Multiple forces are driving a need for change in utility programs. Specifically, the energy industry is recognizing that energy efficiency and demand-side management programs need to change significantly in order to survive.

In a webinar hosted by the Association of Energy Services Professionals (AESP), Guidehouse provides an overview of the drivers and benefits of P4P approaches, which can support improved, cost-effective outcomes for utilities, growth opportunities for trade allies, and greater accessibility and savings for customers.

“Traditional programs can impede innovation and limit effectiveness,” said Sam Crawford, associate director at Guidehouse. “Having a fragmented set of prescriptive programs can be difficult for trade allies to navigate, it can limit offerings for customers, and it can drive the focus to be placed on measures over what customers and buildings need most.”

In the webinar, representatives from Guidehouse, Duke Energy, MCE, and Northern Pacific Power Systems examine how market based, P4P approaches overcome barriers to traditional utility programs and the benefits these approaches offer utilities, their customers, and trade allies. They also describe specific examples of how they’ve leveraged different P4P approaches to drive program outcomes.

“A P4P marketplace aligns the interest of all parties,” Crawford said. “Utilities get the outcomes they want by creating opportunities for trade allies to make money by delivering outcomes, which then require them to deliver compelling solutions to customers that deliver savings cost effectively.”

See video links below for the full webinar and a condensed version covering the highlights.

Full webinar:

Summary version: