Monitoring and Evaluation of Energy Efficiency Programs

The review and confirmation of the success of energy efficiency programs is a critical step towards achieving long-term energy savings.

Monitoring and evaluation should be included in the scope of work when implementing an energy efficiency project. Ideally, steps for completing the evaluation are first discussed when identifying and designing individual implementation approaches. An evaluation approach consists of the following two components:

• Clear goals – what the program is designed to achieve (e.g. increase electricity reliability)
• Clear metrics – specific ways of measuring progress toward goals

Establishing goals and metrics at the outset of a program is an important prerequisite to identifying which data points will be important to collect during the evaluation. There are a few important elements of data collection that should be considered:

• Designing a database and procedures to collect the data needed
• Collecting data on customers (e.g., utility account number, pre-program usage, and facility characteristics)
• Collecting data on program impacts (e.g., specifications of technologies installed, project costs, and energy and capacity savings estimates)

Monitoring and Evaluation Approaches

The International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) outlines four approaches that are most commonly used in energy efficiency programs. The IPMVP was created through a collaborative effort of energy efficiency experts from around the world and was first used by the United States Department of Energy in 1994.

• Use computer-based energy simulation programs to model the projected energy performance of the entire facility. Typically these models are only used where historical energy data is not available or complete.
• Measure energy usage on the whole before and after upgrades are installed. In a larger office building or industrial setting, this involves tracking energy bills for the whole building and reviewing the expected reduction in energy usage and costs after the upgrade is installed.
• Conduct field measurements or estimates of energy use by individual upgrades. For example, a more efficient window air conditioner is installed in a home and the increase in efficiency is measured or calculated by comparing its tested and labeled performance level to field measurements that capture its actual performance.
• Conduct field measurements or estimates of energy use of individual upgrades and systems affected by the upgrades. For example, if a new, more efficient, lighting system is installed in an office building, the energy used for heating and cooling will be affected because the new lighting system produces less heat. This involves tracking a building’s overall electricity use before and after upgrades and then comparing changes in energy use to the expected savings from individual upgrades to identify potential system-interaction savings.

Monitoring and Evaluation Examples

The Market Transformation through Energy Efficiency Standards and Labelling of Appliances project in South Africa, implemented by the Global Environment Fund (GEF), provides a good example of how monitoring and evaluation can help ensure accountability and effectiveness, while promoting public confidence in an energy efficiency program. More information on the project can be found in the country example section of the toolkit or the GEF website. Key aspects of the monitoring and evaluation process included the following:

• Monitoring of market compliance and progress towards targets (e.g., product testing according to the prescribed protocols, proper reporting, properly carry out accreditation of laboratories, and sampling and testing of products on energy consumption)
• Evaluating progress (e.g., market trends and consumer preferences, consumer and manufacturer costs, and energy and CO₂ savings)
• Program evaluation, including administration costs and effectiveness
• Reviewing program results and, when necessary, revising program elements

Select Tools for Evaluating Energy Efficiency

The USAID Global Climate Change Office (GCC) and USAID Resources to Advance Low-Emission Development Strategies (LEDS) Implementation (RALI) project developed the Clean Energy Emission Reduction (CLEER) Protocol, online tool, and technology-specific calculators to assist USAID Mission staff and program partners in reporting the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduced, avoided, and sequestered as a result of U.S. Government assistance. USAID reports annually on the quantity of GHG emissions, measured in metric tons of CO2 equivalent, as part of an effort to quantify project impacts. The CLEER activity facilitates meaningful program monitoring and evaluation by

• Providing a web-based tool and reporting protocol that are publicly available
• Centralizing the GHG emissions reductions (tCO2e) reporting and approval process for Mission staff and implementing partners around the world
• Allowing USAID Mission staff and implementing partners to measure, report, and evaluate emissions reductions achieved as a direct result of USAID activities

The CLEER Protocol and calculation assumptions are published online. There are also 13 Excel-based technology-specific calculators (e.g., solar, wind, and hydroelectric), which assist users in calculating the estimated amount of energy generated or saved if they don’t already know those metrics. Additional calculators are under development.