Project Experience

See a selection of our project experience:

Mendota Group supported an investor-owned utility in developing a comprehensive, 8-year, forward-looking energy efficiency business plan
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  • Required by regulators, the business plan identified EE opportunities and barriers for each customer sector.
  • MG staff served as project managers for the overall effort and authored the Commercial, Industrial, Agricultural, Codes & Standards, and Emerging Technology chapters. Mendota Group graphic artists helped turn the plan into a high-quality, polished publication.

In response to a governor's emergency declaration directing utilities to quickly implement multiple projects to address potential electricity shortfalls ("keep the lights on"), Mendota Group partnered with a utility to design and implement a "market access" program
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  • Market access programs provide equal and open access to market participants ("aggregators") who submit energy efficiency projects that can demonstrate metered energy savings.
  • The program pays aggregators and customers based on a project's value to the electric grid with higher payments for projects that reduce summer peak demand.
  • Projects only receive payments if, based on a comparison of pre-project and post-project energy use (adjusted to normalize for factors such as weather and occupancy), they save energy.
  • Mendota Group met our  client's very tight timelines to design and launch the program and develop a software platform into which aggregators submit projects. The program exceeded goals and expectations.

For a continuous 10-year period, Mendota Group staff managed the entire solicitation process for two large IOUs
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  • During the span, in support of the utilities' sourcing staff, MG led the procurements from contractor outreach to development of solicitation documents and scorecards to managing selection and contracting.
  • As part of the effort, we worked with the utilities to determine which programs or services should be outsourced and customer sector and measure types to target, establish performance metrics, conduct cost-effectiveness analyses, and problem-solve operational issues after program launch.
  • Mendota Group also conducted program and process evaluations to assess and recommend opportunities for improvement.

Mendota Group provided temporary program management and support services to an investor-owned utility for several energy efficiency and demand response programs
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  • These programs included integrated demand side management (IDSM), commercial and industrial calculated (custom), residential plug load and appliance, new construction, demand response technology assessment and improvement, and a to-code pilot program, among others.
  • Services with these engagements included independent design and management, adherence to and development of program rules and business controls, reviewing and approving contractor payments, supporting evaluation, measurement and verification, and regulatory support.

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  • The landmark ECO Act advanced Minnesota’s decarbonization, energy efficiency, and equity efforts by modernizing the nearly 40-year-old Conservation Improvement Program (CIP).
  • Although successful at helping designate Minnesota as a national leader in demand-side management, CIP statutes prohibited utilities from encouraging customers to advance electrification (efficient fuel switching) through their programs.
  • The ECO Act authorized utilities to optimize energy use and delivery by including load management and efficient fuel-switching programs in their portfolios.
  • The Department selected the Mendota Group to lead stakeholder efforts and serve as subject matter experts in its efforts to, under tight statutory deadlines develop regulatory guidance for utility fuel-switching and load management programs.
  • The project, which involved more than 50 stakeholder groups, was successful in meeting deadlines and the Department produced guidance in time for utilities to incorporate new programs into their 2024-2026 portfolios.

Mendota Group assisted the Minnesota Department of Commerce in implementing key aspects of the State's 2021 Energy Conservation and Optimization (ECO) Act
The Minnesota Department of Commerce selected the Mendota Group to assist in its efforts to create a new, modernized test with which utilities evaluated energy efficiency, electrification, and demand response program cost-effectiveness
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  • The project heralded the first major change in MN utility cost-effectiveness tests in more than three decades.
  • Mendota Group supported the Department in managing a Cost-Effectiveness Advisory Committee that considered and ultimately recommended revisions to the primary test (Societal Test) based on guidance from the National Standard Practice Manual (NSPM).
  • This support included managing stakeholder efforts, providing technical support, drafting regulatory guidance, and revising spreadsheet models.
  • The Commissioner of Commerce approved the adoption of a new Minnesota Test that utilities used in evaluating their 2024-2026 Triennial Plans.

Program Planning, Management, Implementation, and Evaluation Services

  • In response to a Governor’s emergency declaration, helped a large utility rapidly develop a program to procure energy efficiency peak-coincident load reductions using population-level normalized metered energy consumption (NMEC) market access design. 
  • Served as an independent evaluator for California third-party energy efficiency solicitations (worked on solicitations ~ $1B).
  • Functioned as interim program manager for multiple (residential, commercial, agricultural, public, industrial, IDSM) California utility energy efficiency programs.
  • Helped research, design, and implement first-of-its-kind effort to create a Tribal net zero community. 
  • Project managed California utility efforts to select and contract with third-party energy efficiency program implementers (2007 to 2017)
  • Mendota Group assisted a large IOU in evaluating its low-income EE programs and helped determine a contracting strategy. The scope included developing an RFP, negotiating contracts, and drafting contracting documents.

Demand Response

  • Wrote, on behalf of Minnesota investor-owned utilities, analysis of role Aggregators of Retail Customers (ARCs) should play in Minnesota (MN PUC Docket No. E-999/CI-09-1449).
  • For CA IOU, served as interim program manager for Demand Response Technology Assessment and Improvement program.
  • Supported utility participation in Midwest ISO Demand Response Working Group.
  • Managed regulatory aspects for large utility’s demand response program – portfolio of more than 1,000 MW of controllable load.

Regulatory Proceedings

  • Supported California utility energy efficiency Business Plan filings.
  • Wrote witness testimony supporting energy efficiency and demand response program filings in California, Minnesota, Colorado, New Mexico, and South Dakota.
  • Project managed multiple large utility energy efficiency and demand response program regulatory filings.
  • Supported California utilities’ energy efficiency program filings to the California Public Utilities Commission.

Other

  • Helped develop and implement utility’s Integrated Demand-Side Management (IDSM) program. The IDSM program incorporated energy efficiency, demand response, and water conservation elements in partnership with a local government and local water authorities.
  • Designed and implemented utility non-wires alternative (NWA) program that used locationally-targeted energy efficiency measures to defer upgrades to a substation primarily serving residential customers. 
  • Assisted a large IOU in producing graphically-designed summaries of the services utility offered to tribal nations and cities in support of clean energy goals. Plans included chapters on energy efficiency, advanced technologies, and clean transportation.
  • Project managed large investor owned utility’s development of a comprehensive “rulebook” outlining all relevant state rules guiding energy efficiency. To help ensure compliance, the rulebook includes references to laws, regulations, and the utility’s internal policies related to energy efficiency projects and programs. 
  • Managed development and filing of energy efficiency and demand response portions of multiple Integrated Resource Plans – included cost effectiveness modelling.

Selection of Mendota Group Work Products