Commissioner Grueneich Kicks off CEE Winter Program Meeting

Boston, MA—Dian Grueneich, California Public Utilities Commissioner, kicked off this year’s CEE Winter Program Meeting with an overview of how California is achieving deep and comprehensive energy savings. In her presentation, Grueneich said she has never, in her 30 years’ experience, seen the opportunity and focus on energy efficiency that the industry is currently experiencing. She urged her audience to step out of its comfort zone: “We’ve finally reached the tipping point; you see it everywhere,” she exclaimed. “You are all part of an amazing effort. Now is the time to push the envelope.”

According to Grueneich, every jurisdiction, as well as the federal government, needs a decade-long strategic plan that looks seriously at life changing energy efficiency. This would benefit all sectors, while producing answers to both strategic and tactical questions. For example, best practices for measurement and verification could be reshaped for a longer time frame.

During her talk, Grueneich also fielded questions about government programs like “Home Star” and “Cash For Clunker Appliances,” and discussed how home area networks could impact future energy savings.

The January meeting, held Tuesday, January 12th through Thursday, January 14th, was attended by over 165 people, representing 47 member organizations as well as other industry partners and stakeholders.

Tours, Technical Sessions and Technologies

Working Lunch on Data Centers

Among the highlights of the program meeting were tours of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, featuring efficiency workshops on data centers and servers along with commercial kitchens at the PG&E Food Service Technology Center and a close-up look at the water heating test lab. As always, CEE members advanced Committee agendas through breakout sessions and industry updates, and contemplated reports on new, emerging technologies and strategic directions for the future.

Over the three days of activities, Kathleen Hogan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for EERE from the Department of Energy, spoke on “Framing National Priorities to Advance Efficiency,” followed by a presentation on ENERGY STAR® by Ann Bailey from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Other topics included Jim McMahon’s popular annual overview of carbon mitigation efforts, and a new report on “Building Support for Underserved Markets,” from David R. Wooley at the Energy Foundation.

Breakout sessions for the residential sector included presentations on lighting; consumer electronics; HVAC; energy savings for existing homes; swimming pool pumps; energy management and smart metering. On the commercial and industrial side, there were sessions focused on the commercial kitchen market; commercial boiler systems; commercial lighting; the water heater distribution channel; whole building performance; the Motor Decisions Matter^SM campaign; commercial HVAC; and new metrics for pumping systems. Plus, attendees from all sectors were given an update on the continuing CEE-led energy efficiency evaluation and consumer behavior analysis efforts that link market research with strategic energy planning for the future. As usual, all presentations made at the meeting are posted.

First Time, Unwind time, Award time, and Record Time

As in past years, CEE 2010 winter program meeting attracted a number of first time attendees, including representatives from South Jersey Gas, Southwest Gas, Progress Energy Carolinas, the Hawaii Energy Efficiency Program, Northern Indiana Public Service Company, Duke Energy, and the Northern California Power Agency. CEE members are happy to welcome all these organizations!

To help everyone unwind after a full day of activities, a special “Welcome to California Energy Efficiency” reception was held Wednesday evening at the PG&E Pacific Energy Center, cosponsored by Sempra Utilities, the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and Southern California Edison.

Chris Helmers of Rocky Mountain Power was the winner of the January meeting prize drawing, selected randomly from all the meeting evaluation questionnaires turned into CEE. He won a thirty dollar gift certificate to spend online.

And finally, a big kudos goes to members of PG&E, Xcel Energy, and Berkeley Lab, for their record accomplishment of attending thirteen consecutive meetings during this three-day program.