Energy Incentive Programs, Ohio

Updated February 2009

Below you will find questions and answers regarding Ohio's utility energy efficiency programs, including options for load management, demand response, and distributed energy resources, and information about state-sponsored energy efficiency programs.

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What public-purpose-funded energy efficiency programs are available in my state?

Ohio's electricity restructuring law created a systems benefit charge (SBC) to fund energy efficiency and renewable projects. SBC grants for energy efficiency projects are disbursed through the state's Advanced Energy Grant Program, which is administered by the Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE) in the Ohio Department of Development. Federal customers, however, are not eligible for this program.

What utility energy efficiency programs are available to me?

Duke Energy offers the Smart $aver Incentive Program for rebates on products ranging from clothes washers to window films to chillers. Incentives are prescriptive, based on the efficiency and capacity of equipment. Incentives are capped at $50,000 per calendar year per facility for all eligible equipment.

What load management/demand response options are available to me?

The PJM Interconnection (PJM), a regional transmission organization (RTO), offers several demand response programs, three of which may be attractive to federal facilities that fall within the PJM footprint (most of the state):

The Economic Load Response program allows electricity users to provide load reductions in exchange for a payment based on hourly wholesale electricity prices. Participation is fully voluntary. Program participants have the choice of two options: the Real-Time or Day-Ahead Option. In the Real-Time Option, participants can decide at any time to provide load curtailments (with one hour notice to PJM), and receive payment based on the real-time electricity price (minus their retail rate for generation and transmission). In the Day-Ahead Option, participants submit load reduction bids (of at least 100 kW) into the day-ahead energy market. Participants whose bids are accepted are paid for their load reductions based upon the day-ahead, hourly electricity market prices (also with their generation and transmission rates subtracted). Reductions are figured based on a "customer baseline load" (CBL), essentially the average load levels for the same hours in four of the facility's previous non-responding days. Retail electricity customers can participate in the program through any existing PJM Member, such as their utility, a third-party electricity supplier, or a specialty "curtailment service provider" (CSP); they may also participate directly by becoming a "Special Member" of PJM. Regardless of which type of firm it is, the CSP will generally offer to split the revenues with the customer at a pre-determined percentage. Customers on real-time (hourly) electricity pricing can participate, but at much less attractive remuneration terms (since they are already exposed to market electricity rates).
The Emergency Load Response program (energy only) provides participants with a payment representing the marginal cost of power at the nearest hub on the PJM system (the locational marginal price, or "LMP") for providing load reductions when notified by PJM of a system emergency. Compliance with any load reduction request is voluntary; no penalties are assessed if a participant decides not to respond. Retail electricity customers may participate through any PJM Member (for example, their utility, third-party electricity provider, or an independent CSP) or directly, by registering as a Special Member with PJM. While the remuneration can be very high in an event, the emergency program is rarely called (only five times over the past three summers, and each time only in certain zones). However, emergency program customers may also participate in the economic program (above), as long as reductions are not credited toward both programs simultaneously.
PJM's Interruptible Load for Reliability (ILR) offering is an emergency "capacity" program in which participants pledge to either reduce their load by a specified amount (guaranteed load drop, GLD) or to a specific kW level (known as firm service level, FSL) within one or two hours of an event notification. Load reductions are mandatory and may occur up to ten times per year, lasting up to six hours per event. Penalties for non-compliance are substantial. Participants must register by March 2, 2009 (and should start sooner since registrations must be cleared by their third-party electricity providers and distribution utilities). Remuneration is based on the results of annual capacity auctions in various PJM regions, but ranges from about $40 to $80/kW (depending on the zone and year) through 2011-12. Most participants are also eligible to receive energy payments for actual reductions, if and when the program is called.

In all three programs, participants can provide load reductions either through curtailing electricity use or operating on-site generation consistent with local environmental regulations and permits.

Duke Energy offers the PowerShare pricing program, in which participants are remunerated for reducing load below a customer-specific baseline during summer weekdays when market prices are high. There are two options: a voluntary and mandatory one. Payments are higher for the mandatory program, but there is a penalty for not meeting the committed load shed during notified events.

Duke also has a Real Time Pricing Program (PDF 28 KB), in which participants are alternatively credited or charged, based on the hourly price, for usage below or above a pre-determined customer baseline load profile.

Ohio Edison (a subsidiary of First Energy) offers an interruptible option and a voluntary real-time pricing rate:

OE's Interruptible Rider (PDF 2.18 MB) is for customers on the General Service Large rate (with an interruptible load of at least 1000 kW), who can curtail within 10 minutes of notification. A demand credit is given each month per kVA of interruptible load based on the customer's load that is coincident with the utility's peak demands.
A "block-and-swing" Experimental Market Based Tariff (PDF 2.26 MB) is available where customers designate a market exposure percentage representing the amount of usage to be applied to real-time pricing. The market exposure percentage must be at least 5% but not more than 30%.

Toledo Edison (PDF 1.64 MB) and the Illuminating Company (PDF 1.30 MB) (Cleveland Electric), both subsidiaries of First Energy, also offer an Experimental Market Based Tariff to customers whose peak load is greater than 100 kW. The customer designates a market exposure percentage representing the amount of usage to be applied to real-time pricing. The remaining usage is priced under a fixed price tariff.

What distributed energy resource options are available to me?

The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) provides information on programs that offer incentives for renewable distributed generation. Ohio currently has no programs of this type available to federal customers.

Are there energy efficiency programs sponsored by the state government?

See the information on the Advanced Energy Grant Program, above. For information on other energy efficiency programs sponsored by state government, contact the Ohio Energy Office.

What additional opportunities are available to me?

Federal customers also have energy efficiency opportunities available with utilities (including Allegheny Power, Columbia Gas, Consolidated Natural Gas, Dayton Power & Light, Duke Energy, Vectren, and First Energy) that have area-wide contracts with GSA and, by extension, all other federal agencies. Agencies should contact their account executive to determine the level of participation by their local utility.

NOTE: Energy efficiency funds and demand response programs are updated at least annually. Please contact the FEMP webmaster if changes are needed between updates.

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