Not once, but twice President Obama mentioned the importance of energy efficiency in his state of the union address January 27. His support for the resource is no surprise; his administration has channeled $20 billion toward energy savings programs. Obama made clear that going into his second year his support will not waver.

“I know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change. But here's the thing -- even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives for energy-efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future -– because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation,” he said.

For many years, efficiency was the poor sister of the energy world. So continued support from the highest office comes as extraordinarily good news to the range of businesses that provide energy savings services and products – from appliance manufacturers to energy efficiency service companies to the new entrants -- smart grid and information technology companies.

But when an industry receives this much incentive money, it inevitably comes under increased scrutiny. Is the taxpayer and the ratepayer getting bang for the buck?

Fortunately, a lot of work is underway to bring to buildings the kind of miles per gallon measure we now have in the auto industry. How many people know how well or poorly their homes and businesses use energy?

To find out, innovations are being developed in use of data loggers and other devices that measure actual energy output of equipment and other parameters. Another interesting approach is use of benchmarking and disclosure mandates to determine building performance.

The goal of such programs is give consumers and businesses information about building performance to trigger “market-based competition to own, operate, lease, finance, design and build the most energy-efficient buildings,” says the Institute for Market Transformation.

The Washington, D.C.-based efficiency group describes on its website several cities and states already using benchmarking and disclosure:  

· The New York City Council requires building energy rating and disclosure, periodic energy audits and retro-commissioning. It also mandates building-wide lighting upgrades and the installation of submeters and compliance with a new city energy code.

· Washington, D.C. mandates annual energy performance rating and disclosure for commercial buildings. The district publishes building energy performance data on a public online database.

· Utilities in California must provide data for use in ENERGY STAR benchmarking. Commercial building owners must disclose ENERGY STAR benchmark data to prospective tenants, buyers and lenders.

· Austin, Texas requires commercial building energy rating and disclosure, mandatory energy audits for homes and mandatory audits plus retrofits (in some cases) for apartment buildings.

· Washington state has a building energy rating and disclosure mandate similar to California's. The city of Seattle has its own benchmarking requirement.

· On the federal level, the House and Senate climate bills would create a national building label. In addition, the Department of Energy has a new National Building Rating Program to create a label for homes.

Stay tuned for increased city, state and federal activity in measuring and monitoring energy efficiency as activity expands. More details are available at: http://www.imt.org/

Lisa Cohn of Energy Efficiency Markets continues her interview with Matt Marshall, founder of VentureBeat, about Silicon Valley's role in smart grid innovation. He explains how companies are developing new technologies for the grid that give consumers easier access to information and increased control of their personal energy use.

Governor Schwarzenegger announces first-in-the-nation statewide green building standards code

Processed foods becoming energy efficient? 3 potato processing plants gain Energy Star rating

LG Electronics sees growth in U.S. HVAC market, unveils new energy efficient products at AHR expo

National Grid expects to rely heavily on energy efficiency service companies to provide work under a new program proposed in Massachusetts that expands the utility efficiency offerings three-fold between 2010 and 2012. The utility says it plans to use competitive bidding to identify qualified energy efficiency service companies that will provide much of the work. The proposal is under review before the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. The utility wants to expand spending on electric efficiency from $85 million in 2009, to $570 million between 2010 and 2012, and natural gas efficiency from $20 million in 2009 to nearly $200 million. Details are available at: https://www.nationalgridus.com/masselectric/a3-1_news2.asp?document=4594

The CEC seeks a qualified third-party rebate fulfillment company to provide services that include accepting and processing mail-in rebate applications received from the public, verifying and validating claim materials, and transmitting electronic claim files to the State Controller's Office under California' State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program.

Questions should be directed to Rachel Grant, Contracts Officer, (916) 654-4379, rgrant@energy.state.ca.us.

The DOE is offering $210 million in 2010 weatherization funds to state governments and Native American tribes. States and tribes use the funds to weatherize low-income households. The DOE will make 58 awards, each no higher than $15 million and no lower than $79,000.

NYSERDA seeks proposals for the implementation of a statewide energy efficiency and renewable consumer education program. This program is designed to raise awareness, educate the general public, and increase the adoption of energy efficiency behaviors and practices at home, at work, and within communities.

PSE seeks to enhance its programs for helping customers use less energy. PSE estimates that energy efficiency could lower the utility's power-capacity need by about 500 MW by 2016.

The DEO is interested in receiving proposals for vendors to participate in a program to generate a market for high performance (R-5) windows and low-e storm windows

NYSERDA seeks a vendor to continue data collection, analysis and presentation on distributed generation/combined heat and power. The job is now performed by CDH Energy Corp. See NYSERDA's CHP operational performance website chp.nyserda.org.

NYSERDA seeks partners to deliver energy efficiency training programs in New York. The goal is to train workers for jobs being created as a result of the state’s energy efficiency portfolio standard.

The FlexTech Program from NYSERDA seeks customers interested in study of efficiency, process improvement, peak-load reduction, energy procurement, and peak-load curtailment plans for their facilities. The program also offers analysis of possible combined heat & power and renewable generation installations.

Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis through December 15, 2011.

For technical questions please contact Clararose Voigt or Joanna Moore, cfv@nyserda.org.

The MEA is now offering low-interest loans through the EmPOWER Commercial and Industrial Energy Efficiency Loan Fund. Maryland businesses can qualify for up to $500,000 for electric efficiency projects, and $750,000 for combined electric and gas/fuel oil efficiency projects with a minimum $35,000 for energy efficiency projects. Eligible energy efficiency projects may include building weatherization, lighting technology upgrades, HVAC replacements or upgrades, and commercial refrigeration equipment upgrades.

Awards will be made on a first-come, first-served basis within utility service territory funding pools through February 12.

Money is available for companies to site Class I renewable energy or energy efficiency product manufacturing facilities in New Jersey. New Jersey clean technology manufacturers can receive funding for project assessment and design, or project construction and operation.

Applications are now being accepted in an open, rolling process and will be reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

NYSERDA invites proposals for projects that develop, demonstrate or commercialize innovative ultraviolet light or electron beam technologies. The projects must provide energy benefits for an industrial process in New York’s manufacturing sector.

Technical questions should be directed to one of the project managers at (518) 862-1090, Scott Larsen, ext. 3208, lsl@nyserda.org, Bill Reinhardt, ext. 3257, wwr@nyserda.org. Contractual questions should be directed to Nancy Marucci, ext. 3335, nsm@nyserda.org.

NYSERDA seeks applications from software developers to provide building modeling software for use in NYSERDA's New York Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program

For RFQ questions contact Brian Atchinson, (518) 862-1090, ext.3382, or bta@nyserda.org; for contract questions, Venice Forbes, (518) 862-1090, ext. 3507, or vwf@nyserda.org.

NYSERDA is offering $10 million in grants to expand manufacturing of renewable, clean, and energy-efficient products in New York. The state agency will evaluate proposals on a first-come first-serve basis.

Send applications to Roseanne Viscusi, PON No. 1176, NYSERDA, 17 Columbia Circle, Albany, New York 12203-6399. Direct technical questions to Jennifer Harvey, 518-862-1090, ext. 3264, jlh@nyserda.org, or Joe Borowiec, 518- 862-1090 ext. 3381, jcb@nyserda.org; and contractual questions to Diane Vogel, 518-862-1090, ext. 3299, drv@nyserda.org.

Solutions for Success New York’s ENERGY STAR for Homes 2010 Conference: February 3 - 4, Saratoga Springs, NY.

ACI New Jersey Home Performance Conference 2010: March 4 - 5, Atlantic City, NJ.

2010 IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition: April 19 - 22, New Orleans.

Read and comment on Lisa Cohn's new energy blog, Cohn's Corner, for SNL Energy:

We are open to suggestions for our popular podcast, which attracts up to 180 new subscribers a day. We are now seeking interviews with efficiency experts who can walk us through hypothetical projects and discuss efficiency changes they would recommend to clients. Contact us at realenergywriter@comcast.net.

Energy efficiency finally has transitioned from being a good idea to a good business – to a very good business.

This increase for EE -- from $164 million to $1.3 billion -- came despite a 4.1% drop in overall transaction value for the green tech sector.

“VCs and angels—have targeted the energy efficiency as the next frontier in green tech investing,” the report said, noting that “a slew of money” was channeled into software technologies that manage energy use, as well as electric and hybrid cars.

The Peachtree report warns that once federal stimulus money dries up, green projects may be shelved. Placing a carbon value on energy would bolster the industry, but that will take tremendous “political willpower,” says Peachtree.

And political willpower seems scarce in Congress, particularly with the surprise election this week of Republican Scott Brown to the open US Senate seat in Massachusetts. Those already nervous about voting for cap and trade see the Brown vote as a surprise indictment of not only Obama’s healthcare agenda but also his energy policy. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aLrXr50OGPR0&pos=9

But the electorate’s sentiments are hard to read right now. And it may be off the mark to assume that Brown’s election means weak public backing for cap and trade. In fact, an interesting poll by Frank Luntz indicates just the opposite. http://www.edf.org/language

Issued January 21 by the Environmental Defense Fund and NRG Energy, the poll shows Americans eager for Congress to act on climate legislation that would promote energy independence and a healthier environment. And the support crossed party lines.

Much depends, though, on how the issue is framed, according to Luntz. Discard the words “carbon neutral,” he says: “People want companies to focus on greater energy efficiency and a healthier environment – not on being carbon neutral.”

In fact, energy efficiency got the top response (47%) when pollsters asked, “If a company was genuinely interested in energy and environmental issues, which of the following do you most want them to focus on?” After efficiency, poll participants said they want a healthier environment (41%), a cleaner environment (32%), reduced energy consumption (29%), greater environmental stewardship (24%), carbon neutral (12%), none of the above – it’s a waste of time, (8%).

If this poll is correct, fearful lawmakers may again be misreading the public sentiment. A carbon cap and trade bill still can be won, if it is presented correctly to the public. The word from investors is that efficiency is a good bet. The word from the American public appears to be the same. Now we await word from Congress.

Lisa Cohn of Energy Efficiency Markets interviews Matt Marshall, founder of VentureBeat, about Silicon Valley's role in smart grid innovation. He explains how companies are developing new technologies for the grid that give consumers easier access to information and increased control of their personal energy use.

Toyota unveils compact dedicated hybrid concept, reveals future plan for 'Prius family' North American marketing strategy

Titan Energy Worldwide acquires Sustainable Solutions Inc., a Minnesota based energy efficiency company

For technical questions please contact: Lori Clark, Ext. 3202 lac@nyserda.org  