From Energy Assessment to Maximum Implementation: Reducing the "Implementation Gap" for Save Energy Now LEADERS 1

In 2010, the Oak Ridge Partnership for Industrial Energy Efficiency (sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Industrial Technologies Program) was tasked with identifying and implementing improved processes for increasing the rates of implementation of energy savings opportunities identified through Energy Savings Assessments (ESAs). The goal of this effort was to create resources and processes to maximize the implementation of energy projects identified during energy assessments conducted under ITP’s new Save Energy Now LEADER Initiative. Based on experiences and information drawn from previous DOE energy assessments, the Oak Ridge Partnership team developed a series of new approaches designed to improve the success rate of future ESAs conducted by DOE. Key elements of these new approaches can be used to improve effectiveness of assessment programs and services provided outside of DOE as they include strategies designed to lead to maximum implementation of identified assessment opportunities and support a culture of continuous improvement. This paper will discuss the following major strategies by the Oak Ridge Partnership for Industrial Energy Efficiency: • Redesign of the ESA process to effectively promote implementation of identified opportunities, including training of the experts who perform the assessments in these processes • Broadcast of a series of 12 monthly webinars that focus on company processes that need to be in place to enhance assessment implementation