Welcome
to the Red Hot Days of Summer!
Whatever
happened to the lazy
days of summer? I
remember as a kid
summertime meant
relaxing on a quiet lake
in Minnesota or cruising
the Florida coastline
with my family.
But those good old
summertime days are long
gone for our busy little
firm. For the last few
months, we have been
working on finalizing a
variety of evaluation
reports for utilities
and Public Service
Commissions in Arkansas,
Missouri, Texas, and
Virginia. And the next
few months promise even
more excitement as we
travel to California
(twice) for conferences,
and finish up some
critical evaluation work
in Arkansas and
Missouri, before heading
off to Berlin in early
September.
Wherever your travels
take you this summer, I
hope you can find time
to relax and enjoy some
summertime fun with your
friends and family.
Dr. Katherine Johnson,
President
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Arkansas Energy Efficiency Programs
Gain Momentum
As
the Independent Evaluation Monitor
(IEM), our team filed its annual
review of the EM&V reports filed on
programs operated by the seven
investor-owned gas and electric
utilities. This report, filed on
June 1, summarizes the remarkable
progress that these energy
organizations have made in achieving
the goals set forth by the Arkansas
Public Service Commission (APSC).
While the residential programs
continue to struggle to meet goals,
these energy efficiency programs are
well designed and implemented, and
leverage industry standards and best
practices.
The independent evaluations,
completed by The Cadmus Group and
ADM Associates, were thorough and
comprehensive. While there are still
areas for improvement for both
Arkansas' overall energy efficiency
program portfolio, as well as in the
evaluations, the overall progress
made in developing a comprehensive
approach to energy efficiency across
the state is improving.
Much of this progress is attributed
to the hard work and dedication of
the Parties Working Collaboratively
(PWC), who include representatives
from the seven investor-owned
electric and gas utilities and
from key stakeholder
groups. The PWC members are active
and engaged participants and are
clearly committed to achieve the
energy savings goals established by
the Commission.
On behalf of the Johnson Consulting
Group, I want to personally thank my
team members from Apex Analytics,
Eisenberg Energy, Mesa Point Energy, Michael's Energy,
and Rouleau Consulting Group for
their hard work in reviewing and
commenting on the PY2013 evaluation
reports.
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Show me the Savings: Key Takeaways
from the EM&V Auditor's Report for
Ameren Missouri
Several members of the Johnson
Consulting Group team are also serving
as the EM&V Auditor on behalf of the
Missouri Public Service Commission. Our
responsibilities include reviewing and
commenting on overall quality, scope and
accuracy of the third-party independent
evaluations completed by ADM Associates
and The Cadmus Group.
Overall, these program evaluation
reports conformed to industry best
practices and provided a comprehensive
review of all aspects of the program.
However, we did provide some guidance
regarding ways in which savings
estimates should be revised to better
reflect market effects in the impact
evaluation, as well as provide some
additional guidance on ways to
streamline and enhance process
evaluations going forward. Our report
was filed on July 2, 2014.
We are currently conducting a similar
review of the EM&V Reports for KCP&L
prepared by Navigant. Our final report
will be filed later this summer with the
Missouri Public Service Commission. |
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Moving on Up!
In June, Katherine was
unanimously elected Chair of
the
Utility Advisory Board
(UAB) for the City of Winter
Park. For the past four
years, Katherine has served
as a volunteer on this
community board to help
guide this new municipal
utility into the 21st
century.
The Electric Utility
Department began serving
retail electric customers on
June 1, 2005, as the City of
Winter Park established its
own municipal electric
utility.
In a referendum
election of September 9,
2003, the citizens of Winter
Park voted overwhelmingly to
exercise the buy-out option
in the city's franchise
agreement with Progress
Energy Florida and to have
the city own and operate its
own utility.
Since
becoming a municipal
utility, the City has built
two electric substations and
purchased Progress Energy
Florida's electric
distribution facilities
within the city.
The UAB advises the
Mayor and City Commission on
matters regarding the
capital needs, rate
structures and policies
related to the operation of
the city's electric and
water utilities.
While it is a great
honor to serve, Katherine
also loves to spend time in
her home town as it is a
wonderful place to visit.
Read all about it in the
March 2014 Issue of US
Airways.
Where in the World
is Dr. KJ?
* July 8
Utility Advisory Board
Meeting, City of
Winter Park Utilities, FL
* Aug. 4-8 AESP
Summer Conference,
Moderator
for Big Data Session, San Francisco, CA
* Aug. 12-14
Arkansas PWC Technical
Forum,
Weatherization Collaborative & Potential
Study Update, Little Rock, AR
* Aug. 17-22
ACEEE, Summer Study
Conference, "A Modern Twist on an Old
Classic: New Program Designs for Low and
Middle Income Residential Weatherization
Programs," Pacific Grove, CA
* Sept. 9-11
IEPEC Conference, "All
Together
Now! How Collaboration Works in Arkansas",
Berlin, Germany
Late
Breaking News ...
Johnson
Consulting Group has
qualified for WBENC
certification as a
Women's Business
Enterprise for another
year.
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Johnson Consulting Group Website
Click on the link above to view
a list of our
other publications, services,
and clients.
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Best
Wishes and Godspeed
Two of our favorite
clients have recently
accepted new jobs and
new opportunities in the
energy efficiency
community.
Michael Volker is now
the new Vice President
of Utility Services for
Corn Belt Energy
in Bloomington,
Illinois. We first
started working together
when Michael was at
Midwest Energy starting
up a new financing
program called How$mart.
Nearly six years later,
How$mart is a true
success story that has
been used as a model for
successful financing
programs in several
other states including
South Carolina and
Hawaii. Michael's
innovative thinking and
vision are truly
transforming the energy
efficiency market and we
wish him the very best
in his new adventures at
Corn Belt Energy.
Another dear friend and
colleague, Chris
Griffin, will be taking
a new job within NiCor.
Chris was the program
manager and a key reason
that Columbia Gas of
Virginia's energy
efficiency program was
so successful in the
first three years of its
program launch. Chris
was an enthusiastic
supporter of EM&V work
in Virginia, and we wish
him all the best in his
new role.
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Fun Stuff
Welcome
Back, Benjamin!
Benjamin, a part
time member of our
staff, returned in
May after spending
almost four months
studying in Israel.
While a student at
Jerusalem,
University -
Institute for Holy
Land Studies,
Benjamin was
immersed in learning
about both the
physical and
geographical
settings of the
Bible. He also
studied the History
of the Church in the
East, and traveled
throughout Israel
and Jordan.
We were thrilled to
hear of his
adventures,
especially those
involving camel
rides in the desert
and eating goat with
the Bedouins.
We hope this new
level of
understanding will
pay off in his
upcoming seminary
studies of Hebrew
and Greek at
Gordon-Conwell in
Boston, MA. Shalom!
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