Presenting the Beneficial Electrification Toolkit!

EESI is pleased to announce the release of the Beneficial Electrification Toolkit, a free online resource to help utilities and stakeholders transform their general interest in beneficial electrification into concrete programs.

The process of adopting electric upgrades that result in consumer savings and reduced greenhouse gas emissions is called "beneficial electrification." A cleaner and more resilient grid, combined with major advancements in cost-effective electric technologies, makes now the perfect time to fully transition our heating systems, vehicles, and other end-use applications to electricity.

On-bill financing is a mechanism where financing repayments are made monthly through an existing utility bill. EESI’s on-bill financing initiative is a nationwide effort to help utilities implement programs that provide cost-effective energy upgrades to homes and businesses.

Beneficial electrification is creating a major shift for the power sector, which will have to accommodate many new connections to the electric grid. Electric utilities are at the forefront of this energy future, facing the greatest transition since rural electrification in the 1930s. The Beneficial Electrification Toolkit will help electric utilities create programs that generate savings for customers while reducing emissions, improving comfort and quality of life, and strengthening the grid. The first-of-its-kind Toolkit also provides case studies of programs already underway, including some that implement on-bill financing to help make improvements more affordable.

While the Toolkit is primarily designed for use by utilities, it is a one-stop shop of useful information that is available to all. Here are examples of how four other stakeholders can make use of the Beneficial Electrification Toolkit.

1. Policymakers

A key page for policymakers is “Program Funding” under Section 4 of the Toolkit, which is all about beneficial electrification program planning. On this page, policymakers can learn about crucial programs and sources of funding that support beneficial electrification at both the state and federal levels.

For example, there are opportunities at the state level through State Energy Offices, which typically oversee the distribution of funds for clean energy programs, and at the federal level through initiatives like the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy Savings Program. New federal funds have also been made available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58). Understanding the variety of grant, program, and lending options available will allow policymakers to identify how to continue supporting these programs and opportunities where new legislation can provide much-needed assistance.

State and federal agencies have the potential to be key partners for utilities and bolster the efficacy and efficiency of beneficial electrification programs. Also in Section 4, the “External Stakeholders” and “Incentives and Financing” pages provide more detail about how other groups can support utilities and facilitate more effective communication with consumers. These pages demonstrate how different groups can work together to achieve common goals and where increased efforts from agencies can strengthen any weak links in a utility’s program.

2. General Public

Section 1 of the Toolkit, Understanding Beneficial Electrification, can be used by anyone looking for more information on the advantages of beneficial electrification. This section provides crucial definitions, explains why now is the time to electrify end-use appliances, and includes an interactive network map of all the many different applications of beneficial electrification, from space heating to lawn mowers.

Section 2 of the Toolkit, Beneficial Electrification End-Use Applications, examines the different uses of beneficial electrification across a variety of sectors. Working on a research project about electric vehicles and want to learn about the market outlook? Thinking about getting a heat pump but not sure what available options are out there? Interested in learning about an induction stove? This section answers all of those questions and more.

One of the key components of beneficial electrification is cost savings. Section 3 of the Toolkit, Assessing Your Beneficial Electrification Opportunity, includes a tool called “Self-Assessments for Residential Space Heating,” which can be used by homeowners to calculate how much money they could save by converting their heating system to a high-efficiency heat pump. To calculate this, people can use the interactive map to find which climate zone they live in, select the heating fuel type they use, and input the price per gallon of that fuel versus the price per kilowatt-hour of electricity in their area. Then, the calculator will graph heating fuel versus electric cost as well as an estimate of yearly electric savings. While this is only an estimation of savings based on geographic area, this information can help guide decisions on whether to opt for heat pumps.

3. Funders

Like policymakers, funders, such as philanthropic institutions and other similar organizations, will also find the “Program Funding” page in Section 4 of interest. By examining the options utilities have to fund their electrification programs, private funders and philanthropies can identify opportunities for growth or improvement and provide additional, faster support.

Section 4 also includes a page called “Evaluating Impact,” which discusses the ways that utilities can measure the success of their beneficial electrification programs. This is an excellent resource for funders who wish to be informed about how utilities are tracking the success of their beneficial electrification programs.

To see these programs in action and how they actually work, funders can turn to the “Case Studies” section of the Toolkit. Here, they can read about three different utilities in Washington State, Colorado, and South Carolina that have launched beneficial electrification programs, including details about how each program was funded and implemented.

4. Nonprofits

Nonprofits can be important advocates and partners for utilities’ beneficial electrification efforts. The “External Stakeholders” page in Section 4 gives more detail about how outside organizations can accelerate the growth of beneficial electrification programs.

Some utilities may not have the capacity to launch a full beneficial electrification program on their own. Nonprofits can provide crucial communications, logistics, and community support to ensure that these programs are as successful as possible. The “Incentives and Financing” page in Section 4 can help nonprofits provide effective contributions.

Overall, the Beneficial Electrification Toolkit is full of useful resources, insights, and expertise for everyone from utility managers to policymakers to funders to the public at large. Advancing this work will save people money, reduce carbon emissions, improve quality of life, and strengthen the grid.

To learn more about the Beneficial Electrification Toolkit, please contact John-Michael Cross at [email protected].

Author: Emma Johnson