The GLRPPR Blog

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) seeks to recognize and profile America’s leading utility-sector energy efficiency programs. ACEEE will award these programs a “Certificate of Recognition” and will feature them as exemplars of best practices in a compendium of program profiles to be published by ACEEE in the Spring of 2013.

Eligibility

We’re looking for leading examples of energy efficiency programs for all types of customers (residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural) and end-uses. The only constraint is that they must be “utility sector” energy efficiency programs (i.e., funded by customers through utility rates, public benefits charges, or other similar utility revenue mechanisms). The programs can be administered by utilities, government agencies, or “third party” independent administrators. Both electric and natural gas programs are eligible. Programs recognized in ACEEE’s 2003 and 2008 reviews are eligible for this new review. In these cases, program data and results need to be updated to reflect the latest information available.

Organizations may only nominate themselves for a maximum of three programs each.

[Note: we are NOT seeking nominations for “load management” or “demand response” programs, with one exception: we are interested in “integrated” programs where broader energy efficiency measures and savings are incorporated as an explicit priority in the program design in addition to load management. Inclusion of integrated, significant energy efficiency measures and savings (not just peak reduction) also need to be well documented.]

Selection Criteria

The primary selection criteria for recognition by ACEEE are:

• Direct Energy Savings: Demonstrated ability of the program to deliver significant immediate and long-term kWh (and/or therm) savings from energy efficiency.
• Market Impacts: Demonstrated ability of the program to produce desirable and lasting improvements in the energy efficiency characteristics and performance of the targeted market.
• Cost Effectiveness: Demonstrated ability to yield significant energy savings and related benefits relative to the costs of the program.
• Customer Service and Satisfaction: High quality of services available and provided to customers participating in programs.
• Innovation: Incorporation of particularly innovative measures, program designs, and/or implementation techniques that have achieved positive near-term results and promise significant future impacts.
• Transferability:  Well documented programs with characteristics amenable to replicating the program design in other similar settings.

Additional factors that may be regarded favorably include: success in serving “hard to reach” target populations; success in achieving “deep” energy savings by participants; and the ability to leverage significant customer investments in energy efficiency.

To demonstrate achievement according to the various  criteria, it is advantageous that nominated programs have used good quality ex post evaluation and verification methodologies to document savings impacts, market effects and other results achieved by the program.

How to Nominate a Program

To nominate a program, ACEEE asks that you complete an online nomination form here. Hard copy/paper nominations will generally not be accepted without permission. The review and selection process will consist of two phases: (1) an initial screening of nominated programs to identify leading candidates, and (2) a more in-depth review of these candidate programs; in this 2^nd phase ACEEE is likely to request supplemental data and information on the programs, such as evaluation reports or other documentation. An expert panel (ACEEE staff plus external experts) will review the nominations and select the final set of programs.

Nominations due October 5, 2012.

For additional information, please contact:
Seth Nowak
snowak@aceee.org
608-256-9155

or

Dan York
dwyork@aceee.org
608-243-1123

Please note: ACEEE will confirm receipt of all nominations. If you do not receive a confirmation within one week of your submission, please call Seth Nowak at the above number.

Please feel free to distribute this invitation widely. Self-nominations are perfectly acceptable (a limit of 3 self-nominations per organization) All nominations will be kept confidential unless otherwise requested. The results of ACEEE’s second national review of exemplary programs can be found here: http://www.aceee.org/research-report/u081.

There’s still time to submit entries for the 2011 International E-Waste Design Competition. The deadline has been extended to 4:59 p.m. CT, May 9, 2011. College students and recent graduates from around the world submit ideas for reusing e-waste to create new and useful products, or for preventing its generation in the first place (e.g. by re-designing an existing electronic device to facilitate reuse or otherwise extend the product life cycle). Entries include, among other elements, a video uploaded to YouTube highlighting the proposed design idea. Six winning teams or individuals (three in each of two categories) will receive monetary prizes. The competition is part of the educational component of the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) Sustainable Electronics Initiative (SEI; www.sustainelectronics.illinois.edu). For more information and online registration, see www.ewaste.illinois.edu, or contact Joy Scrogum at jscrogum@istc.illinois.edu or 217-333-8948.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is now accepting nominations for the third annual Michigan Green Chemistry Governor’s Award. The awards, modeled on the Presidential Green Chemistry Awards program, honor industrial, academic, student, and non-profit efforts to green Michigan’s economy.

Past awardees were recognized for work to advance principles of green chemistry into chemical design, manufacture or use, or promotion activities that support or implement those technologies.

The awards are open to individuals, groups and organizations in Michigan, both nonprofit and for-profit, including academia, educators, nonprofit advocacy groups and industry.

To learn more about Michigan’s green chemistry program or obtain a nomination packet for the Governor’s award, go to www.michigan.gov/greenchemistry.

Entries must be sent by Aug. 5. Awards are presented during the 2011 Michigan Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference. This year’s conference: “Advancing Innovation for a Sustainable Future,” is scheduled Oct. 27 at the University of Michigan’s North Campus Research Complex in Ann Arbor.

For more information, call the DEQ Environmental Assistance Center at 800‑662-9278.

A nationally known speaker on Sustainability and a panel of experts discussing energy savings programs will be featured in an upcoming seminar.  The sustainability seminar will be Thursday, October 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Champaign, IL.   The seminar is sponsored by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC).

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Jeff Burke presents P2 Champion awards to Dr. Tim Lindsey & Phil Kaplan.

Two people from the Great Lakes region were honored recently as “Pollution Prevention Champions” by the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable. Jeff Burke, NPPR Executive Director, presented the MVP2 awards to Tim Lindsey, Associate Director of the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, and Phil Kaplan, recently retired P2 Coordinator for EPA Region 5. They were honored for their leadership and innovation in pollution prevention programs.

Congratulations to both Tim and Phil for this well-deserved recognition!

The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) has received a pair of national environmental awards. Awards were received for the Sustainable Electronics Initiative (SEI) and by Dr. Tim Lindsey.

The 2010 Most Valuable Pollution Prevention (MVP2) awards presented by the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) celebrate the successes of innovators in the areas of pollution prevention and sustainability. These prestigious awards were presented recently at a ceremony in Washington, DC.  ISTC is a unit of the Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) is now accepting applications for the 2010 Governor’s Sustainability Awards.  http://www.istc.illinois.edu/info/govs_awards.cfm

Please be sure to review the application details carefully!  The awards criteria has been updated to better reflect the variety of sustainable activities and projects that applicants may have completed.

The application deadline is close of business on May 21, 2010.  Applications will only be accepted on-line.

The award ceremony will be held in Champaign.  A final date has not yet been set, however we are targeting the second half of October 2010.

Thirty eight Illinois companies and organizations have been honored for their significant achievements in protecting the environment, helping sustain the future, and improving the economy. The Governor’s Sustainability Awards were presented by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) in Champaign during a luncheon. ISTC is a division of the Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability at the University of Illinois.

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Tomorrow marks the beginning of the 2009 GLRPPR/Region 7 Conference, which will be held in Indianapolis, IN June 3-5. In honor of the host state for our conference, we’ll be featuring pollution prevention programs this week that call the great state of Indiana home. Today’s spotlight is on the Partners for Pollution Prevention (P4P2).

Organized by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) in 1996, the purpose of P4P2 is to assist industry in sharing pollution prevention successes and to advise IDEM on pollution prevention policy and programs. The Partners represent industry, government, academia and environmental organizations interested in advancing pollution prevention in Indiana, as well as the financial and environmental benefits P2 projects can bring.

According to the program website, there are currently 55 Partners, many of which have received the Indiana Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence. The benefits of being a Partner include, among other things, exchanging information on P2 technologies and successes with your peers, being recognized statewide for your P2 efforts and potentially having your P2 projects promoted in IDEM publications.

If you are interested in applying for membership to P4P2, or would like more information, contact IDEM’s Office of Pollution Prevention & Technical Assistance at 800-988-7901 or 317-233-6662. Becoming a member involves committing to the Partners Pledge. New Partners are inducted at quarterly meetings, and Partners are required to complete the annual recertification to share P2 success stories and data.

Check out the Partners Activity page for copies of reports and presentations given at quarterly meetings.  Another major activity for the  Partners is the organization of the Annual Pollution Prevention Conference and Trade Show.

After demonstrating long-term compliance with environmental laws and voluntarily agreeing to implement continuous improvements, eight new members have been accepted into the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM’s) Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP).

“These businesses are models for other Hoosier companies and show that sound environmental management is good for business,” said IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly. “ESP members voluntarily eliminate waste, preserve resources and protect Hoosiers and the environment. They deserve recognition for going beyond the basic requirements of the law.”

This is the third year of the ESP program, and there are 45 members participating in this initiative. ESP’s newest members include:

Frito-Lay, Inc., Frankfort, Clinton County

Frito-Lay, Inc. has agreed to install water meters at each process point and implement monitoring activities and process controls to optimize water use, thus reducing water use by 82,765,244 gallons by the end of 2009.

Guardian Automotive Trim, Inc., Evansville, Vanderburgh County

Guardian Automotive Trim, Inc. is committed to reducing natural gas usage in the plating process boiler by 10 percent in its first year of membership as a result of pre-heating the day tank that returns water to the boiler and reducing the amount of time that water has to cool down, thus maintaining a more consistent water temperature.

Nishikawa Standard Company, LLC – Bremen Facility, Marshall County

Nishikawa Standard Company, LLC – Bremen Facility is committed to reducing its solid waste during its first year of membership by 8,500 pounds by replacing 23 automated paper towel dispensers with 19 highly-efficient electric hand dryers in an effort to eliminate landfill contributions.

NOF Jasper 11th Avenue, Jasper, Dubois County

NOF Jasper 11th Avenue has agreed to increase the amount it recycles by 26,920 pounds by the end of 2009 with the creation of a new training program for employees and implementing 5S principles to make separating recyclables more visual for employees.

NOF Santa Claus, Santa Claus, Spencer County

NOF Santa Claus has agreed to increase the amount it recycles by 15,631 pounds by the end of 2009 with the creation of a new training program for employees and implementing 5S principles to make separating recyclables more visual for employees.

Ottenweller Company, Inc., Fort Wayne, Allen County

Ottenweller Company, Inc. is committed to reducing the amount of propane used in its forklifts by 34,051 pounds, or 30 percent, by improving staging methods and using jacks and carts.

SAMTEC, Incorporated, New Albany, Floyd County

SAMTEC, Incorporated has agreed to involve all of its employees in reducing their environmental impact by recycling 1,000 pounds of aluminum cans and 1,500 pounds of plastic bottles in the employee cafeteria by the end of 2009.

Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc., Lafayette, Tippecanoe County

Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. is committed to replacing a solvent-borne top coat with a water-borne top coat reducing volatile organic compounds by 202,287 pounds by the end of 2009.

To become an ESP member, a business must maintain an exemplary compliance record, certify that it has adopted and implemented an approved environmental management system, and commit to specific measures for continued improvement in its environmental performance.

ESP members qualify for expedited permit review, flexibility in permitting, reduced reporting frequencies, and coordination of compliance inspections. To maintain ESP membership, companies must report on their environmental initiatives every year and reapply for ESP membership every three years.