Energy Efficiency as a Group Effort: Cohorts Work!

Water resource recovery facilities (WRRF) present substantial opportunities for energy conservation, but they are a particularly difficult customer for energy utility conservation programs to engage. This paper summarizes some of the reasons energy efficiency has been slow to arrive in the industry and then describes a new approach that has proven successful for many programs in the Pacific Northwest. The approach is based on cohorts of WRRFs learning about energy efficiency as a group through structured workshops and on-site activities. In particular, a cohort sponsored by Idaho Power and led by Cascade Energy is highlighted as an example showing what we’ve found to be the key ingredients necessary for cohort success. A framework for finding opportunities within a WRRF is provided, and the results of the cohort are summarized. Finally, lessons learned and opportunities for future program improvements are identified.