Televisions in the Northwest currently consume more than 422 aMW of energy annually, enough energy to power 300,000 homes each year. Through this television initiative, NEEA and its utility partners accelerate the availability and purchase of the most-efficient televisions by using the market power of the Northwest’s 12 million energy consumers to influence more stringent television product standards and increase the supply and demand of these televisions through regional marketing and utility incentives.

Key Barriers:

• Consumers lack the ability to easily distinguish the most-efficient televisions in stores.
• Retailers have a high turn-over or lack of sales associates in store locations that offer consumers assistance.
• Manufacturers and retailers perceive more stringent specifications and standards as having a negative impact on their business.
• 14 percent of buyers are indifferent to energy efficiency.

Key Strategies:

• Develop partner programs that motivate retailers’ stocking practices and marketing decisions.
• Leverage partner relationships to influence manufacturers’ product design.
• Increase consumer exposure to the most energy-efficient TVs and increase demand for energy-efficient televisions through regional marketing.
• Supply market intelligence and support regional and national efforts to ensure savings are locked in through more stringent regional and national product standards.

According to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s 6th Power Plan, Ductless Heat Pumps have the potential to save the region nearly 200 aMW of energy savings each year, the equivalent to powering over 150,000 homes annually. To capture these savings NEEA, in collaboration with its utility partners, is accelerating the purchase of ductless heat pumps (DHPs) in electric-heated homes by increasing product availability, creating a robust trade ally network to support the installation and service of DHPs, and creating increased consumer demand and awareness of this product. In addition to accelerating the adoption of this energy-efficient product, NEEA is also verifying the energy savings potential of DHPs for Northwest consumers and the region as a whole since this is a new technology for the region.

Key Barriers:

• Consumers lack awareness of DHPs and their product and energy saving benefits.
• Regional distribution channels for DHPs are limited.
• Information on DHP performance, market adoption potential and potential energy savings in the Northwest is limited.
• Electrical code interpretation is inconsistent in the Northwest.
• Regional manufacturer technical training is limited.

Key Strategies:

• Establish and implement regional contractor training and sales tools.
• Create regional consumer education and marketing toolkits.
• Collaborate with utilities to coordinate utility customer incentives for DHPs.
• Bring localized manufacturer technical trainings to the region.
• Build manufacturer relationships to support ductless technology and increase product availability in the Northwest.
• Create partnership opportunities to implement regional marketing promotions for ductless heat pumps.

NEEA and its utility partners are able to accelerate market adoption of energy-efficient homes by partnering with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and green building programs to leverage the market power of more than 12 million energy consumers to negotiate increased ENERGY STAR Homes specifications with the EPA, develop a regional infrastructure for verifying and certifying energy-efficient homes and provide regional marketing, recruitment and training support to the market.

Key Barriers:

• Builders perceive a high cost in pursuing ENERGY STAR certification.
• Builders and consumers lack understanding of the value of ENERGY STAR homes.
• The market lacks an infrastructure for verifying energy efficiency measures.
• Contractors have limited technical skills on energy efficiency measures.
• Appraisers and the real estate market do not value energy efficiency.
• Current green building programs have weak and inconsistent energy efficiency requirements.

Key Strategies:

• Recruit and train builders on ENERGY STAR homes specifications, benefits and building science.
• Partner with green building programs on energy efficiency specifications, home-buyer marketing and builder recruitment and training.
• Influence market actors to effectively market Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes and green homes.
• Implement regional consumer marketing campaigns to increase home buyer awareness.
• Advance realtor training efforts and secure ENERGY STAR indicator in MLS listings.
• Work with appraisal organizations to educate appraisers and influence appraisal standards.
• Develop a stable verifier infrastructure that accomplishes builder recruitment and training.

According to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s 6th Power Plan, heat pump water heaters have the potential to save the region nearly 500 aMW by 2029, the equivalent to powering 381,500 homes each year. To achieve these savings, NEEA is collaborating with its utility partners to influence manufacturers to develop a product that is appropriate for northern climates and to implement a market intervention strategy to overcome market barriers to adoption of this product. To do this, NEEA leverages existing market relationships and the combined market power of the Northwest to serve as a buying-block with manufacturers, retailers and distributors to increase product availability and develop and refine a product channel. By helping the market voluntarily adopt a northern climate heat pump water heater, NEEA aims to pave the way for federal standards that would make northern climate specifications standard practice in heat pump water heaters.

Key Barriers:

• The current ENERGY STAR specification does not include features that are needed in cold climates and manufacturers have already introduced a heat pump water heater into the market that meets these ENERGY STAR specifications.
• The supply chain for northern climate heat pump water heater technology is low and there is not an established sales channel for international manufacturers to bring existing Northern climate units to the United States.
• Consumer awareness and satisfaction of heat pump water heater technology is low.
• The market lacks trained installers for heat pump water heaters.

Key Strategies:

• Coordinate with regional energy efficiency organizations to a create Northern Tier Specification for northern climates.
• Coordinate tiered upstream utility incentive programs on behalf of the region to prioritize development of northern climate-appropriate products by manufacturers.
• Coordinate with manufacturers to bring technical training to region.
• Create and implement a quality assurance process.
• Develop retail education strategy.
• Provide consumer education and implement regional marketing efforts.

Through its Desktop PC program, NEEA has created a single program through which the region can engage “upstream” manufacturers to increase the supply of energy-efficient desktop PCs within the market and promote these products to consumers to increase their demand. NEEA and Northwest utilities are able to do this by leveraging the market power of the Northwest’s 12 million energy consumers, as well as through NEEA’s partnerships with regional and national entities, to influence national specifications and standards.

Key Barriers:

• There can be an added cost for energy-efficient PC components.
• Retailers do not believe energy efficiency is a selling point.
• Energy efficiency is not a top priority in buying decisions for desktop PCs; with memory, processor speed and price taking top-of-mind.
• Consumers perceive that energy efficiency may interfere with quality or functionality.

Key Strategies:

• Market the most energy-efficient PCs through manufacturers.
• Influence national specifications, standards and test procedures.
• Collaborate with industry to target component changes.
• Engage with component manufacturers to improve price structure for energy-efficient products.