Topic:"Environmental Compliance" in M12249

1. INTRODUCTION Over the last two and a half years, EfficiencyOne (E1) has been successful in implementing its 2023-2025 Demand-Side Management ("DSM") Plan. The important work entrusted to E1 pursuant to the DSM Plan has achieved measurab...

AI summary EfficiencyOne (E1) has successfully implemented its 2023-2025 Demand-Side Management (DSM) Plan, achieving significant energy and demand savings. E1 seeks Energy Board approval for a 2026 DSM extension and amendments to the DSM Purchase Agreement, aligning with new legislative changes and the Energy Board's expanded mandate focused on sustainability and emissions reduction.

- following factors in relation to regulatory decision-making function: 1 2 3 4 5 6 (2) In approving or fixing rates, tolls, charges, tariffs, capital applications and all other matters over which the Energy Board has authority, the Board...

AI summary The text outlines the Energy Board's regulatory decision-making function, emphasizing the need to support competition, innovation, sustainable development, and reliable energy supply in Nova Scotia, aligning with the More Access to Energy Act.

A. Energy Efficiency ProCESS Model - E1 understands from NS Power that the avoided costs of carbon (electric utility compliance costs) are - embedded in the avoided costs of energy that NS Power calculated for the Evergreen IRP No Atlantic...

AI summary E1 used avoided energy costs (including embedded carbon costs) from NS Power for the 2026 DSM Extension, without modeling separate carbon costs. Avoided energy costs were not included in demand response cost-effectiveness testing. The same RBIA approach as energy efficiency programs was applied for the 2026 DSM Extension.

- From the time E1 filed its forward looking RBIA for the 2020-2022 DSM Resource Plan on February 28, 2019, a significant level of stakeholder engagement was undertaken through a RBIA Technical Session with the Demand Side Management Advis...

AI summary Stakeholder engagement led to revisions in E1's Rate and Bill Impact Analysis (RBIA) for the 2020-2022 DSM Resource Plan, including NS Power's assumption of cost allocation to align with their Cost-of-Service Study. Updates included avoided costs from the 2020 Integrated Resource Plan, incorporation of demand response programs, and partial year measure lives.

VIII. General Findings • The method followed in each program impact evaluation follows a recognized analytic approach appropriate for each program type. The structure and format of each impact evaluation follows a consistent template (exce...

AI summary The document highlights that program impact evaluations follow recognized methods and consistent templates, with Econoler using Efficiency Nova Scotia's CIRx Screening Tool. Evaluations include executive summaries, methodological diagrams, and appendices. The Evaluator conducted four process and two market evaluations, with process evaluations being desirable for future work. Carbon emissions offsets are appropriately developed.

GHG emissions. Evaluation Components. To determine the gross and net electrical energy and peak demand savings and avoided annual GHG emissions the condensed impact evaluation approach included: - Audit tracking sheet. - Review of unitary...

AI summary The evaluation of the Appliance Retirement Program (ARet) found it exceeded 2024 energy and peak demand savings targets by 22% and 18%, respectively, with 5,941 appliances retired. Participation increased by 39% over 2023, and net energy savings aligned closely with Efficiency Nova Scotia's tracking. The evaluation method was deemed appropriate and effective.

4. GHG EMISSIONS BY SCENARIO NS Power's August 23, 2024 avoided costs deliverable provided annual GHG emissions for the scenarios CE1-E1-R2, Base DSM, No DSM ("No EE, No DR"), and No DR. E1 has plotted the annual CO 2 emissions intensity b...

AI summary NS Power's analysis of GHG emissions under various scenarios (CE1-E1-R2, Base DSM, No DSM, No DR) shows the No DSM scenario exceeds the 50g/kWh post-2035 carbon cap. E1 argues that the same constraints should apply to all scenarios for avoided costs to be meaningful, citing the 2022 IRP's 50g/kWh limit. Figures 2 and 5 illustrate emission trends and discrepancies.

5. COMPARISON OF 2021 TO 2024 AVOIDED COSTS 2 2022 Evergreen IRP Updated Assumptions – Revised January 2023. Slide 12. January 26, 2023. E1 assessed the differences in avoided costs between the previous 2021 avoided costs (developed from t...

AI summary E1 compared NS Power's 2021 and 2024 avoided costs, noting that 2024 includes an embedded carbon cost absent in 2021. Annual avoided costs, not levelized values, were used for DSM Plan modeling. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate comparisons, with adjustments for CPI and carbon inclusion.

Discussion of 2021 and 2024 avoided cost results: Energy and carbon combined ( Figure 3 ) : - When assessing the 2026-2045 period, average avoided costs have decreased 11% compared to 2021 and decreased 15% compared to the 2021 CPI adjuste...

AI summary The document discusses avoided costs for energy and carbon from 2021 and 2024 analyses, noting an 11% decrease in average avoided costs by 2026-2045 compared to 2021 and a 15% decrease compared to 2021 CPI-adjusted costs. Energy avoided costs show fluctuations, peaking in 2028 and dipping in 2031. The text requests NS Power to provide estimates of the embedded avoided cost of carbon and explain calculations.

6. EMBEDDED AVOIDED COST OF CARBON WITHIN AVOIDED COST OF ENERGY At the direction of the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB), in 2024 E1 initiated a process led by Energy Futures Group (EFG) to assess and develop an optimal DSM c...

AI summary E1, under NSUARB direction, is developing a DSM methodology with EFG, aiming to file a BCA application in 2025. The BCA test includes GHG emissions' societal impacts, requiring subtraction of embedded carbon costs from avoided energy costs. NS Power's OBPS carbon tax is referenced as reflecting marginal carbon costs, influencing the embedded carbon price calculation.

Discussion: • Some of the observations noted above may in part be driven by inconsistent scenario constraints, as discussed elsewhere in this document. If, as recommended above, new wind build out and GHG emissions constraints are applied...

AI summary The discussion highlights concerns about inconsistent scenario constraints affecting embedded carbon cost estimates and recommends consistent GHG emissions constraints. E1 requests NS Power to reassess carbon cost impacts and provide detailed breakdowns of carbon compliance and non-carbon related costs in future avoided cost analyses.

EDUCATION Boston University , Boston, MA Master of Arts in Energy and Environmental Analysis, Spring 2007. Graduate course work in multivariate statistical analysis, environmental economics, risk assessment, energy, GIS, climate change, an...

AI summary The document details a Master of Arts in Energy and Environmental Analysis from Boston University (2007), with coursework in environmental economics, energy policy, climate change, GIS, and risk assessment, highlighting academic expertise relevant to energy and environmental regulation.

Scotia Utility and Review Board. Hall, J., R. Wilson, J. Kallay. 2018. Effects of the Draft CAFE Standard Rule on Vehicle Safety . Prepared by Synapse Energy Economics on behalf of Consumers Union. Whited, M., J. Kallay, D. Bhandari, B. Ha...

AI summary The document lists publications by Synapse Energy Economics and other authors on energy efficiency, transportation electrification, and policy compliance. Key entities include Synapse Energy Economics, Consumers Union, and various state energy departments. Topics focus on energy efficiency programs, transportation electrification, and policy analysis.

Vermont's 20-year Forecast of Electricity Savings from Sustained Investment Efficiency Vermont – Burlington, Vermont (December 2008 – October 2009) - Provided components of final report relating to long-term trends for the environment (cli...

AI summary Efficiency Vermont's 2008–2009 report outlines a 20-year forecast of electricity savings, focusing on environmental trends (climate change, land-use, water-use), population growth, regulatory impacts, and technical analysis of electric demand-side savings potential.

Extension is that the avoided costs of carbon are now embedded in the avoided costs of energy for the 2026 DSM year. The avoided cost of carbon has not been provided by NS Power as a separate input." - a. Please provide the avoided cost va...

AI summary The NSUARB is requesting detailed information on avoided costs in the 2026 DSM Plan Extension, including comparisons with prior IRPs, sources of data, and program component changes related to LED baseline adoption. Specific focus is on avoided carbon costs and program adjustments post-2024.

Updates to Avoided Cost Calculation E1 incorporated the IRP results from the 2022 IRP Evergreen Process into its avoided cost calculation for the 2026 DSM Extension. These avoided costs were provided by NSPI in August 2024. E1 flagged that...

AI summary E1 integrated 2022 IRP Evergreen Process results into its 2026 DSM Extension avoided cost calculation, using data provided by NSPI in August 2024. E1 noted that carbon costs are now embedded within energy avoided costs, but NSPI did not supply them as a separate input.