Energy Efficiency (R.09-11-014)
What’s this? This rulemaking continues the work of R.06-04-010 and serves as the forum for the CPUC’s continued implementation of the California Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan as well as the forum for initiating the next planning cycle for 2013-2015 energy efficiency program plans, funding levels, and related issues.
What’s new?
On Dec. 7, 2011, the CPUC issued a Ruling requesting comments on the Energy Division’s staff proposal for energy efficiency activity during the 2013–2014 transition period. The staff proposal represents potential pathways to implement the direction outlined in the Oct. 25, 2011, Assigned Commissioner’s Ruling and Scoping Memo (ACR). Staff proposes significant changes to five sectors/programs to achieve more market transformation and better long-term energy savings in the investor-owned utilities’ (IOUs’) energy efficiency portfolios. As per an extension granted by Administrative Law Judge Farrar on Dec. 19, 2011, opening comments were due Dec. 23, 2011, and reply comments were due January 6.
On Dec. 15, 2011, the CPUC issued Decision (D.) 11-12-038 regarding continuation of funding for energy efficiency programs. Funding for CPUC-approved electricity energy efficiency programs comes from two sources: the Public Goods Charge (PGC) and the Procurement Energy Efficiency Balancing Account (PEEBA). The statute authorizing collection of the PGC in utility rates expired on Jan. 1, 2012. D.11-12-038 thus makes additional PEEBA funds available to backfill the PGC funding so that electric energy efficiency programs are funded at the current rate in 2012; however, D.11-12-038 does not decide whether or which energy efficiency programs will require the current level of funding after 2012.
On Dec. 22, 2011, the CPUC issued a Ruling to clarify the fund-shifting rules, which allow the utilities to shift energy efficiency program funding in and out of program categories, and the reporting requirements, which govern the information that utilities are required to present periodically to the commission. The ruling makes minor clarifications and changes to Version 4.0 of the Energy Efficiency Policy Manual, as set forth in the attachments to the ruling, to memorialize the new reporting requirement format and clarify the fund-shifting rules.
Lastly, on Dec. 28, 2011, the CPUC issued a Ruling requesting comments on the Energy Division’s proposal for 2013-2014 energy savings goals for the IOUs as well as on updates and clarifications to the CPUC’s fund-shifting rules and reporting requirements pursuant to D.09-09-047. The CPUC will later evaluate whether the IOUs have met these goals and use the actual savings derived from that evaluation to determine IOUs’ goals in future portfolios. The Energy Division Proposal for 2013-14 Energy Efficiency Goals attached to the ruling recommends the following 2013-14 energy efficiency goals: (A) use the 2011 potential study and codes and standards advocacy savings estimates as the basis for goals; (B) have separate targets for codes and standards advocacy, IOU programs with existing technologies and emerging technologies programs; (C) apply goals on a gross basis in accordance with current policy; and (D) have annual and cumulative goals, with cumulative goals including recovery of savings lost from the decay of past energy efficiency activities, but not recovery of unmet goals prior to 2010. Opening comments on the Energy Division Proposal, questions for comment and documents made available by the ruling were due January 12, and reply comments were due January 19. In addition, parties’ comments and reply comments in response to the Nov. 17, 2011, Ruling regarding the draft update to the Database of Energy Efficiency Resources (DEER) and the draft potential study were due on the same dates as comments and reply comments to this ruling.
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