Energy Efficiency

A Multi-Faceted Approach to a Multi-Faceted Subject

The terms energy efficiency, Smart Grid, and demand management apply broadly to - and present significant business opportunities for - a host of industries and products.  As such, clients turn to Van Ness Feldman for strategic and tactical advice on the range of options to save money, reduce regulatory risk or develop new markets based on energy efficiency.

Also, energy efficiency is an integral part of most proposed policies to respond to global climate change, and Van Ness Feldman can help position clients to reap all the benefits associated with increased energy efficiency (such as potential greenhouse gas offset credits).

We help our clients by:

• interpreting existing energy efficiency regulations
• changing regulations to fit unique circumstances
• developing legislative advocacy strategies and policy recommendations to promote efficiency
• developing and interpreting performance-based standards
• promoting the usage or production of energy efficient products and services to regulators, potential customers, investors and other stakeholders.

Among the clients for whom we provide these services are:

• energy services companies
• air conditioning and appliance manufacturers
• lighting manufacturers (including manufacturers of light-emitting diodes (LEDs))
• building product manufacturers
• personal computer manufacturers
• management software manufacturers
• home builders
• meter manufacturers
• electric utilities
• automakers
• technology companies 
• consultants to the Department of Energy (DOE). 

Representative Projects

• U.S. Green Building Council.  We have assisted the U.S. Green Building Council (responsible for promulgation of the LEED for buildings) to manage their explosive growth, build their chapter network and advocacy capabilities, become a technical resource for government agencies, and achieve recognition from standards-setting bodies in a host of areas.
• EnergyStar Certification for Windows.  On behalf of a building products company, we obtained EnergyStar certification for their product, thus providing improved market access for their product.
• Energy Saving Performance Contracting – Working on behalf of the Alliance to Save Energy and a coalition of dozens of prominent energy service providers, the firm assisted in working with Congress and with the Bush Administration at the White House, Department of Energy and the Office of Management and Budget to devise a successful strategy to restore a 10-year reauthorization for energy saving performance contracting.   
• PC Power Management. For a startup information technology company looking to enhance its market presence and penetrate the government market, we have developed a federal legislative and educational strategy.
• Providing legislative counsel to the Energy Future Coalition on smart grid matters, including drafting language that became the smart grid title of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, policy work on smart grid funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act), and ongoing legislative work on pending transmission and efficiency legislation.

• Assisting clients in applying for and negotiating grants under the smart grid investment and demonstration programs funded by the Recovery Act, including the following projects:

  • Assisting PECO Energy Company in its successful application for a $200 million Smart Grid Investment Grant to deploy smart meters to 600,000 customers, upgrade communication infrastructure to support a smart meter network, and install 7 "intelligent" substations.
  • Assisting Avista Utilities in its successful application for a $20 million Smart Grid Investment Grant to implement a distribution management system, intelligent end-user devices, and a communication network to reduce distribution system loses, enable automatic restoration to customers during outages, and allow for the integration of on-site generating resources.
  • Advising Intellon Corporation in its successful application and subsequent award negotiations for a $4.9 million Smart Grid Investment Grant to modify existing power line communications technology to enhance smart grid functionality.
  • Assisting Snohomish County Public Utilities District in its negotiations with DOE for a $15.8 million Smart Grid Investment Grant award to install a smart grid distribution framework, including a digital telecommunications network, substation automation and an automated distribution system infrastructure.
  • Assisting Sacramento Municipal Utility District in its negotiations with DOE for its $127.5 million Smart Grid Investment Grant award to install a comprehensive regional smart grid system that includes 600,000 smart meters, dynamic pricing, 100 electric vehicle charging stations and 50,000 demand response controls, including programmable smart thermostats and home energy management systems.
• Counseling clients on the ongoing process at the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) related to smart grid interoperability framework development and the FERC policy on smart grid standards and demand side management.
• Assisting Itron in its successful application for a competitively awarded Section 48C manufacturing tax credit, supporting its investment in a facility to produce smart meters.
• Advising Toyota on strategic considerations, regulatory developments, and compliance, as well as U.S. federal tax and policy incentives, relating to the full range of advanced technology vehicles including battery electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles.
• Drafting white papers and reports for the Electric Power Research Institute, related to advanced grid infrastructure investments, and for the Center for American Progress, related to development of a clean, smart, electric grid.
• Counsel to the Demand Respond & Smart Grid Coalition on industry-wide efforts to implement the National Action Plan for Demand Response, as well as support for the National Town Hall on Demand Response and Smart Grid.
• Advising Google on policy matters related to smart grid development and consumer access to smart meter information.
• Representing several clients whose businesses involve providing demand response services, we have assisted with negotiation of agreements to participate in demand response pilot programs and in matters involving the market rules for demand response organized markets.
• Assisting clients, including electric utilities, merchant generators, transmission developers, technology companies and others, with project and policy initiatives at FERC and the DOE relating to transmission investment, integration of renewable generation, and demand side management.