Refrigerator Early Retirement, Replacement and Recycling with Community Partners

Diane Ferington and Kate Scott, Energy Trust of Oregon

Keywords

Abstract

This paper describes pilot efforts undertaken by Energy Trust of Oregon, Inc. to conduct early retirement and recycling of inefficient refrigerators and to replace these units with new energy efficient models. These efforts are intended to determine the best design approach for a collaborative delivery model to implement refrigerator programs that deliver significant costeffective energy savings while achieving multiple end goals of the various participants in the transaction chain. This paper discusses program design, implementation details, end results, key variables and lessons learned. Some distinguishing characteristics of pilot design include actual in-home refrigerator metering, use of targeted direct mail for marketing, collaborative partnership with a low income weatherization agencies, predetermined replacement models and a retail partnership for the purchase, delivery and recycling.

Included is an analysis of the first pilot's income levels served, sharing of savings per unit and in total, and a discussion of total cost as well as incentive pieces being paid to the various actors involved in the identification, replacement and recycling process. This paper also includes complete design details including required agreements, forms, and procedures. Readers should gain from this paper an understanding of how they might implement such an effort in their service territory.