Over the last year, MEEA launched an initiative aimed at helping members better understand the intelligent efficiency revolution now upon us. This effort, which began as a simple collaborative for meeting and sharing knowledge, revealed that many stakeholders have both a strong interest in learning more about the application of intelligent efficiency concepts and technology, but also reluctance about technical details, new products and vendors, EM&V and other challenges. MEEA sees this area as an important opportunity to help members identify specific barriers to intelligent efficiency and fully understand the potential for energy savings presented by emerging solutions currently offered in the Midwest.

It’s important to realize that “intelligent efficiency” is a very broad term. Smart manufacturing, commercial building automation systems, home energy management systems and even telecommuting, cloud computing and ridesharing are considered intelligent efficiency.

MEEA’s Role

Many companies and organizations across the country are already playing critical roles in advancing specific applications, and MEEA will serve an important role helping its members better prepare for the changes that are to come. For example, remote auditing and building automation represent significant opportunities for energy efficiency program administrator in the Midwest, but changes will need to be made to the way we traditionally run programs to realize the full potential of these new solutions.

In order to better inform these conversations, MEEA intends to conduct qualitative research on intelligent efficiency in the Midwest, including existing progress, the biggest opportunities and significant barriers which will need to be overcome. This effort will result in a white paper and webinar series in mid-2016 aimed at helping members and other stakeholders get up to speed and take advantage of the solutions that are ready to be adopted.

For more information on this effort, please contact Mark Milby at mmilby@mwalliance.org.