A Note from the Executive Director

The alliance’s new business plan is off to a strong start in this first quarter of the new 2025 – 2029 business cycle, making progress toward our mission to catalyze the most efficient use of energy for a thriving Northwest. Here are a few examples of how NEEA is transforming markets for energy efficiency in the first quarter of the year:

• The Retail Product Portfolio program expanded significantly in Q1, to include two critical new product categories – heat pump water heaters and televisions – as well as by adding a major national retailer, Costco, to the program. With this expansion, the program has engaged 5 out of the 7 major national retailers, representing 31% of U.S. households. This scale enables NEEA to encourage more stores to increase the availability of efficient products in the Northwest, and more manufacturers to invest in efficiency.
• As part of its regional End-Use Load Flexibility work, NEEA partnered with Portland State University to develop a first-of-its-kind technology flexibility scoring tool. This tool, built on public data and NEEA’s regional studies, evaluates more than 80 technologies based on peak reduction potential, grid reliability benefits, contribution to reduced outages and other grid benefits. The tool will provide NEEA with insights into current and future product portfolio opportunities.
• The Extended Motor Products (XMP) Pumps program recently added two new manufacturer’s representatives who are active in conducting outreach and training to increase awareness of smart pumps across the region and particularly in Idaho and Montana. These representatives sell products that represent new areas of efficiency opportunities for NEEA, including irrigation equipment and circulators. The addition of these partners will also improve NEEA’s ability to collect data and report energy savings from across the region.
• Lastly, the region gathered May 19-21 for the annual Efficiency Exchange conference, with nearly 600 energy efficiency professionals joining site tours, networking and information-sharing sessions designed to further our collective efficiency efforts.

Moving forward, it is clear that energy efficiency continues to play a crucial role in supporting a resilient energy system in the Northwest. In its 2025 Northwest Regional Forecast, the Pacific Northwest Utility Conference Committee referenced NEEA’s work as a significant contributor to regional savings, underscoring the necessity for regional collaboration as the demand for energy is predicted to rise in the next ten years. More highlights from NEEA’s work are available in quarterly newsletters linked below. Please reach out to NEEA staff directly with questions.

– Becca Yates, NEEA Executive Director