Efficiency Exchange 2018 Prepares for Future Savings

This May, Efficiency Exchange 2018 welcomed hundreds of energy efficiency professionals from around the region and beyond to learn what others are doing to promote and achieve energy efficiency. The Northwest is a leader in developing efficiency and it's our second largest resource after hydropower.

Keynote speakers Val Jensen of Commonwealth Edison and Steve Brown, "The Bald Futurist," set the stage with presentations on what's ahead for utilities and consumers. Hint: It's about adapting to the disruptive changes coming our way from fast-evolving technology. In short, there was a lot to see and hear.

We talked to a few people about what they were working on, and here's what they had to say.

Bob Carlson of Espen Technology has seen tremendous improvements in the efficiency, quality, and reliability of LED lighting. He talks about some of the latest tubular LEDs:

Steve Bickel of D+R International explains an innovative way to connect consumers with energy efficient products by partnering with services--like pay-TV providers Dish Network--to offer installation of smart thermostats. In effect, the program enables utilities to "piggyback" on an existing delivery system to potentially reach tens of thousands of customers.

Finally, the Council, along with its partners, recently completed a data analysis to identify underserved markets to understand where the gaps may be in energy efficiency programming. The goal is to increase participation by underserved segments. The report summarizes the data analysis and provides a template for future analyses for use by others. Kevin Smit, our senior energy efficiency analyst explains:

It was another great conference in the books, and we hope to see you again next year in beautiful Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, May 14-15!