Achieving Wastewater Market Transformation through Customer-Focused, Customized Services

Panel: Panel 5. Role of Government and Programs in Industrial Energy Efficiency

Authors:
Alison Hollingsworth, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation
Gillian Eaton, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation
Greg Baker, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation

Abstract

Wastewater facilities offer significant potential for delivery of cost-effective efficiency services to economically and geographically diverse populations. Efficiency Vermont’s wastewater market initiative is successfully penetrating and transforming this market in Vermont. Since the beginning of Efficiency Vermont in 2000, more than 40% of Vermont’s municipal wastewater facilities have actively engaged with Efficiency Vermont to reduce electric costs through efficiency projects. Our high degree of market penetration is a result of targeted outreach, training, and customized services focused on understanding and overcoming the unique barriers facing all the key market actors in this industry sector.

Efficiency Vermont’s “wastewater market initiative” is focused on understanding the challenges facing wastewater facility personnel and town managers, so that implementing efficiency improvements will achieve their priorities. The Efficiency Vermont wastewater market initiative consists of three core components:

Customizing client services to meet the needs of the customer, including technical assistance, financial incentives, third-party project review, and pilot scale technology testing.
Actively partnering and engaging with industry associations, engineers, and regulators to raise market awareness of efficiency benefits and leverage trade association resources.
Sponsoring training and education opportunities for facility operators and managers to promote energy and subsequent non-energy benefits of upgrading equipment and systems.

This paper describes Efficiency Vermont’s experience and results to date in the wastewater market, a traditionally risk-averse industry sector. Examples of successful services, approaches, and technologies are highlighted, especially those applicable outside of Vermont.