Call for Funding & Participation: Advanced Power Strips Savings Study

Advanced Power Strips (APS) hold the potential for significant energy savings by reducing the plug load of home electronics and offer an important new savings opportunity for energy efficiency programs. However, a lack of up-to-date plug load studies, field testing, and consistency in deemed savings make evaluating APS energy savings difficult a barrier to full-scale program planning. To address this, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) formed working groups in August 2010 to conduct discussions and research needed to enable energy efficiency programs to tap into the energy-saving potential of plug load resources such as APS. Having completed Phase One research, NEEP and its partners in the US and abroad see an important need to continue research and provide data necessary to support efficiency program promotion and widespread adoption of APS. NEEP invites your engagement and funding to ensure that this important research occurs and benefits your program or organization. See reverse for details.

Overall Project Scope

Quality assurance requirements Testing protocols Data collection Validated savings assumptions Field metering studies Consumer marketing and education Program Design

Phase One Accomplishments

1. Classified APS product types and produced baseline Tier 1 Technology 2. Deemed Savings Report for Tier 1 APS (master/control capturing standby energy load) 3. NEEP APS test specification providing a uniform metric for evaluating basic functionality (i.e. whether the product operates as designed) and level of user interaction required of any APS. a. Phase 1 lab testing results b. NEEP APS testing spec 1.0

Participants
Efficiency program managers Manufacturers Testing labs Evaluators Retailers Marketing specialists

To review Phase One research results see: http://neep.org/regional-initiatives/3/56/Business-and-Consumer-Electronics/Project/27

Benefits of Participation
Research results and region-specific testing and data to justify APS programs & energy savings Best practices to support rapid Market Transformation of APS Collaboration with APS leadership in the US & abroad

Phase Two Research Plan 2012-2013 Project Objectives:

1. Field test Tier 1 technologies to validate deemed savings in residential (TV and IT) and commercial settings (IT only) 2. Develop quality assurance (ENERGY STAR or other) labeling protocol for APS by validating testing procedure inclusive of usability metrics 3. Research and recommend an optimal program design for APS by identifying marketing, education and outreach needs 4. Integrate the results of Phase 1 and Phase 2 into a report that provides recommendations to include APS as an efficiency program measure 5. Continue/expand the APS leadership groups to guide deliverables 6. Seek venues or opportunities to share results of APS project outputs 7. Identify additional needs and gaps

2012-2013 Activities:
Scope of work and budget is contingent on committed funding for jointly funded contractor engaged and managed by NEEP with project participant guidance and input. Project needs include: 1. Conduct field testing of technologies $150,000-$300,000 for contractor Pilot metering test locations 2. Develop labeling protocol (includes analysis and lab work) $50,000 -$150,000 for contractor 3. Recommend optimal program design $50,000 -$150,000 for contractor Existing experience/research Best practice examples Consumer focus groups 4. Published report of research results $50,000-$100,000 for contractor

If you are interested in participating in NEEPs APS project and can offer funding to sponsor the research indicated above, or have any questions, please contact Linda Malik (info below). Northeast Energy Contact: Efficiency Partnerships Linda Malik, Residential Program Manager www.neep.org lmalik@neep.org | 781.860.9177x115