DC Sustainable Energy Utility

Client: District Department of the Environment (DDOE)

Challenge:

In 2008, the City Council of the District of Columbia adopted the Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2008 to “establish… a Sustainable Energy Utility to administer sustainable energy programs in the District. Following a public bid process the DDOE contracted with VEIC and the team of local partners to operate this SEU. Key challenges to be addressed by the SEU include: lowering the per capita energy use, increasing the generating capacity of renewable energy in the District, reducing the growth of peak demand, improving the energy efficiency in low income housing, reducing the growth of energy demand from the largest users, and increasing green collar jobs in the District.

Solution:

VEIC leads a team of organizations, called the Sustainable Energy Partnership, to provide solutions to the energy challenges in the District. This combination of local partners who know how business is done in the district and who have tremendous skills in and around the efficiency and renewable fields, coupled with VEIC’s deep experience and leadership provide the District with immediate and deep ability to make quick progress on addressing the challenges that led to the Clean and Affordable Energy Act.

Results:

Through the contractual relationship with DDOE, VEIC and the SEP are now planning the development of a “turnkey” integrated, performance-based implementation service, based on the Efficiency Vermont and Efficiency Smart model’s and adapted for success in the District. At the same time “Quick Start Programs” are underway to provide immediate progress toward the goals. Key goals for the DC SEU are:

• Reducing Energy use by 1% per year after start up
• Investing fully 30% of program funding on low income housing solutions
• Creating almost 100 “green” jobs after start up
• Assuring over 50% of funding is invested locally
• Many, many more…