Energy Efficiency and Demand-Side Management
Our staff of highly qualified specialists assists clients with the complexities of planning, implementing and evaluating multi-faceted energy efficiency programs. GDS is an industry-recognized leader in numerous energy efficiency, demand response, and market transformation program areas including:
Strategic Policy & Program Design
GDS experts understand the quantitative and qualitative issues associated with the design, implementation, and evaluation of successful energy efficiency plans and programs. We use our technical expertise to minimize financial risks and to maximize the benefits from energy efficiency programs and policies for our clients. Our services include:
Projects
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission – Phase 2 of ACT 129 Statewide Evaluator
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission | 2013 through 2017
In 2009, GDS was awarded a contract by the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission as the Statewide Evaluator for Pennsylvania’s Act 129 energy efficiency programs. GDS developed the statewide framework for impact and process evaluations conducted by seven investor-owned utilities in Pennsylvania. GDS was also responsible for verifying compliance by these seven electric utilities with the statewide evaluation framework and with the Pennsylvania Technical Reference Manual developed by GDS.
NYSERDA Small Commercial Program – Region 1
New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA)
January 2014 to December 2016
GDS was the lead contractor in a four-organization team responsible for implementation of NYSERDA’s Small Commercial Energy Efficiency Program for 10 counties in New York designated as Region 1.
Efficiency Maine Business Incentive Program
Efficiency Maine Trust | July 2013 – Present
GDS is the lead contractor responsible for the implementation of Efficiency Maine’s Commercial & Industrial Incentive Program. The Efficiency Maine C&I Program provides incentives to commercial customers for energy efficiency projects including new, efficient electric, natural gas, oil and propane measures. The programs GDS implements include the C&I Prescriptive Program, Small Business Direct Install Initiative, HVAC Distributor Discount Initiative, Discounted Screw-in LEDs Initiative and the Maine Advanced Buildings program. GDS has been implementing programs under the Efficiency Maine umbrella since 2003.
ILLINOIS ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM
GDS has been part of the team implementing an Illinois Business Energy Efficiency program since 2008. The utility customer base includes 1.2 electric customer and 840,000 gas customers spread over 43,700 miles. Program participants have included small and large commercial, industrial, agriculture and public facility customers. GDS has played a major role in the design and implementation of this multi award-winning program since its inception. Over the first six years of existence, the program has successfully saved Illinois customers approximately 2.85 billion kWh and 27.2 million therms. Participants have received approximately $55 million in cash incentives and completed thousands of energy efficiency projects that have saved over $190 million in energy costs. The team has continually exceeded energy savings goals while staying under budget, and boasts a 94% customer satisfaction rate, as reported by a third party survey. In addition to program design, GDS performs a number of implementation services for the Illinois Energy Efficiency Program, such as:
- Conducts project technical reviews, inspections, and serves as expert technical knowledge for HVAC and industrial refrigeration.
- Serves as the point of contact for the Statewide Technical Reference manual.
- Serves as the lead for the customer contact center, which, in the first six years has fielded over 30,000 customer contacts. The team has also successfully coordinated large outbound calling campaigns (up to 5,000 at a time), as well as managing high-traffic incoming customer inquiries.
- Served as Program Ally Coordinator and grew the ally network from 482 to 1,004.
- Designed and maintained the original database that stored all program data, which was used to generate program reports.