Wisconsin’s state-wide energy efficiency program, Focus on Energy, helps electric customers achieve cost-savings through energy conservation measures. Our guests on this episode discuss more about the program, why it was created, what’s in it for customers, costs and benefits, the program’s four-year planning process, and more. We are joined by Lisa Stefanik, Managing Director, Focus on Energy, and Jolene Sheil, Portfolio Manager for Focus on Energy, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. Matthew Spencer, Director of Government Relations, Madison Gas and Electric, and Board Member for the Statewide Energy Efficiency and Renewable Administration (SEERA), co-hosts.
Key Moments
4:43 – What is the Focus on Energy program?
5:50 – When, how, and why was Focus on Energy created?
7:15 – More on the roles of the program’s administrator, APTIM; the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin; and, the Statewide Energy Efficiency and Renewable Administration
9:55 – How is Focus on Energy funded and what is the relationship between the state’s electric utilities and Focus on Energy?
14:35 – What does Focus on Energy do for Wisconsin’s electric customers?
17:30 – How does the program reach out to customers about available offerings?
18:48 – How are decisions made about what energy efficiency programs to offer?
22:50 – What are the costs and benefits of the program?
23:40 – More on the benefits of the program (bill savings, grid improvements, environmental, and economic benefits)
29:10 – What are the top performing programs? (Industrial projects; discussion of LED lightbulbs)
39:00 – Related federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act
43:50 – The Quadrennial Planning Process
48:30 – Renewable energy funding
50:29 – Issues that arose during COVID-19 pandemic
Links from Episode
Focus on Energy
https://focusonenergy.com/
Focus on Energy Success Stories
https://focusonenergy.com/success-stories-1
Online Home Assessment Tool Walkthrough
https://focusonenergy.com/home-assessment
Focus on Energy Annual Reports
https://focusonenergy.com/evaluation-reports/categories/annual-reports
Public Service Commission of Wisconsin https://psc.wi.gov/Pages/Home.aspx
APTIM (Focus on Energy Program Administrator) https://www.aptim.com/