93% 4.3 39% 1.4 13%

DX Tune Up/ Advanced Diagnostics 1.4 14.1 11.3 11.3 10.3 92% 2.5 22% 0.7 7%

VSD for Chiller Pumps and Towers 3.7 11.2 11.2 10.9 10.1 92% 4.5 42% 2.0 19%

Occupancy Sensor, High Bay T5 9.7 11.2 11.2 10.3 6.8 66% 5.5 54% 4.4 43%

Optimize Controls - DX 1.4 13.0 10.5 10.2 9.4 92% 4.2 41% 1.9 18%

Lighting Control Tuneup 7.5 10.0 10.0 8.5 8.2 97% 7.0 82% 4.7 55%

High Efficiency Chiller Motors 2.7 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.3 98% 2.3 24% 0.5 5%

Anti-sweat (humidistat) controls 4.4 9.4 9.4 8.1 7.5 92% 5.7 71% 3.7 45%

Chiller Tune Up/Diagnostics 1.4 8.8 8.8 8.7 8.0 92% 2.3 27% 0.8 9%

Air Handler Optimization, 40 HP 3.0 9.4 8.6 8.4 7.9 93% 4.4 52% 1.4 17%

Demand Defrost Electric 36.3 8.5 8.5 2.3 1.8 77% 1.6 70% 1.4 61%

Solar Water Heater 2.7 8.0 8.0 8.0 3.1 39% 1.4 18% 0.9 11%

EMS - Chiller 1.6 7.6 7.6 7.4 6.8 91% 2.0 27% 0.9 12%

High R-Value Glass Doors 1.7 7.1 7.1 7.0 6.5 93% 2.6 37% 0.8 11%

Strip curtains for walk-ins 6.0 6.4 6.4 4.9 4.5 91% 3.7 75% 2.6 53%

Heat Trap 14.0 5.4 5.4 3.1 2.7 89% 2.3 75% 1.7 56%

EMS Optimization - Chiller 1.2 5.0 5.0 4.9 4.5 92% 1.6 33% 0.6 12%

Energy Star or Better Monitor 104.1 4.7 4.7 0.8 0.4 46% 0.4 46% 0.4 46%

Compressor VSD retrofit 1.7 4.7 4.5 4.4 4.1 93% 1.9 44% 0.7 16%

Efficient compressor motor 9.6 4.3 4.3 3.9 3.0 76% 2.3 58% 1.8 46%

Occupancy Sensor, 4L8' Fluorescent Fixtures 3.5 3.8 3.8 3.6 3.3 93% 2.0 54% 0.9 24%

Demand Hot Gas Defrost 12.7 3.7 3.7 2.0 1.8 88% 1.5 77% 1.2 63%

Fan Motor, 15hp, 1800rpm, 92.4% 2.3 3.1 3.0 2.9 1.7 58% 0.7 24% 0.4 14%

Copier Power Management Enabling 0.9 3.2 2.4 2.4 0.0 0% 0.0 0% 0.0 0%

Continuous Dimming, 10L4' Fluorescent Fixtures 0.9 74.8 2.2 2.2 2.0 91% 0.4 18% 0.1 4%

Fan Motor, 40hp, 1800rpm, 94.1% 1.9 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.0 57% 0.3 21% 0.2 11%

ECM on an Air Handler Unit 4.2 1.5 1.5 1.5 0.8 53% 0.4 27% 0.3 17%

Window Film (Standard) - Chiller 1.3 4.0 1.4 1.4 1.3 92% 0.2 17% 0.1 4%

High Efficiency Water Heater (electric) 4.7 1.3 1.3 1.3 0.7 53% 0.4 32% 0.3 23%

Efficient Fryer 1.0 2.3 1.0 1.0 0.7 76% 0.3 33% 0.2 20%

Energy Star or Better Copier 62.6 0.8 0.8 0.2 0.1 40% 0.1 40% 0.1 40%

Tankless Water Heater 2.4 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.3 39% 0.1 19% 0.1 11%

Ceiling/roof Insulation - Chiller 1.9 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.6 98% 0.1 16% 0.0 3%

Floating head pressure controls 7.1 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.2 90% 0.2 70% 0.1 51%

Demand controlled circulating systems 8.7 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 97% 0.1 71% 0.1 50%

Separate Makeup Air / Exhaust Hoods AC 77.6 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.0 86% 0.0 82% 0.0 76%

Evaporator fan controller for MT walk-ins 0.6 1.3 0.1 0.1 0.1 93% 0.0 59% 0.0 30%

Hot Water Pipe Insulation 1.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 98% 0.0 48% 0.0 18%

 New Construction Meausres

High Performance Building/Int Design - Tier 2 50% 10.3 489.5 489.5 476.5 305.9 64% 227.1 48% 170.2 36%

High Performance Building/Int Design - Tier 1 30% 12.3 440.5 440.5 426.0 272.3 64% 211.1 50% 164.2 39%

Note: TRC ratios are averages across multiple market segments. In some cases, the average TRC ratio may be below 1.0, but the 

measure is cost effective for some market segments, and thus, economic savings can be positive. 

5.2.2.3 Industrial Sector 

Figure 5-34 and Figure 5-35 show cumulative net achievable program savings by industrial program 

scenario. By 2020, net energy savings reach 184 GWh under the 50-percent incentive scenario, 285 GWh 

under the 75-percent incentive scenario, and 374 GWh under the 100-percent incentive scenario. For peak 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-26 

demand, net savings increase from 24 MW under 50-percent incentives to 39 MW under 75-percent 

incentives to 52 MW under 100-percent incentives. 

Figure 5-34 

Achievable Energy Savings: Industrial Sector 

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Cumulative Annual GWh

Naturally Occurring

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

Figure 5-35 

Achievable Peak-Demand Savings: Industrial Sector 

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Cumulative Peak MW

Naturally Occurring

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

Figure 5-36 and Figure 5-37 show the end-use distribution of energy and peak-demand savings in the 

industrial sector. Pumping-system measures contribute most to both the energy and peak-demand savings 

potential, followed by lighting and compressed-air measures. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-27 

Figure 5-36 

Industrial Net Energy-Savings Potential 

by End-Use (2020) 

Figure 5-37 

Industrial Net Peak-Savings Potential 

by End-Use (2020) 

55

39

133

19

7

7

17

97

2

48

24

106

10

4

5

9

78

1

40

14

70

7

2

3

5

43

0

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

Compressed Air

Fans

Pumps

Drives

Heating

Refrigeration

Cooling

Lighting

Other

Cumulative Annual GWh

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

7

4

17

3

1

1

4

15

0

6

2

13

2

1

1

2

12

0

5

1

9

1

0

1

1

7

0

0 5 10 15 20

Compressed Air

Fans

Pumps

Drives

Heating

Refrigeration

Cooling

Lighting

Other

Cumulative Peak MW

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

Table 5-5 lists the various potentials for industrial measures that passed cost-effectiveness screening. 

There are a large number of industrial measures that contribute to industrial savings potential. Limited 

penetration of some industrial measures is, in part, due equipment turnover cycles that limit energyefficiency opportunities. In addition, some of the key process measures, such as installation of controls 

and process optimization, tend to have high market barriers, such as lack of customer knowledge about 

the measure and the need to take their plant out of operation to install measures. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-28 

Table 5-5 

Measure-Specific Industrial Results (Cumulative to 2020) – GWh 

Measure

Average 

TRC 

Ratio Technical Economic

Econ net 

of Nat 

Occ

Ach 

@100% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econo

mic

Ach 

@75% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econo

mic

Ach 

@50% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econo

mic

RET 2L4' Premium T8, 1EB 3.4 74.1 74.1 71.8 71.6 100% 56.2 78% 27.6 38%

Pumps - Controls 10.3 73.2 73.2 69.9 30.4 44% 20.7 30% 13.5 19%

Pumps - System Optimization 4.0 59.0 59.0 55.4 55.3 100% 48.3 87% 30.2 55%

Compressed Air-O&M 13.4 38.1 38.1 20.0 12.8 64% 12.8 64% 12.8 64%

Compressed Air - System Optimization 9.3 27.9 27.9 19.4 19.4 100% 18.8 97% 16.8 86%

Fans - Controls 3.1 26.8 26.8 26.7 12.1 45% 3.8 14% 1.3 5%

Pumps - O&M 17.0 25.3 25.3 10.3 7.4 72% 7.4 72% 7.4 72%

Pumps - Sizing 7.7 23.2 23.2 22.6 10.1 45% 6.1 27% 3.6 16%

CFL Hardwired, Modular 36W 4.0 20.2 20.2 18.6 18.5 100% 18.3 99% 13.9 75%

Pumps - ASD (100+ hp) 2.9 15.2 15.2 14.0 14.0 100% 12.5 89% 8.4 60%

Centrifugal Chiller, 0.51 kW/ton, 500 tons 5.5 13.4 13.4 13.2 3.0 23% 1.3 10% 0.8 6%

Pumps - ASD (6-100 hp) 13.2 12.6 12.6 4.7 4.7 100% 4.6 98% 4.4 94%

Compressed Air- Sizing 17.4 11.7 11.7 10.7 4.3 41% 3.3 31% 2.5 23%

Fans - System Optimization 2.3 9.4 9.4 9.2 9.2 100% 6.9 75% 3.1 34%

DX Packaged System, EER=10.9, 10 tons 1.5 9.2 9.2 9.2 2.7 29% 0.5 6% 0.2 2%

Fans - ASD (100+ hp) 3.5 9.0 9.0 7.9 7.9 100% 7.3 92% 5.4 68%

Comp Air - ASD (100+ hp) 2.9 7.8 7.8 7.2 7.2 100% 6.4 89% 4.3 60%

Compressed Air - Controls 4.6 7.4 7.4 7.3 3.3 45% 1.5 20% 0.7 9%

Occupancy Sensor, 4L4' Fluorescent Fixtures 2.1 6.8 6.8 6.7 6.7 100% 3.8 57% 1.2 18%

Comp Air - ASD (6-100 hp) 13.2 6.4 6.4 5.8 2.3 40% 1.8 31% 1.4 24%

Efficient Curing ovens 3.3 6.4 6.4 6.4 2.0 31% 0.6 9% 0.2 3%

Prog. Thermostat - DX 13.7 6.1 6.1 2.5 2.5 100% 2.5 98% 2.4 93%

Optimization Refrigeration 3.7 5.6 5.6 5.4 5.4 100% 4.1 76% 1.9 35%

Bakery - Process (Mixing) - O&M 16.6 4.9 4.9 2.1 1.5 71% 1.5 71% 1.5 71%

Window Film - DX 3.0 4.4 4.4 4.3 4.3 100% 3.0 71% 1.3 29%

Window Film - Chiller 1.6 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 100% 1.3 33% 0.3 7%

Efficient processes (welding, etc.) 6.3 4.0 4.0 3.9 1.2 31% 0.6 16% 0.3 8%

Heating - Process Control 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.7 1.2 31% 0.4 10% 0.1 4%

Efficient electric melting 4.3 3.6 3.6 3.6 0.8 23% 0.3 8% 0.1 3%

Pumps - Motor practices-1 (100+ HP) 2.4 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.4 100% 2.5 74% 1.1 32%

Fans - ASD (6-100 hp) 7.7 3.3 3.3 3.2 1.4 44% 0.9 29% 0.6 19%

Efficient practices printing press 13.3 3.3 3.3 2.0 2.0 100% 2.0 97% 1.8 89%

Pumps - Motor practices-1 (6-100 HP) 2.3 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.2 100% 2.2 67% 0.8 25%

Efficient Refrigeration - Operations 16.7 3.2 3.2 3.0 1.2 42% 0.9 31% 0.7 22%

Fans- Improve components 8.3 3.1 3.1 3.0 1.3 44% 0.8 28% 0.5 17%

Extruders/injection Moulding-multipump 3.7 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.2 39% 0.4 13% 0.1 5%

Fans - O&M 16.8 3.0 3.0 1.3 0.9 71% 0.9 71% 0.9 71%

Efficient grinding 1.1 2.8 2.8 2.8 0.8 29% 0.0 2% 0.0 0%

Efficient Printing press (fewer cylinders) 3.0 2.8 2.8 2.8 1.3 45% 0.4 14% 0.1 5%

Pumps - Replace 100+ HP motor 1.2 2.7 2.7 2.7 1.7 62% 0.2 7% 0.0 1%

Fans - Motor practices-1 (6-100 HP) 3.5 2.4 2.4 2.3 2.3 100% 1.9 83% 1.0 46%

Drives - Process Controls (batch + site) 1.8 2.9 2.4 2.4 1.1 45% 0.2 8% 0.1 2%

Clean Room - Controls 3.2 2.4 2.4 2.3 1.1 45% 0.3 15% 0.1 5%

Refinery Controls 4.3 2.1 2.1 2.0 1.9 92% 1.6 78% 1.0 49%

O&M - Extruders/Injection Moulding 20.6 2.1 2.1 2.0 0.2 11% 0.2 11% 0.2 11%

Drives - Optimization process (M&T) 11.7 2.0 2.0 1.3 1.3 100% 1.2 97% 1.1 89%

Bakery - Process 10.8 2.0 2.0 1.9 0.6 30% 0.4 20% 0.2 12%

Heating - Optimization process (M&T) 11.3 1.9 1.9 1.2 1.2 100% 1.2 97% 1.1 89%

Air conveying systems 11.9 1.9 1.9 1.8 0.5 30% 0.4 22% 0.3 16%

Note: TRC ratios are averages across multiple market segments. In some cases, the average TRC ratio may be below 1.0, but the 

measure is cost effective for some market segments, and thus, economic savings can be positive. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-29 

Table 5-5 (Continued) 

Measure-Specific Industrial Results (Cumulative to 2020) – GWh 

Measure

Average 

TRC 

Ratio Technical Economic

Econ net 

of Nat 

Occ

Ach 

@100% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econo

mic

Ach 

@75% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econo

mic

Ach 

@50% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econo

mic

Comp Air - Motor practices-1 (100+ HP) 2.6 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 100% 1.4 75% 0.6 34%

Efficient drives - rolling 5.4 1.8 1.8 1.8 0.8 45% 0.4 22% 0.2 10%

Comp Air - Motor practices-1 (6-100 HP) 2.5 1.8 1.8 1.7 1.7 100% 1.2 69% 0.5 27%

Fans - Replace 100+ HP motor 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.1 63% 0.2 10% 0.0 2%

Direct drive Extruders 2.4 1.6 1.6 1.6 0.6 38% 0.1 8% 0.0 2%

Drives - EE motor 4.7 1.5 1.5 1.5 0.7 45% 0.3 21% 0.1 9%

Drives - Process Control 3.9 1.5 1.5 1.5 0.5 31% 0.1 10% 0.1 4%

Comp Air - Replace 100+ HP motor 1.3 1.5 1.5 1.4 0.9 62% 0.1 7% 0.0 1%

Light cylinders 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.2 0.5 43% 0.0 3% 0.0 0%

Machinery 5.0 1.2 1.2 1.2 0.5 45% 0.2 20% 0.1 9%

Fans - Motor practices-1 (100+ HP) 2.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 100% 0.6 53% 0.2 16%

Injection Moulding - Impulse Cooling 3.0 1.1 1.1 1.1 0.4 39% 0.1 11% 0.0 3%

Drives - Scheduling 3.1 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.0 100% 0.9 87% 0.5 54%

Near Net Shape Casting 12.7 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.3 29% 0.2 20% 0.1 13%

Optimize drying process 3.6 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 100% 0.8 82% 0.4 43%

Chiller Tune Up/Diagnostics 1.3 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 4% 0.0 2% 0.0 1%

Replace V-Belts 5.7 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.4 46% 0.3 27% 0.2 16%

Injection Moulding - Direct drive 1.9 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.4 38% 0.1 6% 0.0 1%

Pumps - Motor practices-1 (1-5 HP) 1.5 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 100% 0.3 35% 0.1 8%

Other Process Controls (batch + site) 2.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.3 45% 0.1 13% 0.0 4%

New transformers welding 6.8 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.2 31% 0.1 16% 0.1 8%

Efficient drives 4.9 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.3 45% 0.1 21% 0.1 10%

Clean Room - New Designs 2.2 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.3 45% 0.1 10% 0.0 3%

Process control 7.7 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.3 45% 0.2 27% 0.1 16%

Fans - Motor practices-1 (1-5 HP) 1.9 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.5 100% 0.3 49% 0.1 14%

Heating - Scheduling 3.2 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.5 100% 0.5 88% 0.3 56%

Comp Air - Motor practices-1 (1-5 HP) 1.6 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 100% 0.2 38% 0.0 9%

Optimization control PM 2.8 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 100% 0.3 78% 0.2 39%

Process optimization 2.7 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 100% 0.3 75% 0.1 34%

Power recovery 1.9 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 100% 0.2 51% 0.1 15%

O&M/drives spinning machines 7.9 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.1 23% 0.1 23% 0.1 23%

Heat Pumps - Drying 1.8 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.1 30% 0.0 3% 0.0 1%

Top-heating (glass) 6.8 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.1 52% 0.1 32% 0.1 19%

EMS - Chiller 0.9 6.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 100% 0.0 13% 0.0 2%

Cool Roof - DX 0.9 4.8 0.2 0.2 0.2 100% 0.0 12% 0.0 2%

Gap Forming papermachine 11.8 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 22% 0.0 15% 0.0 10%

High Consistency forming 11.7 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 22% 0.0 15% 0.0 10%

Drying (UV/IR) 3.7 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 53% 0.0 19% 0.0 7%

Process Drives - ASD 2.3 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 100% 0.1 69% 0.0 27%

Intelligent extruder (DOE) 1.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 42% 0.0 2% 0.0 0%

Efficient desalter 4.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 45% 0.0 20% 0.0 9%

Cooling Circ. Pumps - VSD 0.6 3.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 99% 0.0 5% 0.0 1%

Evaporative Pre-Cooler 0.7 3.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 100% 0.0 9% 0.0 2%

Metal Halide, 50W 0.5 1.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 100% 0.0 10% 0.0 2%

Pumps - Replace 6-100 HP motor 0.6 3.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 41% 0.0 1% 0.0 0%

Fans - Replace 6-100 HP motor 0.7 1.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 42% 0.0 1% 0.0 0%

Membranes for wastewater 6.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 31% 0.0 11% 0.0 4%

Comp Air - Replace 6-100 HP motor 0.6 1.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 41% 0.0 1% 0.0 0%

Note: TRC ratios are averages across multiple market segments. In some cases, the average TRC ratio may be below 1.0, but the 

measure is cost effective for some market segments, and thus, economic savings can be positive. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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5.3 Behavioral Conservation and Emerging Technologies 

In addition to the base potentials forecast that are described above, we also investigated the effects of 

behavioral conservation and emerging technologies. The impacts of these components are much more 

uncertain than the impacts of the more standard, commercially available measures that are included in the 

base analysis, and this is why they receive separate treatment. 

5.3.1 Behavioral Conservation 

Two types of residential behavioral-conservation methods are addressed in the analysis: (1) indirect 

feedback approaches, which utilize energy information reports that motivate customers to use less, and (2) 

direct feedback interventions, such use of in-home energy use monitors. Both of these approaches have 

shown some promise in motivating customers to use less energy. However, factors such as persistence 

and the expected amount of energy savings have not been tested over a significant period of time or 

across a wide range of customers. 

For this analysis, we assumed that indirect feedback measures would save about two percent of household 

energy consumption at a cost of about $10 per customer per year (split between the electric and gas 

programs). These measures could be targeted to the entire residential population. Direct methods would 

save about five percent per year at an equipment cost of about $140 per customer, with a measure life of 

four years. These direct methods could be applied to between five and ten percent of the residential 

population. These measure parameters are consistent with findings from recent pilot studies being 

conducted in various locales over the past several years.8

Figure 5-38 shows the effects on technical and economic potential from adding behavioral-conservation 

measures to the analysis. Behavioral conservation adds 218 GWh of technical potential and 216 GWh of 

economic potential to the base amounts. The behavioral-conservation potentials amount to an increase in 

total economic potential of about three percent and an increase to residential economic potential of about 

eight percent. The indirect feedback approaches account for 90 percent of the behavioral-conservation 

potentials since they are applicable to a much larger number of customers than the direct feedback 

measures. 

 

8

 For example see Franklyn Energy, Research Study: Residential Energy Use Behavior Change Pilot, Presented to 

the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Office of Energy Security, April 2009. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-31 

Figure 5-38 

Electric Technical and Economic Potentials with Behavioral-Conservation Activities 

8,894

7,563

9,112

7,779

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

Technical Economic

Cumulative Annual GWh

Base Analysis

With Conservation

For the achievable potential assessment of the behavioral-conservation measures, we focused on the 

indirect interventions and developed three scenarios: 

• A low scenario that targets only the largest residential electricity users, about 0.15 million 

customers with average use of about 15,000 kWh per year 

• A mid scenario that targets both large and medium residential electricity users, about 0.6 million 

customers with combined average electricity use of 9,500 kWh per year 

• A high scenario that targets all residential customers, about 1.2 million customers with average 

electricity use of 7,600 kWh per year 

In each case, program efforts were ramped up over a three-year period. Table 5-6 summarizes the results 

of the analysis over the 2010-2020 time period. As shown, behavioral-conservation potentials—if the 

assumptions outlined above hold up—could save between 44 and 176 GWh in annual program costs 

averaging between $9 million and $68 million dollars, depending on how many customers are targeted for 

the indirect interventions. (It is also possible that Xcel Energy could reduce program costs by better 

targeting customers, so these estimates are probably an upper-bound of program costs.) All scenarios 

have TRC ratios that are greater than 1.0, the cutoff for cost-effectiveness. The scenarios that target the 

larger users show the highest TRC ratios because energy savings per customer are assumed to be higher, 

while program costs are the same as for lower-use customers. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Table 5-6 

Achievable Potentials for Electric Behavioral Conservation 

 Scenario 

Result 

Low 

Large Users Only 

Medium: 

Lrg-Med Users 

High: 

All Customers 

Gross Energy Savings - GWh 43.7 107.4 175.8 

Gross Peak Demand Savings - MW 10.7 26.3 43.1 

Net Energy Savings - GWh 43.7 107.4 175.8 

Net Peak Demand Savings - MW 10.7 26.3 43.1 

Program Costs - Real, $ Million 

Administration $0.1 $0.4 $0.8 

Marketing $8.4 $32.6 $67.0 

Incentives $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 

Total $8.6 $33.0 $67.8 

PV Avoided Costs $35.1 $86.2 $141.0 

PV Annual Marketing and Admin Costs $6.3 $24.2 $49.8 

PV Net Measure Costs $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 

TRC Ratio 5.6 3.6 2.8 

PV (present value) of benefits and costs is calculated over a 20-year normalized measure life for 2010-2020 program years, 

nominal discount rate = 7.9 percent, inflation rate = 1.5 percent; GWh and MW savings are cumulative through 2020. 

5.3.2 Emerging Technologies 

The ultimate impacts and timing of emerging technologies are very uncertain due to both technological 

and market barriers. Despite these uncertainties associated with particular technologies, we know that 

energy-efficiency measures will continue to evolve, and emerging technologies will play a significant role 

in future program years. 

In order to address the possible effects of emerging energy-efficiency measures, we focused our potential 

analysis on several of the more promising emerging technologies: 

• LED lighting, including LED street lighting, LED replacements for incandescent/CFL lighting in 

the residential sector, and LED replacements for fluorescent tube lighting in the commercial 

sector; 

• Induction street lighting, which is somewhat less efficient and also less costly than LED lighting; 

• Fiber-optic refrigeration display lighting; and 

• Indirect evaporative cooling in the residential sector. 

For the analysis, we assumed that these measures were all commercially available and could provide 

claimed savings. We also assumed equipment costs that made these measures commercially viable. For 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-33 

the lighting measures, additional technology development will be required to make the equipment 

commercially viable for the majority of customers. For the indirect evaporative coolers, customer 

acceptance is the biggest source of uncertainty, since there is currently equipment available in the market, 

although market share is negligible. Measure costs and savings are presented in Appendix E, along with 

the other measures that comprise the base analysis. 

We modeled the incremental effects of emerging technologies using the KEMA DSM Assyst model. 

Below, we present results for technical, economic, and achievable potentials. For the achievable 

potentials, we do not include firm program years, since it is unclear how long it might take before these 

technologies achieve any significant market penetration, if any at all. 

Figure 5-39 and Figure 5-40 show the effects on economic potential (energy and peak demand, 

respectively) from the addition of emerging technologies. Overall, economic potential increases by 1,800 

GWh (24 percent) and 628 MW (36 percent) when emerging technologies are considered. Economic 

potential for energy savings increases by about the same rate for the residential and commercial sectors, 

but economic peak-demand potential increases most in the residential sector (61 percent for the residential 

sector as compared to 15 percent in the commercial sector) as a result of the indirect evaporative cooler 

measure. 

Figure 5-39 

Electric Energy Economic Potentials with Emerging Technologies (11 Years) 

2,813

4,145

7,563

3,610

5,148

9,363

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

Residential Commercial Total

Cumulative Annual GWh

Base

With Emerging Tech
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Figure 5-40 

Peak-Demand Economic Potentials with Emerging Technologies (11 Years) 

818 826

1,730

1,320

952

2,358

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Residential Commercial Total

Cumulative Peak MW

Base

With Emerging Tech

Figure 5-41 and Figure 5-42 show the end-use composition of residential economic potentials for energy 

and peak demand, respectively, with and without emerging technologies. These figures show that air 

conditioning (as a result of the indirect evaporative coolers) accounts for about 72 percent of the increase 

in energy potentials and about 96 percent of the increase in peak-demand potentials resulting from the 

emerging technologies. 

Note that the analysis considers not only the effect of the emerging technologies but also the effects these 

technologies would have on other energy-efficiency measures. The indirect evaporative coolers would, 

by themselves, have even larger impacts, since they could save 80 percent on cooling compared to current 

air conditioners. However, if these units reach widespread penetration, many of the current base cooling 

measures would no longer be cost effective, so the net gain in economic potential is not as great as it 

would be if the emerging measure was considered in isolation. Also, it should be noted that savings from 

LED lighting in the residential sector is based off of a CFL base case, since it is most likely that CFLs 

will have captured much of the market by the time LED lighting becomes commercially feasible. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-35 

Figure 5-41 

Residential Electric Economic Potentials with Emerging Technologies (11 Years) 

672 775

2,476

1,245

998

3,273

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

Air Condtioning Lighting Total

Cumulative Annaul GWh

Base

With Emerging Tech

Figure 5-42 

Residential Peak-Demand Economic Potentials with Emerging Technologies (11 Years) 

518

72

742

998

93

1,244

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

Air Condtioning Lighting Total

Cumulative Peak MW

Base

With Emerging Tech

Figure 5-43 and Figure 5-44 show the end-use composition of commercial economic potentials for energy 

and peak demand, respectively, with and without emerging technologies. While LED streetlighting is 

likely to be more of a near-term measure (if current pilots prove successful), the application of LED 

lighting to indoor tube fixtures would provide a much larger source of energy savings. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-36 

Figure 5-43 

Commercial Electric Economic Potentials with Emerging Technologies (11 Years) 

1,868

195 150

3,397

2,536

476

204

4,400

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

Indoor Lighting Outdoor Lighting Refrigeration Total

Cumulative Annual GWh

Base

With Emerging Tech

Figure 5-44 

Commercial Peak-Demand Economic Potentials with Emerging Technologies (11 Years) 

293

5 16

688

400

18 23

814

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

Indoor Lighting Outdoor Lighting Refrigeration Total

Cumulative Peak MW

Base

With Emerging Tech

Figure 5-45 and Figure 5-46 show achievable potential estimates for residential and commercial emerging 

technologies, respectively. For residential, cumulative savings over an 11-year period range from 55 

GWh for the 50-percent incentives case to 108 GWh for the 75-percent incentives case to 385 GWh for 

the 100 percent incentives case. About three-quarters of the residential potentials come from the indirect 

evaporative cooler measure. For commercial, cumulative savings over the 11-year period range from 64 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-37 

GWh for the 50-percent incentives case to 227 GWh for the 75-percent incentives case to 606 GWh for 

the 100 percent incentives case. Most of the commercial savings are attributable to indoor LED lighting 

measures. 

Figure 5-45 

Achievable Potentials for Residential Emerging Technologies 

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Year

Cumulative Annual GWh

Nat Occ

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

Figure 5-46 

Achievable Potentials for Commercial Emerging Technologies 

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Year

Cumulative Annual GWh

Nat Occ

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

Note that the achievable potential estimates are highly uncertain since they are based on factors that are 

difficult to predict—technology improvement and customer adoption of new devices. Also note that we 

did not place dates on the annual projections, because it is still unclear if and when these technologies will 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-38 

be ready for full-scale implementation. We expect that Xcel Energy will want to run pilot programs to 

test measure performance and customer acceptance before expanding to large-scale investment in these 

measures. We expect that relatively high incentives may be required to effectively promote the emerging 

technologies. Hence, savings for the 50-percent and 75-percent incentive scenarios are relatively low 

compared to the 100-percent incentive scenario. Additionally, we expect that naturally occurring 

penetration of these measures will be low, at least at the onset. 

5.4 Alternate High Avoided-Cost Scenario 

As indicated in section 3 above, we tested the sensitivity of the energy-efficiency potential analysis to 

increases in avoided costs by running a high avoided-cost scenario where electric avoided costs are about 

35 percent higher than for the base scenario. In this section, we present a comparison of potentials 

between the base-cost scenario and the high-cost scenario. Economic potentials are compared first, 

followed by a comparison of achievable potentials. 

5.4.1 Economic Potentials 

Figure 5-47 compares economic GWh and MW potentials for the high avoided cost scenario against the 

base scenario. As shown, potentials increase by about 3.5 percent in the high-cost scenario. Economic 

potentials don’t change substantially because many of the measures studied were already cost effective in 

the base cost scenario. 

Figure 5-47 

Economic Electric Potentials by Avoided-Cost Scenario (2020) 

7,563 GWh

1,730 MW

7,823 GWh

1,794 MW

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

Energy Savings Potential Peak Demand Potential

Base Avoided Cost

High Avoided Cost
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-39 

Figure 5-48 and Figure 5-49 show how economic potentials varied by sector for the two cost scenarios. 

The increase in economic potential with higher avoided costs is split fairly evenly between the residential 

and commercial sectors. 

Figure 5-48 

Economic Potential Comparison (2020) 

Energy Savings by Sector—GWh per Year 

Figure 5-49 

Economic Potential Comparison (2020) 

Demand Savings by Sector—MW 

2,813

4,145

605

2,933

4,276

614

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

Residential Commercial Industrial

Cumulative Annual Savings by 2020 - GWh

Base Avoided Cost

High Avoided Cost

818 826

86

844 862

88

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

Residential Commercial Industrial

Cumulative Savings by 2020 - MW

Base Avoided Cost

High Avoided Cost
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-40 

Figure 5-50 and Figure 5-51 show how residential economic potentials vary across the cost scenarios by 

end use. Most of the change in energy savings potential is in the cooling, lighting, heating, water heating, 

and miscellaneous end uses, while most of the change in peak demand potential is reflected in the cooling 

end use. 

Figure 5-50 

Residential Economic Potential (2020) 

Energy Savings by End Use—GWh per Year 

Figure 5-51 

Residential Economic Potential (2020) 

Demand Savings by End Use—MW 

636

165

75

733

306

46

53

213

42

76

470

689

165

84

757

306

64

53

213

42

90

470

0 200 400 600 800

Cooling

Furnace/AC Fan

Heating

Lighting

Refrigeration

Water Heating

Plug Loads

Entertainment

Computers

Miscellaneous

Whole Bldg (New

Constr)

Cumulative Annual GWh

Base Cost

High Cost

490

45

0

68

46

5

6

27

5

11

115

510

45

0

71

46

7

6

27

5

12

115

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Cooling

Furnace/AC Fan

Heating

Lighting

Refrigeration

Water Heating

Plug Loads

Entertainment

Computers

Miscellaneous

Whole Bldg (New

Constr)

Cumulative Peak MW

Base Cost

High Cost
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-41 

Figure 5-52 and Figure 5-53 show how commercial economic potentials vary across the cost scenarios by 

end use. Most of the increase in economic potential with the higher avoided costs is reflected in the 

indoor lighting and cooling end uses. 

Figure 5-52 

Commercial Economic Potential (2020) 

Energy Savings by End Use—GWh per Year 

Figure 5-53 

Commercial Economic Potential (2020) 

Demand Savings by End Use—MW 

1,768

185

425

108

142

216

210

78

49

34

930

1,866

196

437

115

142

216

210

78

50

34

930

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000

Indoor Lighting

Outdoor Lighting

Cooling

Ventilation

Refrigeration

Office Equipment

Data Center/Server

Water Heating

Vending Machines

Cooking

Whole Bldg (New Constr)

Cumulative Annual GWh

Base Cost

High Cost

278

5

263

21

15

21

28

10

5

5

175

304

5

271

22

15

21

28

10

5

5

175

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

Indoor Lighting

Outdoor Lighting

Cooling

Ventilation

Refrigeration

Office Equipment

Data Center/Server

Water Heating

Vending Machines

Cooking

Whole Bldg (New Constr)

Cumulative Peak MW

Base Cost

High Cost

5.4.2 Achievable Potentials 

Increases in avoided energy costs (and rates) affect achievable program potentials in two key ways: 

• The higher costs increase the likelihood that customers will participate in program as the 

economic incentive to do so increases; this can lead to higher achievable potentials; and 

• The higher costs also increase the level of naturally occurring energy efficiency as more 

customers will install measures without program involvement because bill savings increase. 

Our modeling results pick up the influences of these two effects. 

Table 5-7 compares base and high-cost achievable potential estimates for the 2010-2020 time period by 

sector and program scenario. As the table shows, naturally occurring efficiency increases by about 25 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-42 

percent with the higher energy costs as more customers would be willing to install energy efficiency 

measures and decrease their electric bill, even without Xcel Energy-provided incentives. Achievable 

potentials also increase for the 50-percent and 75-percent incentives scenarios, as it becomes easier for 

Xcel Energy to market and promote energy saving equipment with higher energy costs. Potentials decline 

in the 100-percent incentives scenario because after-program economics don’t change much with higher 

energy costs (as all of the incremental measure cost is being paid in each cost scenario) but withoutprogram economics are significantly affected by the higher energy rates. These non-program economics 

lead to higher naturally occurring savings that detract from program savings. 

Table 5-7 

Comparison of Achievable Energy Potentials for Base and High Avoided Cost Scenarios 

Cumulative to 2020 - GWh 

 Program Cost Scenario Percent 

Sector Scenario Base High Change 

Residential 50% Incentive 565 616 9% 

 75% Incentive 866 964 11% 

 100% Incentive 2,045 2,056 1% 

 Naturally Occurring 311 390 25% 

Commercial 50% Incentive 1,054 1,153 9% 

 75% Incentive 1,654 1,715 4% 

 100% Incentive 2,473 2,439 -1% 

 Naturally Occurring 754 922 22% 

Industrial 50% Incentive 184 211 15% 

 75% Incentive 285 286 0% 

 100% Incentive 374 349 -7% 

 Naturally Occurring 79 119 50% 

Total 50% Incentive 1,802 1,979 10% 

 75% Incentive 2,806 2,965 6% 

 100% Incentive 4,892 4,845 -1% 

 Naturally Occurring 1,144 1,431 25% 

Table 5-8 shows similar results as in Table 5-7 but for peak demand potentials. Peak demand results are 

fairly similar to the energy results. The largest changes across the cost scenarios are reflected in the 50-

percent and 75-percent program scenarios for the residential and commercial sectors. Potential peak 

demand savings for the 100-percent scenario also show slight increases in the high-cost scenario when 

compared to the base scenario. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

5-43 

Table 5-8 

Comparison of Achievable Energy Potentials for Base and High Avoided Cost Scenarios 

Cumulative to 2020 - MW 

 Program Cost Scenario Percent 

Sector Scenario Base High Change 

Residential 50% Incentive 112 130 16% 

 75% Incentive 189 223 18% 

 100% Incentive 620 635 3% 

 Naturally Occurring 36 44 25% 

Commercial 50% Incentive 191 215 12% 

 75% Incentive 310 332 7% 

 100% Incentive 527 534 2% 

 Naturally Occurring 112 139 24% 

Industrial 50% Incentive 24 29 17% 

 75% Incentive 39 40 2% 

 100% Incentive 52 50 -4% 

 Naturally Occurring 10 15 51% 

Total 50% Incentive 328 374 14% 

 75% Incentive 538 594 10% 

 100% Incentive 1,198 1,220 2% 

 Naturally Occurring 158 198 26% 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-1 

6. Natural-Gas Energy-Efficiency Potential Results 

In this section, we present estimates of natural-gas energy-efficiency potential. First, we present technical 

and economic potential results for all electric measures considered in the study. Next, we present 

estimates of achievable program potential under different program funding scenarios. The base results 

exclude impacts from behavioral-conservation programs. This additional element is discussed separately 

since the lasting effects of behavioral-conservation programs are more uncertain than potentials from 

investing in energy-efficient technologies. 

6.1 Technical and Economic Potential 

Estimates of overall energy-efficiency technical and economic potential are discussed in section 6.1.1. 

More detail on these potentials is presented in section 6.1.2. Energy-efficiency supply curves are shown in 

section 6.1.3. 

6.1.1 Overall Technical and Economic Potential 

Figure 6-1 presents our overall estimates of total technical and economic potential for electrical energy 

and peak-demand savings for the Xcel Energy Colorado service territory. Technical potential represents 

the sum of all savings from all of the measures deemed applicable and technically feasible. Economic 

potential is based on efficiency measures that are cost-effective, which is based on the total resource cost 

(TRC) test―a benefit-cost test that compares the value of avoided energy production and power-plant 

construction to the costs of energy-efficiency measures and program activities necessary to deliver them. 

The values of both energy savings and peak-demand reductions are incorporated in the TRC test. 

Energy Savings. Technical potential is estimated at about 55 million Dth per year and economic potential 

at 39 million Dth per year by 2020 (about 40 and 28 percent of base 2020 usage, respectively). 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-2 

Figure 6-1 

Estimated Natural-Gas Technical and Economic Potential, 2020 

Xcel Energy Colorado Service Territory 

55 Million Dth

39 Million Dth

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Technical Economic

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

6.1.2 Technical and Economic Potential Detail 

In this subsection, we explore technical and economic potential in more detail, looking at potentials by 

sector and by end use. 

6.1.2.1 Potentials by Sector 

Figure 6-2 shows estimates of technical and economic energy-savings potential by sector. Figure 6-3

shows the same potentials as a percentage of 2020 base energy use. 

The residential sector provides the largest contribution to both technical and economic potential for 

energy savings, accounting for about 80 percent of these potentials. The commercial sector contributes 

about 19 percent to the technical and economic potentials, while the industrial sector contributes only one 

percent. Note that transport-only customers are excluded from the analysis, and thus potentials for many 

of the large nonresidential customers are not included in these results. 

As shown in Figure 6-3, the residential sector also has a higher savings potential in relation to base energy 

use than do the commercial or industrial sectors. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-3 

Figure 6-2 

Technical and Economic Potential (2020) 

Energy Savings by Sector 

Millions of Dth per Year 

Figure 6-3 

Technical and Economic Potential (2020) 

Percentage of Base Energy Use 

44.4

10.6

0.4

31.1

7.6

0.3

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Residential Commercial Industrial

Cumulative Annual Savings by 2020 - Dth (Millions)

Technical

Economic

45%

31%

12%

31%

22%

11%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Residential Commercial Industrial

Percent of Forecast Energy Use

Technical

Economic

6.1.2.2 Potentials by Building Type 

Figure 6-4 shows the technical and economic potentials in the residential sector by building type. Singlefamily homes account for about three-quarters of the potential, and low-income homes account for about 

16 percent of the potential. 

Figure 6-5 shows the building-type breakdown of commercial potential. Offices account for over half of 

the economic potential, followed by other commercial buildings. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-4 

Figure 6-4 

Residential Energy-Savings Potential by Building Type (2020) 

33

5

7

23

3

5

0 10 20 30 4

Single Family

Multifamily

Low Income

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

0

Technical

Econonomic

Figure 6-5 

Commercial Energy-Savings Potential by Building Type (2020) 

4.7

0.9

0.7

0.2

0.8

0.5

0.2

0.4

0.3

2.0

4.3

0.3

0.3

0.1

0.3

0.4

0.1

0.3

0.2

1.4

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0

Office

Retail

Restaurant

Grocery

Warehouse

School

College

Health

Lodging

Other

 Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

Technical

Econonomic
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-5 

Figure 6-6 shows the business-type breakdown of industrial potential. Key industries in terms of 

economic potential include electronics, food processing, and fabricated metals. Note that many of the 

more energy-intensive industrial customers are excluded from the analysis since they are transport-only 

customers. 

Figure 6-6 

Industrial Energy-Savings Potential by Business Type (2020) 

0.07

0.01

0.03

0.01

0.02

0.02

0.00

0.01

0.03

0.01

0.04

0.02

0.06

0.01

0.02

0.07

0.01

0.03

0.01

0.02

0.01

0.00

0.01

0.03

0.01

0.04

0.02

0.05

0.01

0.02

0.00 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08

Food

Textiles-Apparel 

Lumber-Furniture

Paper

Printing

Chemicals

Petroleum

Rubber-Plastics

Stone-Clay-Glass

Prim Metals

Fab Metals

Ind Mach

Electronics

Transp Equip

Misc Ind

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

Technical

Econonomic

6.1.2.3 Potentials by End Use 

Figure 6-7 shows the end-use breakdown of technical and economic potential in the residential sector. 

Energy-savings potential comes predominantly from space heating and water heating. The wholebuilding - new construction component also consists mainly of space-heating and water-heating measures. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-6 

Figure 6-7 

Residential Economic Energy-Savings Potential by End Use (2020) 

22

14

0

1

7

16

8

0

1

7

0 5 10 15 20 25

Heating

Water Heating

Clothes Drying

Cooking

Whole Bldg (New

Constr)

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

Technical

Econonomic

Error! Not a valid bookmark self-reference. shows the end-use breakdown of commercial potential. 

Similar to residential, space heating is the largest contributor to potentials, followed by water heating. 

Figure 6-8 

Commercial Economic Energy-Savings Potential by End Use (2020) 

0.6

8.0

2.0

0.2

5.5

1.9

0 2 4 6 81

Cooking

Heating

Water Heating

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

0

Technical

Econonomic
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-7 

Figure 6-9 shows the end-use breakdown of industrial potential. Savings potentials are split fairly evenly 

between the boiler- and process-heating end uses, with the HVAC end use contributing a smaller share to 

the totals. 

Figure 6-9 

Industrial Economic Energy-Savings Potential by End Use (2020) 

0.16

0.05

0.15

0.16

0.04

0.14

0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20

Boiler

HVAC

Process Heat

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

Technical

Econonomic

6.1.3 Energy-Efficiency Supply Curves 

A common way to illustrate the amount of energy savings per dollar spent is to construct an energyefficiency supply curve. A supply curve typically is depicted on two axes: one captures the cost per unit 

of saved energy (e.g., levelized $/therm saved), and the other shows energy savings at each level of cost. 

Measures are sorted on a least-cost basis, and total savings are calculated incrementally with respect to 

measures that preceded them. The costs of the measures are levelized over the life of the savings 

achieved. 

Figure 6-10 presents the supply curves constructed for this study for natural gas. Each curve represents 

savings as a percentage of total energy or peak demand. These curves show that energy savings of almost 

30 percent are available at under $1.00 per therm. Savings potentials and levelized costs for the 

individual measures that comprise the supply curve are provided in Appendix G. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-8 

Figure 6-10 

Natural-Gas Supply Curve* 

$0.00

$1.00

$2.00

$3.00

$4.00

$5.00

$6.00

$7.00

$8.00

$9.00

$10.00

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

Savings Potential as a Percent of Total Energy Sales

Levelized $/Therm Saved

*Levelized cost per kWh saved is calculated using a 7.7 percent nominal discount rate. 

6.2 Achievable (Program) Potential 

In contrast to technical and economic potential estimates, achievable potential estimates take into account 

market and other factors that affect the adoption of efficiency measures. We estimate measure adoption 

while taking into account market barriers and actual consumer- and business-implicit discount rates. This 

section presents results for achievable potential, first at the summary level and then by sector. More detail 

on achievable program potential is shown in Appendix H. 

Achievable potential refers to the amount of savings that would occur in response to one or more specific 

program interventions. Net savings associated with program potential are savings that are projected 

beyond those that would occur naturally in the absence of any market intervention. Because achievable 

potential depends on the type and degree of intervention applied, we developed, similar to the electric 

analysis, potential estimates under alternative funding scenarios: 50-percent incentives, 75-percent 

incentives, and 100-percent incentives. These scenarios reflect the percent of incremental measure cost 

that is assumed to be paid in customer incentives. (The low-income market segment was modeled using 

100-percent incentives for each scenario, but the level of program effort increased across scenarios in line 

with increases in other market segments.) We estimated program energy and peak-demand savings under 

each scenario for the 2010-2020 time period. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-9 

Figure 6-11 shows our estimates of achievable potential savings over time. As shown, by 2020 

cumulative net9

 energy savings are projected to be 5 million Dth under the 50-percent incentive scenario, 

9 million Dth under the 75-percent incentive scenario, and 24 million Dth under the 100-percent incentive 

scenario. 

Figure 6-11 

Achievable Energy Savings: All Sectors 

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

Naturally Occurring

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

Prog Cost to 2020: $1,247 Mil

Prog Cost to 2020: $357 Mil

Prog Cost to 2020: $148 Mil

Figure 6-12 depicts costs and benefits under each funding scenario from 2010 to 2020. The present value 

of program costs (including administration, marketing, and incentives) is $111 million under the 50-

percent incentive scenario, $268 million under the 75-percent incentive scenario, and $956 million under 

the 100-percent incentive scenario. The present value of total avoided-cost benefits is $339 million under 

50-percent incentives, $689 million under 75-percent incentives, and $1,902 million under 100-percent 

incentives. The present value of net avoided-cost benefits, i.e., the difference between total avoided-cost 

benefits and total costs (which include participant costs in addition to program costs), is $180 million 

under 50-percent incentives, $367 million under 75-percent incentives, and $888 million under 100-

percent incentives. 

 

9

 Throughout this section, net refers to savings beyond those estimated to be naturally occurring; that is, from 

customer adoptions that would occur in the absence of any programs or standards. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-10 

Figure 6-12 

Benefits and Costs of Energy-Efficiency Savings—2010-2020* 

$149 $64 $35

$807

$204

$76

$57

$54

$48

$1,902

$689

$339

$0

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

Present Value in $ Millions 

Total Avoided Cost Benefits

Participant Costs

Program Incentives

Program Admin and Marketing

50% Incentive 100% Incentive

Net Benefits:

$180 Million

Net Benefits:

$888 Million

75% Incentive

Net Benefits:

$367 Million

* Present value of benefits and costs over normalized 20-year measure lives; nominal discount rate is 7.7 percent, 

inflation rate is 1.5 percent. 

All three of the funding scenarios are cost-effective based on the TRC test, which is the test used in this 

study to determine program cost-effectiveness. The TRC benefit-cost ratios are 2.1 for the 50-percent 

incentive scenario and the 75-percent incentive scenario, and 1.9 for the 100-percent incentive scenario. 

This indicates that program cost-effectiveness declines somewhat with increasing program effort, 

reflecting penetration of more measures with lower cost-effectiveness levels. Key results of our efficiency 

scenario forecasts from 2010 to 2020 are summarized in Table 6-1. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-11 

Table 6-1 

Summary of Achievable Potential Results—2010-2020 

 Program Scenario 

Result 

50% 

Incentive 

75% 

Incentive 

100% 

Incentive 

Gross Energy Savings - Millions of Dth 6.1 10.6 26.0 

Net Energy Savings - Millions of Dth 4.5 9.0 24.4 

Program Costs - Real, $ Million 

Administration $33 $71 $181 

Marketing $14 $15 $18 

Incentives $101 $271 $1,047 

Total $148 $357 $1,247 

PV Net Avoided Cost Benefits $339 $689 $1,902 

PV Annual Marketing and Admin Costs $35 $64 $149 

PV Measure Costs $124 $258 $865 

TRC Ratio 2.1 2.1 1.9 

PV (present value) of benefits and costs is calculated over a 20-year normalized measure life for 2010-

2020 program years, nominal discount rate = 7.7 percent, inflation rate = 1.5 percent; Dth savings are 

cumulative through 2020. 

6.2.1 Breakdown of Achievable Potential 

Cumulative net achievable potential estimates by customer class for the period of 2010-2020 are 

presented in Figure 6-13. This figure shows results for each funding scenario. Under the program 

assumptions developed for this study, achievable energy savings are highest for the residential sector, 

which is also the sector with the highest natural-gas demand and highest economic potential. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-12 

Figure 6-13 

Net Achievable Energy Savings 

(2020) by Sector—Million Dth per Year 

20.5

3.7

0.1

7.0

2.0

0.1

3.3

1.1

0.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

Residential Commercial Industrial

Cumulative Annual Savings by 2020 - Dth (Millions)

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

6.2.1.1 Residential Sector 

Figure 6-14 shows cumulative net achievable program savings by residential program scenario. By 2020, 

net energy savings reach 3 million Dth under the 50-percent incentive scenario, 7 million Dth under the 

75-percent incentive scenario, and 20 million Dth under the 100-percent incentive scenario. Energy 

savings are most sensitive to changes in incentives in the 75- to 100-percent range. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

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Figure 6-14 

Achievable Energy Savings: Residential Sector 

0

5

10

15

20

25

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

Naturally Occurring

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

Figure 6-15 shows the end-use distribution of gas savings, cumulative to 2020. Key end uses for energy 

savings potential include heating, space heating, and new construction measures that mainly affect 

heating and space heating. The figure also shows that our models predict a large increase in savings when 

incentives are increased from 75 percent to 100 percent of incremental measure cost. 

Figure 6-15 

Residential Net Energy-Savings Potential by End Use (2020) 

11.4

4.0

0.3

4.8

4.0

1.2

0.1

1.7

1.8

0.4

0.1

1.0

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Heating

Water Heating

Cooking

Whole Bldg (New

Constr)

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

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6-14 

Table 6-2 shows how low-income potentials compare to the overall residential potentials. The lowincome segment accounts for about 12 percent of total residential economic natural-gas potential and 

achievable potentials ranging from 12 percent to 26 percent. Note that the low-income segment was not 

modeled using varying incentive levels. Rather, this segment was assumed to receive incentives equal to 

100 percent of incremental measure cost for all program scenarios, and the level of program effort was 

adjusted to allow for the low-income potentials to roughly track other residential segments in terms of 

program achievements. Table 6-2 shows that the low-income estimates track the overall residential sector 

gas potentials fairly well—showing somewhat higher achievable savings in the lower incentive program 

scenarios. 

Table 6-2 

Low-Income Potentials Compared to Total Residential Potentials (2020) 

 Program Scenario 

Economic 

Potential 

100% 

Incentive 

75% 

Incentive 

50% 

Incentive 

Residential 31,149,526 20,493,409 6,975,190 3,299,384 

Low Income 3,833,848 2,547,731 1,147,502 847,798 

% of Residential 12% 12% 16% 26% 

Table 6-3 lists the various potentials for residential measures that passed cost-effectiveness screening. 

The list is sorted by economic potential. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

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Table 6-3 

Measure-Specific Residential Results (Cumulative to 2020) – Dth 

Measure

Average 

TRC 

Ratio Technical Economic

Econ net of 

Nat Occ

Ach 

@100% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

Ach

 @75% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

Ach 

@50% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

HE Water Heater (EF=0.71) 2.5 6,089,873 6,089,873 6,081,902 2,777,186 46% 858,279 14% 266,585 4%

Condensing Furnace - 94 AFUE (Tier 2) 1.7 3,803,055 3,556,856 3,522,418 1,392,048 40% 551,678 16% 342,449 10%

Wall 2x4 R-0 to Blow-In R-13 Insulation 2.5 3,448,552 3,442,224 3,409,368 2,960,407 87% 990,957 29% 391,667 11%

High Efficiency Condensing Boiler (AFUE = 90%) 5.5 1,285,554 1,285,554 1,281,568 497,004 39% 200,588 16% 77,291 6%

Crawlspace insulation 5.2 1,265,152 1,265,152 1,254,827 1,172,828 93% 567,293 45% 204,138 16%

Furnace Diagnostic Testing, Repair and Maintenance 1.4 1,325,779 1,215,802 1,214,914 1,008,940 83% 129,692 11% 57,751 5%

Windows - Double-Glazed to Energy Star 2.4 1,213,789 1,213,789 1,188,335 801,000 67% 358,668 30% 230,920 19%

Basement insulation R-13 (Furnace) 1.3 1,221,995 1,093,566 1,092,160 948,938 87% 180,887 17% 89,331 8%

Convection Oven 1.0 876,132 682,128 676,985 339,403 50% 103,826 15% 61,537 9%

Low-Flow Showerheads 1.5 653,247 653,247 651,700 534,770 82% 121,545 19% 43,225 7%

Self Install Weatherization 8.7 622,026 622,026 562,738 488,096 87% 363,730 65% 200,679 36%

High efficiency gas room heater 2.4 440,790 440,790 439,593 327,636 75% 94,640 22% 34,686 8%

Pipe Wrap 1.8 432,203 400,116 397,599 337,915 85% 125,812 32% 48,320 12%

Duct Repair and Sealing 1.3 403,670 365,050 364,620 317,395 87% 59,978 16% 30,704 8%

Ceiling R-0 to R-49 Insulation 2.4 356,382 356,382 345,731 331,291 96% 182,035 53% 79,779 23%

Faucent Aerators 4.9 248,891 248,891 238,726 195,779 82% 128,382 54% 55,581 23%

Boiler controls 1.2 790,567 240,132 239,461 202,697 85% 34,275 14% 5,580 2%

Comprehensive Shell Air Sealing - Inf. Reduction 0.9 940,086 230,685 230,255 175,931 76% 23,307 10% 3,617 2%

Boiler Diagnostic Testing, Repair and Maintenance 1.6 225,703 223,702 223,216 195,868 88% 48,157 22% 21,308 10%

Basement insulation R-13 (Boiler) 1.4 203,758 198,623 198,312 174,155 88% 39,826 20% 20,168 10%

Slab insulation R-0 to R-5 (4 ft) 1.4 169,273 163,214 162,766 139,517 86% 26,841 16% 8,878 5%

Pipe Insulation (Boiler) 4.9 132,353 132,353 130,005 112,297 86% 57,335 44% 21,410 16%

Drain Water Heat Recovery (GFX) 0.8 563,405 127,779 127,767 106,656 83% 853 1% 107 0%

Basement insulation R-13 (Room Heater) 1.1 157,397 83,624 83,543 75,649 91% 22,207 27% 13,842 17%

Heater Diagnostic Testing, Repair and Maintenance 2.4 53,783 53,783 53,507 47,288 88% 15,928 30% 6,921 13%

Duct Insulation 4.9 10,676 10,676 10,164 8,874 87% 5,731 56% 2,783 27%

 New Construction Meausres

Best Practice Home 1.5 4,643,174 4,310,829 4,180,440 3,096,725 74% 956,497 23% 513,558 12%

ENERGY STAR Home 2.3 2,442,683 2,442,683 2,320,475 1,727,118 74% 726,243 31% 466,572 20%

Note: TRC ratios are averages across multiple market segments. In some cases, the average TRC ratio may be below 1.0, but the 

measure is cost effective for some market segments, and thus, economic savings can be positive. 

6.2.1.2 Commercial Sector 

Figure 6-16 shows cumulative net achievable program savings by commercial program scenario. By 

2020, net natural gas savings reach 1.1 million Dth under the 50-percent incentive scenario, 2.0 million 

Dth under the 75-percent incentive scenario, and 3.7 million Dth under the 100-percent incentive 

scenario. Similar to residential, energy savings are most sensitive to changes in incentives in the 50- to 

75-percent range. 
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DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Figure 6-16 

Achievable Energy Savings: Commercial Sector 

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

Naturally Occurring

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

Figure 6-17 shows the end-use distribution of energy and peak-demand savings. Heating contributes most 

to the savings potential, followed by water heating. The heating end use also shows the largest difference 

between the 75-percent and 100-percent incentive scenarios, since a significant amount of heating 

potential is tied to replace-on-burnout measures. These measures would gain very high penetration levels 

if priced at the same cost as standard-efficiency equipment. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-17 

Figure 6-17 

Commercial Net Energy-Savings Potential by End Use (2020) 

0.10

2.97

0.66

0.03

1.46

0.48

0.01

0.79

0.33

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

Cooking

Heating

Water Heating

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

Table 6-4 (existing construction) and Table 6-5 (new construction) list the various potentials for 

commercial measures that passed cost-effectiveness screening. 

Table 6-4 

Measure-Specific Commercial Results (Cumulative to 2020) – Dth 

Existing Construction 

Measure

Average 

TRC 

Ratio Technical Economic

Econ net of 

Nat Occ

Ach 

@100% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

Ach

 @75% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

Ach 

@50% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

High Efficiency (Power Burner/ Premium) Boiler 3.2 2,145,403 1,960,609 1,915,242 590,149 31% 338,222 18% 224,269 12%

Insulation (wall) 6.6 948,903 863,047 674,107 565,007 84% 392,959 58% 250,988 37%

Installation of Energy Management Systems (EMS) 1.2 823,086 579,857 576,711 496,950 86% 126,456 22% 22,652 4%

Water Heater Tank Blanket/Insulation 696.0 526,223 521,042 68,924 11,112 16% 10,635 15% 10,109 15%

Tankless Water Heater 5.5 388,598 388,598 373,938 110,970 30% 75,476 20% 53,882 14%

Clock / Programmable Thermostat 1.6 415,534 350,536 347,307 299,581 86% 100,641 29% 21,800 6%

Insulation (ceiling) 9.3 353,651 349,822 245,472 201,283 82% 114,878 47% 57,588 23%

Condensing Water Heater 9.3 383,060 313,545 286,177 105,947 37% 81,955 29% 61,411 21%

Demand controlled ventilation (DCV) 0.6 1,400,805 258,397 257,276 221,525 86% 48,804 19% 8,205 3%

High Efficiency Windows 1.7 238,159 207,844 205,570 64,898 32% 28,320 14% 16,854 8%

Stack Heat Exchanger 8.5 202,598 198,090 140,175 115,431 82% 81,819 58% 51,792 37%

Thermally activated heat pump/chiller 3.0 191,560 191,560 185,420 160,206 86% 92,807 50% 31,524 17%

Energy Star Steamer 1.2 215,333 171,430 171,066 83,608 49% 26,268 15% 7,972 5%

EMS Optimization 0.9 198,378 111,195 110,726 95,328 86% 20,593 19% 3,440 3%

Demand controlled circulating systems 27.9 106,192 104,220 36,383 24,177 66% 16,713 46% 11,068 30%

Retrocommissioning 2.2 40,924 34,629 33,682 29,099 86% 15,694 47% 5,084 15%

Pre-Rinse Spray Valve 31.7 29,129 29,129 7,280 3,951 54% 3,401 47% 2,599 36%

Hot water temperature reset 44.4 28,946 28,809 9,076 5,748 63% 4,630 51% 3,098 34%

Condensing unit heaters 8.0 27,774 27,774 26,332 7,492 28% 5,740 22% 4,343 16%

Hot Water Pipe Insulation 3.5 29,081 27,254 25,034 21,473 86% 12,702 51% 6,048 24%

Radiant heater 10.7 26,506 26,506 24,729 6,681 27% 5,424 22% 4,304 17%

Energy Star Fryer 0.6 216,306 20,204 20,184 8,386 42% 1,968 10% 505 3%

Boiler Tune-Up 7.4 21,725 20,113 11,922 9,448 79% 6,195 52% 3,678 31%

Note: TRC ratios are averages across multiple market segments. In some cases, the average TRC ratio may be below 1.0, but the 

measure is cost effective for some market segments, and thus, economic savings can be positive. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

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Table 6-5 

Measure-Specific Commercial Results (Cumulative to 2020) – Dth 

New Construction 

Measure

Average 

TRC 

Ratio Technical Economic

Econ net of 

Nat Occ

Ach 

@100% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

Ach 

@75% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

Ach 

@50% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

Tankless Water Heater 4.0 220,309 220,309 200,134 173,398 87% 145,850 73% 117,298 59%

High Efficiency Windows 1.9 146,769 134,897 133,697 53,310 40% 25,775 19% 16,180 12%

High Efficiency Furnace/Boiler 2.2 118,949 96,303 95,115 37,762 40% 19,717 21% 12,961 14%

Installation of Energy Management Systems (EMS) 1.4 110,972 79,195 77,590 67,986 88% 50,268 65% 33,681 43%

Demand controlled ventilation (DCV) 1.1 166,489 74,272 72,991 63,862 87% 41,778 57% 25,009 34%

Thermally activated heat pump/chiller 3.1 34,728 34,728 32,480 28,291 87% 23,868 73% 19,035 59%

Condensing Water Heater 8.0 48,284 33,971 32,055 11,686 36% 9,136 29% 7,075 22%

Stack Heat Exchanger 8.8 26,795 26,274 20,142 16,873 84% 14,906 74% 12,870 64%

Water Heater Tank Blanket/Insulation 94.2 25,007 23,757 13,416 7,457 56% 6,764 50% 6,219 46%

Energy Star Steamer 1.2 29,422 23,436 23,350 10,013 43% 4,338 19% 2,170 9%

EMS Optimization 1.1 29,440 17,408 17,092 14,979 88% 10,910 64% 7,161 42%

Condensing unit heaters 7.8 8,701 8,701 8,323 3,133 38% 2,455 29% 1,921 23%

Radiant heater 10.7 8,511 8,511 8,025 2,926 36% 2,433 30% 1,987 25%

Energy Star Fryer 0.6 29,561 5,450 5,441 2,168 40% 738 14% 310 6%

Hot water temperature reset 44.3 3,871 3,871 2,006 1,496 75% 1,413 70% 1,320 66%

Hot Water Pipe Insulation 4.4 3,688 3,322 2,812 2,406 86% 2,120 75% 1,800 64%

Insulation of Pipes 0.8 2,808 2,042 2,034 1,778 87% 948 47% 421 21%

Boiler Tune-Up 4.0 2,020 1,593 1,286 1,089 85% 975 76% 848 66%

Note: TRC ratios are averages across multiple market segments. In some cases, the average TRC ratio may be below 1.0, but the 

measure is cost effective for some market segments, and thus, economic savings can be positive. 

.2.1.3 Industrial Sector 

ievable program savings by industrial program scenario. By 2020, 

r 

6

Figure 6-18 shows cumulative net ach

net energy savings reach 0.05 million Dth under the 50-percent incentive scenario, 0.09 million Dth unde

the 75-percent incentive scenario, and 0.14 million Dth under the 100-percent incentive scenario. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-19 

Figure 6-18 

Achievable Energy Savings: Industrial Sector 

0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.10

0.12

0.14

0.16

0.18

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

Naturally Occurring

100% Incentive

75% Incentive

50% Incentive

Figure 6-19 shows the end-use distribution of gas savings. Measures affecting the boiler and process-heat 

end uses contribute the most savings potential. 

Figure 6-19 

Industrial Net Energy-Savings Potential by End-Use (2020) 

0.06

0.02

0.06

0.05

0.01

0.03

0.03

0.00

0.02

0.00 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07

Boiler

HVAC

Process Heat

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

100% Incentives

75% Incentives

50% Incentives

Table 6-6 lists the various potentials for industrial measures that passed cost-effectiveness screening. 
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DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Table 6-6 

Measure-Specific Industrial Results (Cumulative to 2020) – Dth 

Measure

Average 

TRC 

Ratio Technical Economic

Econ net of 

Nat Occ

Ach 

@100% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

Ach 

@75% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

Ach 

@50% 

Incentives

% of 

Net 

Econ

Improved insulation 5.0 44,800 44,800 39,142 35,375 90% 28,863 74% 19,076 49%

Process Controls & Management 3.3 34,437 34,437 31,902 29,785 93% 22,698 71% 12,513 39%

Heat Recovery 1.5 37,164 34,159 34,002 10,655 31% 3,133 9% 1,173 3%

Steam trap maintenance 2.0 31,188 31,188 30,367 961 3% 961 3% 961 3%

Efficient burners 3.5 27,755 27,755 27,556 4,729 17% 2,354 9% 1,085 4%

Load control 12.7 24,363 24,363 10,987 9,660 88% 8,938 81% 7,789 71%

Improve ceiling insulation 1.8 20,433 20,433 20,332 13,257 65% 3,274 16% 976 5%

High efficiency (95%) condensing furnace/boiler 3.2 15,566 15,566 15,545 793 5% 309 2% 129 1%

Automatic steam trap monitoring 6.0 14,359 14,359 14,160 2,159 15% 1,436 10% 812 6%

Maintain boilers 69.1 12,430 12,430 1,787 1,009 56% 1,009 56% 1,009 56%

Process integration 1.3 13,225 11,089 11,044 4,104 37% 1,055 10% 365 3%

Improved process control 10.2 10,349 10,349 9,956 1,352 14% 1,054 11% 746 7%

Efficient drying 1.6 8,781 8,781 8,779 173 2% 46 1% 17 0%

Thermally activated heat pump/chiller 1.8 7,552 7,552 7,495 7,097 95% 3,092 41% 749 10%

Combustion controls 2.6 7,337 7,337 7,305 2,060 28% 866 12% 294 4%

Oxyfuel 1.9 6,432 6,432 6,429 178 3% 51 1% 19 0%

Optimize furnace operations 2.8 6,031 6,031 5,814 4,757 82% 2,807 48% 1,315 23%

Water treatment 3.5 5,142 5,142 4,795 4,106 86% 2,892 60% 1,609 34%

Flue gas heat recovery/economizer 2.2 5,041 5,041 5,036 312 6% 97 2% 36 1%

Upgrade burner efficiency 2.6 2,545 2,545 2,543 108 4% 38 1% 15 1%

Blowdown steam heat recovery 1.5 2,453 2,453 2,452 83 3% 19 1% 6 0%

Leak repair 2.5 2,431 2,431 2,308 128 6% 128 6% 128 6%

Batch cullet preheating 2.8 2,161 2,161 2,156 177 8% 69 3% 28 1%

Duct insulation 3.6 1,735 1,735 1,669 1,428 86% 881 53% 412 25%

Thermal oxidizers 2.3 1,594 1,594 1,592 104 7% 33 2% 12 1%

Improved separation processes 2.5 1,317 1,317 1,316 53 4% 18 1% 7 1%

Condensate return 4.1 1,030 1,030 1,025 109 11% 57 6% 28 3%

EMS optimization 2.9 841 841 799 752 94% 568 71% 286 36%

Extended nip press 1.1 629 629 629 6 1% 1 0% 0 0%

Preventative maintenance 5.7 487 487 357 331 93% 299 84% 237 66%

Fouling control 3.5 285 285 258 240 93% 196 76% 121 47%

Stack heat exchanger 1.8 280 280 279 94 34% 28 10% 10 4%

Flare gas controls and recovery 3.6 174 174 173 17 10% 8 5% 4 2%

Efficient furnaces 2.6 89 89 89 4 4% 1 1% 1 1%

Note: TRC ratios are averages across multiple market segments. In some cases, the average TRC ratio may be below 1.0, but the 

measure is cost effective for some market segments, and thus, economic savings can be positive. 

6.3 Behavioral Conservation 

In addition to the base potentials forecast that are described above, we also investigated the effects of 

behavioral-conservation programs. The impacts of behavioral-conservation activities are much more 

uncertain than the impacts of the more standard energy-efficiency measures that are included in the base 

analysis, and this is why they receive separate treatment. 

Two types of residential behavioral-conservation methods are addressed in the analysis: (1) indirect 

feedback approaches, which utilize energy information reports that motivate customers to use less, and (2) 

direct feedback interventions, such use of in-home energy use monitors. Both of these approaches have 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-21 

shown some promise in motivating customers to use less energy. However, factors such as persistence 

and the expected amount of energy savings have not been tested over a significant period of time or 

across a wide range of customers. 

For this analysis, we assumed that indirect feedback measures would save about two percent of household 

energy consumption at a cost of about $10 per customer per year (split between the electric and gas 

programs). These measures could be targeted to the entire residential population. Direct methods would 

save about five percent per year at an equipment cost of about $140 per customer, with a measure life of 

four years. These direct methods could be applied to between five and ten percent of the residential 

population. These measure parameters are consistent with findings from recent pilot studies being 

conducted in various locales over the past several years.10

Figure 6-20 shows the effects on technical and economic potential from adding behavioral-conservation 

measures to the analysis. Behavioral conservation adds 2.19 million Dth of technical potential and 2.14 

million Dth of economic potential to the base amounts. The behavioral-conservation potentials amount to 

an increase in total economic potential of about five percent and an increase to residential economic 

potential of about seven percent. The indirect feedback approaches account for 90 percent of the gas 

behavioral-conservation potentials since they are applicable to a much larger number of customers than 

the direct feedback measures. 

 

10 For example see Franklyn Energy, Research Study: Residential Energy Use Behavior Change Pilot, Presented to 

the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Office of Energy Security, April 2009. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

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Figure 6-20 

Natural-Gas Technical and Economic Potentials with Behavioral-Conservation Activities 

55.4

39.1

57.6

41.2

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Technical Economic

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

Base Analysis

With Conservation

Similar to the electric analysis, for the achievable potential assessment of the gas behavioral-conservation 

measures, we focused on the indirect interventions and developed three scenarios: 

• A low scenario that targets only the largest residential electricity users, about 0.15 million 

customers with average use of about 1,300 therms per year 

• A mid scenario that targets both large and medium residential electricity users, about 0.6 million 

customers with combined average electricity use of 950 therms per year 

• A high scenario that targets all residential customers, about 1.2 million customers with average 

electricity use of 790 therms per year 

In each case, program efforts were ramped up over a three-year period. Table 6-7 summarizes the results 

of the analysis over the 2010-2020 time period. As shown, behavioral-conservation potentials—if the 

assumptions outlined above hold up—could save between 0.46 and 1.90 million Dth in annual program 

costs averaging between $7.6 million and $51 million dollars, depending on how many customers are 

targeted for the indirect interventions. (It is also possible that Xcel Energy could reduce program costs by 

better targeting customers, so these estimates are probably an upper bound of program costs). All 

scenarios have TRC ratios that are greater than 1.0, the cutoff for cost-effectiveness. The scenarios that 

target the larger users show the highest TRC ratios, because energy savings per customer are assumed to 

be higher, while program costs are the same as for lower-use customers. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

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Table 6-7 

Achievable Potentials for Natural-Gas Behavioral Conservation 

 Scenario 

Result 

Low 

Large Users Only 

Medium 

Lrg-Med Users 

High 

All Customers 

Gross Energy Savings - Millions of Dth 0.46 1.29 1.90 

Net Energy Savings - Millions of Dth 0.46 1.29 1.90 

Program Costs - Real, $ Million 

Administration $0.1 $0.4 $0.8 

Marketing $7.4 $28.6 $50.5 

Incentives $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 

Total $7.6 $29.0 $51.0 

PV Net Avoided Costs $25.0 $70.5 $104.1 

PV Annual Marketing and Admin Costs $5.6 $21.3 $37.4 

PV Measure Costs $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 

TRC Ratio 4.4 3.3 2.8 

PV (present value) of benefits and costs is calculated over a 20-year normalized measure life for 2010-2020 program years, 

nominal discount rate = 7.7 percent, inflation rate = 1.5 percent; Dth savings are cumulative through 2020. 

6.4 Alternate High Avoided Cost Scenario 

As indicated in section 3 above, we tested the sensitivity of the energy-efficiency potential analysis to 

increases in avoided costs by running a high avoided-cost scenario where natural gas avoided costs are 

about 40 percent higher than for the base scenario. In this section, we present a comparison of potentials 

between the base-cost scenario and the high-cost scenario. Economic potentials are compared first, 

followed by a comparison of achievable potentials. 

6.4.1 Economic Potentials 

Figure 6-21 compares economic potentials for the high avoided cost scenario against the base scenario. 

As shown, potentials increase by about 6 percent in the high-cost scenario, which is higher than the 

change in electric potentials but still fairly modest given the large assumed energy cost increases. Similar 

to the electric analysis, economic potentials don’t change substantially because many of the measures 

studied were already cost effective in the base cost scenario. 
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Figure 6-21 

Economic Gas Potentials by Avoided-Cost Scenario (2020) 

39 Million Dth 41 Million Dth

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Base Avoided Cost High Avoided Cost

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

Figure 6-22 shows how economic potentials vary by sector for the two cost scenarios. The increase in 

economic potential with higher avoided costs is reflected mainly in the residential, which is the sector that 

accounts for most on the gas savings potentials in both scenarios. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

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Figure 6-22 

Economic Potential Comparison (2020) 

Energy Savings by Sector—Million Dth per Year 

31.1

7.6

0.3

33.0

8.0

0.3

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Residential Commercial Industrial

Cumulative Annual Savings by 2020 - Dth (Millions)

Base Avoided Cost

High Avoided Cost

Figure 6-23 shows how residential economic potentials vary across the cost scenarios by end use. Most 

of the change in savings potential is reflected in the space heating end use and in the whole-building/new 

construction segment, with very modest changes in the water heating and cooking end uses. 

For the commercial sector (see Figure 6-24) economic potential increases in the high-cost scenario for all 

end uses, but the increase is most pronounced in the space heating end use. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

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Figure 6-23 

Residential Economic Potential (2020) 

Energy Savings by End Use—Millions of Dth per Year 

16.2

7.5

0.0

0.7

6.8

17.4

7.6

0.0

0.9

7.1

0 5 10 15 20

Heating

Water Heating

Clothes Drying

Cooking

Whole Bldg (New

Constr)

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

Base Cost

High Cost

Figure 6-24 

Commercial Economic Potential (2020) 

Energy Savings by End Use—Millions of Dth per Year 

0.2

5.5

1.9

0.2

5.8

2.0

02468

Cooking

Heating

Water Heating

Cumulative Annual Dth (Millions)

Base Cost

High Cost
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

6-27 

6.4.2 Achievable Potentials 

Table 6-8 compares base and high-cost achievable potential estimates for the 2010-2020 time period by 

sector and program scenario. As the table shows, naturally occurring efficiency increases by about 30 

percent with the higher energy costs as more customers would be willing to install energy efficiency 

measures and decrease their electric bill, even without Xcel Energy-provided incentives. Achievable 

potentials also increase for all the program scenarios, as more measures are cost effective with higher 

avoided costs, and it becomes easier for Xcel Energy to market and promote energy saving equipment 

with when customers see higher rates. 

Table 6-8 

Comparison of Achievable Energy Potentials for Base and High Avoided Cost Scenarios 

Cumulative to 2020 – Millions of Dth 

 Program Cost Scenario Percent 

Sector Scenario Base High Change 

Residential 50% Incentive 3.299 4.467 35% 

 75% Incentive 6.975 8.934 28% 

 100% Incentive 20.493 21.854 7% 

 Naturally Occurring 0.468 0.745 59% 

Commercial 50% Incentive 1.131 1.253 11% 

 75% Incentive 1.977 2.197 11% 

 100% Incentive 3.739 3.831 2% 

 Naturally Occurring 1.082 1.277 18% 

Industrial 50% Incentive 0.052 0.060 16% 

 75% Incentive 0.087 0.094 8% 

 100% Incentive 0.136 0.138 1% 

 Naturally Occurring 0.035 0.046 32% 

Total 50% Incentive 4.483 5.781 29% 

 75% Incentive 9.039 11.224 24% 

 100% Incentive 24.369 25.823 6% 

 Naturally Occurring 1.585 2.068 30% 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

7-1 

7. Demand Response Potential Results 

To estimate demand response (DR) impacts, we reviewed impacts from the Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission’s (FERC’s) 2009 National Assessment of Demand Response Potential11 for the state of 

Colorado and customized the results to the Xcel Energy Colorado service territory, utilizing information 

on Xcel Energy’s peak demand relative to the Colorado peak demand and information on current 

programs being run by Xcel Energy. 

The national study utilized a model that implemented a bottom-up approach to estimate DR resources. 

This model utilized estimated impacts for four customer segments (residential and small, medium, and 

large nonresidential segments) and five DR program categories (direct load control, interruptible rates, 

dynamic pricing with enabling technologies, dynamic pricing without enabling technologies, and other 

DR programs such as demand bidding). Estimates were developed for four different scenarios: 

• Business-as-usual (BAU): current programs and tariffs are held constant;. 

• Expanded BAU (EBAU): BAU program participation rates are increased to equal the 75th 

percentile of ranked participation rates of similar programs. 

• Achievable Participation (AP): further assumes advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is 

universally deployed, and dynamic pricing is the opt-out default tariff. 

• Full Participation (FP): similar to the AP scenario, except that dynamic pricing and the 

acceptance of enabling technology is mandatory. This scenario quantifies the maximum costeffective DR potential, absent any regulatory and market barriers. 

For the Xcel Energy Colorado analysis, we looked at only the business-as-usual and expanded-businessas-usual scenarios. Xcel Energy is still evaluating plans for full scale deployment of AMI. Without AMI, 

the dynamic pricing programs are not feasible, and dynamic pricing impacts are the key differences 

between the business-as-usual scenarios and the achievable and full participation scenarios. If at some 

future date, Xcel Energy decides to pursue AMI, then the establishment of a dynamic pricing program 

could lead to significant increases in demand response potential. 

Xcel Energy currently runs 3 major DR programs: a residential direct load control program, a nonresidential direct load control program, targeted to medium-sized customers, that is contracted out to a 

 

11 A National Assessment of Demand Response Potential, Staff Report, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 

prepared by The Brattle Group, Freeman, Sullivan & Co., and Global Energy Partners, LLC, June 2009 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

7-2 

third party implementer, and an interruptible tariff program that is targeted at large customers. The 

residential direct load control program is currently saving about 101 MW per year and could be expanded 

to about 211 MW per year if Xcel Energy can capture about 50 percent of the residential central air 

conditioning market. The nonresidential direct load control program is currently savings about 20 MW 

per year and is in the process of being expanded to 40 MW. Xcel Energy does not see much added 

potential for expanding the program further. The interruptible tariff program is currently savings about 

179 MW per year, and Xcel Energy believes it can expand this program to about 227 MW per year. 

Table 7-1 summarizes the DR potential estimates for the Xcel Energy service territory, as compared to the 

National Assessment of Demand Response Potentials for Colorado. 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

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Table 7-1 

Comparison of National Assessment of Demand Response Potentials for Colorado 

with Estimates for Xcel Energy (Cumulative to 2020) 

 Business as Usual (BAU) Expanded BAU 

Customer 

Type DR Type Colorado* 

Xcel 

Energy 

% Xcel 

Energy Colorado* 

Xcel 

Energy 

% Xcel 

Energy 

Residential Pricing With Enabling Technology 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 - 

 Pricing Without Enabling Technology 0.0 0.0 - 14.6 0.0 0% 

 Automated or Direct Control DR 113.9 101.0 89% 144.6 211.0 146% 

 Interruptible Tariffs 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 - 

 Other DR 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 - 

 Total Residential 113.9 101.0 89% 159.2 211.0 133% 

Small C/I Pricing With Enabling Technology 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 - 

 Pricing Without Enabling Technology 0.5 0.5 100% 0.5 0.5 100% 

 Automated or Direct Control DR 1.0 0.0 0% 6.6 0.0 0% 

 Interruptible Tariffs 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 - 

 Other DR 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 - 

 Total Small C/I 1.5 0.5 33% 7.1 0.5 7% 

Medium C/I Pricing With Enabling Technology 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 - 

 Pricing Without Enabling Technology 0.0 0.0 - 8.0 0.0 0% 

 Automated or Direct Control DR 177.4 20.0 11% 177.4 40.0 23% 

 Interruptible Tariffs 0.0 0.0 - 51.9 0.0 0% 

 Other DR 0.0 0.0 - 0.2 0.0 0% 

 Total Medium C/I 177.4 20.0 11% 237.5 40.0 17% 

Large C/I Pricing With Enabling Technology 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 - 

 Pricing Without Enabling Technology 11.3 0.0 0% 11.3 0.0 0% 

 Automated or Direct Control DR 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 - 

 Interruptible Tariffs 103.6 179.0 173% 103.6 229.0 221% 

 Other DR 20.0 0.0 0% 140.2 0.0 0% 

 Total Large C/I 134.9 179.0 133% 255.1 229.0 90% 

Total Pricing With Enabling Technology 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 - 

 Pricing Without Enabling Technology 11.8 0.5 4% 34.4 0.5 1% 

 Automated or Direct Control DR 292.3 121.0 41% 328.6 251.0 76% 

 Interruptible Tariffs 103.6 179.0 173% 155.5 229.0 147% 

 Other DR 20.0 0.0 0% 140.4 0.0 0% 

 Total 427.7 300.5 70% 658.9 480.5 73% 

Total Base Peak Demand 13,200.0 6,678.2 51% 13,200.0 6,678.2 51% 

* Colorado estimates from the FERC study run through the year 2019, while the Xcel Energy estimates go to 2020. 

Table 7-1shows that, overall, Xcel Energy could capture about 70 percent of the Colorado potential, as 

estimated in the FERC study, under the business-as-usual scenario (300.5 MW for Xcel Energy versus 

427.7 MW for the state) and about 73 percent of the Colorado potential under the expanded business-asusual scenario (480.5 MW for Xcel Energy versus 658.9 MW for the state). These Xcel Energy potentials 

are fairly aggressive, given that Xcel Energy’s retail peak demand is expected to be about 51 percent of 

the state’s peak demand in 2020. The table also points out some categorization issues associated with the 

National Assessment. In particular, the large potentials associated with the Medium C/I 

(commercial/industrial) Direct Control category may actually reflect savings for the Large C/I 
Xcel Energy Colorado March 12, 2010 

DSM Market Potential Assessment 

7-4 

interruptible tariff category. Finally, the table shows about 0.5 MW of impacts in the Small C/I pricing 

category that is associated with a small Xcel Energy commercial pricing pilot study that is not expected to 

expand. 

Table 7-2 summarizes the estimates of demand response potentials and associated program costs for the 

main Xcel Energy programs. Total savings are estimated at 300 MW for business-as-usual, increasing to 

478 MW for the expanded scenario. Total program costs are estimated to be $343 million ($31 million 

per year) for the business-as-usual scenario and $535 million ($49 million per year) for the expanded 

scenario. Both scenarios are cost effective, based on the TRC test. 

Table 7-2 

Summary of Demand Response Potentials for (2010-2020) 

 Scenario 

Result 

Business-as-Usual 

(BAU) Expanded BAU 

Net Peak Demand Savings - MW 300 478 

 

Program Costs - Real, $ Million 

Administration $14 $20 

Marketing $13 $19 

Third-Party $16 $32 

Incentives $300 $464 

Total $343 $535 

 

PV Avoided Cost Benefits $494 $646 

PV Mkt, Admin, and 3rd Party Costs $30 $49 

PV Net Equipment Costs $44 $65 

TRC Ratio 6.7 5.7 

PV (present value) of benefits and costs is calculated using a nominal discount rate = 7.9 percent, 

inflation rate = 1.5 percent; MW savings are cumulative through 2020.