The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) contracted with TRC to conduct the second Market Progress Evaluation Report (MPER) for the Retail Product Portfolio (RPP) program. Between July 2022 and May 2023, TRC reviewed NEEA’s updated RPP logic model and conducted program staff interviews, reviewed program documents, and analyzed sales data to assess progress on applicable market progress indicators (MPIs) for each product in the RPP portfolio. TRC also evaluated NEEA’s methodology for extrapolating short-term savings to the full market and assessed whether and how any major unexpected events (market shocks) may have affected sales of RPP products.
Report findings indicate that the program is making considerable progress in the refrigerator, freezer, and television markets. Other findings recommended NEEA should consider additional research to investigate barriers and inform strategy on clothes washers, clothes dryers, and room air conditioners. In addition, the report determined that NEEA’s methodology for extrapolating savings to the full market is reasonable. Finally, the analysis showed that when the 2021 heat dome event drove a spike in room air conditioner sales in the Northwest, market share of energy-efficient air conditioners remained constant, suggesting that retailers had stocked large quantities of efficient models.
Response memo appended to end of document in January 2024.
