The Small Business Peer-to-Peer Energy Efficiency Program

Cyane B. Dandridge and Leslie Mendez, Strategic Energy Innovations

Keywords

Abstract

Energy efficiency programs targeting the small business sector have been few despite the numerous potential benefits. Cost reduction through implementing energy efficiency measures directly benefits the profit of a business and can improve its aesthetics and performance capability. Besides providing the business with additional cash to perform its core business, funds from energy savings could be reinvested to improve business operation, decrease cost of services, or hire needed staff. On a community level this translates to improved building stock, higher employment rates, increased tax revenue for cities, increased jobs and reduced local energy expenditures that usually leaves the community to non-locallybased utility companies.

The Small Business Peer-to-Peer Energy Efficiency Program in East Palo Alto, California, was designed as an innovative outreach approach by a non-utility entity to attract small businesses to participate in an energy efficiency program. The Program aimed to educate small businesses about how to invest in energy efficiency products and services and implement low-cost improvements and no-cost behavior changes. These businesses met with other businesses that have already implemented successful programs and shared lessons learned and success stories. This approach, combined with direct technical assistance from energy efficiency experts, helped to achieve a high success rate in outreach efforts in this hard to reach small commercial sector.

This paper presents an outline of the year-long energy efficiency program conducted in East Palo Alto. It describes accomplishments, challenges, and lessons learned plus a strategic model that other communities can replicate.