Energy-Efficiency Funds and Demand Response Programs, Washington DC
Updated April 2007
What public-purpose-funded energy efficiency programs are available in the District of Columbia?
The electricity restructuring legislation for Washington, DC established a Reliable Energy Trust Fund for universal service (low income), energy efficiency, and renewable energy programs. No public purpose funded energy efficiency programs are currently available to federal customers.
What utility energy efficiency programs are available to me?
No utility energy efficiency programs are currently available to federal customers.
What load management/demand response options are available to me?
The PJM Interconnection (PJM), a regional transmission organization (RTO), offers two demand response programs that may be attractive to federal facilities:
- The Emergency Load Response Program 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") or $0.50/kWh, whichever is greater, 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 provide a load reduction. Retail electricity customers may participate through any PJM Member (for example, their electricity provider) or directly, by registering as a Special Member with PJM.
- The Economic Load Response Program allows electricity users to provide load reductions in exchange for a payment based on hourly wholesale electricity prices. As with the PJM emergency program, participation is fully voluntary. Program participants have the choice of two options: the Day-Ahead or Real-Time Option. 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. 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. 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). 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.
In both the emergency and economic programs, participants may provide load reductions either through curtailing electricity use or operating on-site generation.
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. The following program may be of interest to federal customers:
- The Renewable Energy Demonstration Project, funded by the Reliable Energy Trust Fund (see above) and administered by the District Department of the Environment's Energy Office (formerly the DC Energy Office), provides grants for up to 50% of the cost of projects using photovoltaics (PV), wind, biomass, geothermal, fuel cells, and hydropower. Solicitations are issued periodically.
Are there energy efficiency programs sponsored by DC government?
No city government energy efficiency programs are currently available to federal customers. For information on potential future opportunities, contact the District Department of the Environment's Energy Office .
What additional opportunities are available to me?
Federal customers also have energy efficiency opportunities available with utilities that have area-wide contracts with GSA (e.g., PEPCO and Washington Gas) and, by extension, all other federal agencies. Federal facilities should contact their account executive to determine the level of participation by their local utility.