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Letter to the Region
Energy efficiency is often called a no regrets investment, and today there remains growing recognition of energy efficiency’s role in a vibrant, sustainable future. The industry continues to quickly evolve with new technologies and priorities that embrace the full spectrum of efficiency benefits – energy savings, resilience, flexibility and more.
The alliance’s collective collaboration and innovation is leading this evolution of efficiency across the region, and across North America. The alliance works collaboratively to save energy, bring more efficient products to market faster, and create long-lasting changes to energy-efficient products, practices, and services. Together we have a greater impact than any one person or organization could accomplish alone.
2021 Portfolio Highlights:
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Investments in energy efficiency drive innovation and economic growth. I appreciate Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance for bringing the region together to support our energy future.
-Greg Gianforte, Governor of Montana
Success Stories
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Initiative gets Greenlight from U.S. Department of Energy
In 2021, NEEA facilitated the formation of a new initiative, the Partnership for Advanced Window Solutions (PAWS). Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, the PAWS coalition seeks to accelerate the national availability and adoption of advanced and highly efficient windows and window attachments that improve occupants’ comfort and reduce building energy use.
Through it's leadership, the alliance is helping to promote cost-effective, high performance window solutions for new and existing building stock in the Northwest and across the nation. PAWS’ partners include utilities, national labs, window manufacturers, state agencies, regional energy efficiency organizations trade organizations and NGOs with a building efficiency mission.
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Differentiating Northwest lighting experts since 2014
NEEA’s Top Tier Trade Ally infrastructure program launched in 2014 and transitioned to the market in 2021. Designed in collaboration with regional utilities, the NXT Level training featured a carefully crafted curriculum and tiered delivery to remove a host of barriers—including location, availability and cost—that prevented Northwest lighting professionals from keeping up with the latest techniques and technologies.
Since then, more than 430 lighting professionals have received the NXT Level Training designation, differentiating themselves as top tier lighting experts in the market.
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Timeline highlights alliance's 25 years of Market Transformation
Twenty-five years ago, the energy efficiency community in Idaho, Montana, Washington and Oregon created the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) based on a shared belief that together, we can accomplish far more than we can alone.
Impacts and Investments
2021 Energy Savings Results
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2021 Co-Created Energy Savings
NEEA estimates that the alliance delivered almost 35 average megawatts (aMW) of Co-Created energy savings in 2021. Most of those savings are the result of investments made during previous business cycles.
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2021 Total Regional Natural Gas Savings
NEEA estimates that the alliance delivered 0.33 Million Therms (MM Therms) of Total Regional natural gas savings in 2021. This number takes into account the reduced savings from Oregon and Washington residential building code updates.
The alliance’s natural gas portfolio is still in early development and several potential savings streams are not yet accounted for.
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Co-Created Electric Energy Savings
For its Cycle 6 Business Plan (2020-2024), the alliance estimates it will deliver between 120-170 average megawatts (aMW) of Co-Created electric energy savings, enough energy to power more than 120,000 Northwest homes each year.
Co-Created - or shared - energy savings include all savings above the baseline that occur in the market due to the combined efforts of NEEA and its partners.
1 aMW = enough energy to power about 730 Northwest homes per year
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Total Regional Natural Gas Energy Savings
The alliance estimates it will deliver between 4-12 Million (MM) Therms of Co-Created natural gas energy savings during its Cycle 6 Business Plan (2020-2024). The forecast is driven by reduced savings this cycle from residential code updates in Oregon and Washington.
Total Regional Savings include all savings calculated above the pre-intervention market starting point due to the combined efforts of NEEA and its partners.
20 Year Levelized Cost:
Current Portfolio = .14 cents/kWh
20-year Electric Benefit-Cost Ratio*: 2.2
*Reflects the 20-year value of the regional investment in Market Transformation efforts. The alliance only advances a program into the market if it meets the minimum benefit-cost ratio threshold of 1.
2021 Regional Peak Demand Savings:
10.1 MW winter peak (current investments in market development)
2021 Avoided CO2 Emissions:
Electric - 183,148 tons
Natural Gas - 1,925 tons
Additive* Co-Created Savings (aMW): 1997–2021
Market Transformation is a long-term process that delivers permanent market change. Alliance activities during a business cycle continue to deliver energy savings after the 5-year investment period has ended. This chart shows energy savings associated with the funding cycle as well as savings growth into the future.
Working together, the region has delivered more than 879 average megawatts (aMW) of Co-Created electric energy savings since 1997 – equivalent to amount of energy needed to power more than 640,000 Northwest homes each year.
*Additive Energy Savings are defined as the sum of new first year savings occurring each year across multiple years.
2021 Investments
$23.7 Million
Electric Market Development & Transformation
$5.3 Million
Analytics, Research & Evaluation
$5 Million
Business Administration
$1.7 Million
Stakeholder Engagement, Corporate Strategy & Communications
$2.6 Million
Natural Gas Market Development & Transformation
$1.2 Million
End Use Load Research
Balance Sheet
As of December 31, 2021
| Assets | |
| Cash and cash equivalents | $1,021,961 |
| Short-term investments | $12,284,328 |
| Funder and other receivables | $1,603,387 |
| Prepaid expenses | $812,164 |
| Investment in CalMTA | $10,000 |
| Property and equipment | $2,141,257 |
| Total Assets | $17,873,097 |
| Liabilities and net assets | |
| Accounts payable and other liabilities | $5,922,276 |
| Advances from funders | $7,789,659 |
| Total liabilities | $13,711,935 |
| Net Assets | |
| Unrestricted | $3,023,644 |
| Temporarily restricted | $1,137,518 |
| Total Net Assets | $4,161,162 |
| Total Liabilities and Net Assets | $17,873,097 |
Statement of Activities
Year ending December 31, 2021
| Revenues | |
| Electric contributions | $31,636,885 |
| Natural Gas contributions | $3,075,819 |
| End Use Load Research Contributions | $1,888,128 |
| Special fund contributions | $3,626,296 |
| Interest and other income | $106,451 |
| Total Revenue | $40,333,579 |
| Expenses | |
| Compensation and benefits | $12,980,901 |
| General administration | $2,767,976 |
| Direct project costs | $24,003,823 |
| Total Expenses | $39,752,700 |
| Change in net assets | $580,879 |
