Overall Requirements

All programs approved by the Commission for implementation must include evaluation and/or measurement and verification components. Information-only programs require an evaluation plan, but will not require the measurement and verification (M&V) components. Although program implementers may refine their evaluation, measurement and verification (EM&V) plans during the early part of program implementation, all proposals must contain an initial plan for accomplishing the following EM&V objectives of the Commission:

· Measuring level of energy and peak demand savings achieved (except-information-only)

· Measuring cost-effectiveness (except information-only)

· Providing up-front market assessments and baseline analysis, especially for new programs

· Providing ongoing feedback, and corrective and constructive guidance regarding the implementation of programs

· Measuring indicators of the effectiveness of specific programs, including testing of the assumptions that underlie the program theory and approach

· Assessing the overall levels of performance and success of programs

· Informing decisions regarding compensation and final payments (except information-only)

· Helping to assess whether there is a continuing need for the program.

Though not required, it is likely that most program implementers will require assistance from independent evaluators or M&V consultants to accomplish all of the objectives outlined above. Not all of the objectives may be applicable to all programs. Implementers are free to propose an EM&V approach that is logical for their program.

The Commission Energy Division will also work with an overall team of evaluators and M&V consultants to assist program implementers with planning and executing the finer points of their EM&V plans once programs are approved. For the M&V portion of the plan, implementers should adhere to the guidelines in the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP), available on the Internet at http://www.ipmvp.org/.

All EM&V plans, in addition to discussing and meeting the objectives above, should also include the components discussed below in detail. These components are not required to be delineated completely at the initial program proposal stage, but will be required to be included in the EM&V plan approved at the end of the first three months of program operation.

Table 6.1. Components of an EM&V plan

Baseline Information

· Determine whether or not baseline data exist upon which to base energy savings measurement. Existing baseline studies can be found on the California Measurement Advisory Committee website ( http://www.calmac.org/) and/or the California Energy Commission website ( http://www.energy.ca.gov/). Detailed sources of baseline data should be cited.

· If baseline data do not exist, the implementer will need to conduct a baseline study (gather baseline energy and operating data) on the operation(s) to be affected by the energy efficiency measures proposed.

· If the baseline data do not exist and the implementer can show that a baseline study is too difficult, expensive or otherwise impossible to carry out prior to program implementation, the contractor should then provide evidence that baseline data can be produced or acquired during the program implementation. This process should then be detailed in the EM&V plan.

Energy Efficiency Measure Information

· Full description of energy efficiency measures included in the program, including assumptions about important variables and unknowns, especially those affecting energy savings.

· Full description of the intended results of the measures.

Measurement and Verification Approach

· Reference to appropriate IPMVP option.

· Description of any deviation from IPMVP approach.

· Schedule for acquiring project-specific data.

Evaluation Approach

· A list of questions to be answered through the program evaluation.

· A list of evaluation tasks/activities to be undertaken during the course of program implementation.

· A description of how evaluation will be used to meet all of the Commission objectives described above.