AWWA ACE60063

Under its electric utility restructuring, Wisconsin established a series of energy efficiency programs with major components devoted to serving Wisconsin's industries. This paper presents experiences and lessons from working with Wisconsin industry (water/wastewater) and their suppliers in an action-oriented approach to implement energy-efficient projects and practices. In 1999, Wisconsin began a pilot program called Focus on Energy for the development, testing, and delivery of energy efficiency market transformation programs. In 2001, a statewide Focus on Energy program was initiated to enhance and expand the scope, territory and variety of programs offered and markets served. While the pilot work focused on testing energy efficiency services with industry, in contrast, the statewide industrial programs have been action-oriented, focusing on getting energy-efficient projects and practices in place with industry and their suppliers. These industrial programs experienced many diverging and interesting results from early successes, to missed opportunities, to surprise interests. The lessons of these experiences have been now incorporated into the many program services and offerings including facility technical support, targeted financial incentives, specialized marketing, and advanced technology support to better service Wisconsin's water/wastewater industries. Over 150 water/wastewater facilities have taken advantage of these energy efficiency services, with projected savings of over $1,700,000 in energy costs. These partners and allies have used the program to support such actions as project development, component analysis, system assessment, facility energy management planning, staff training, and advanced technology assessment and demonstration, all to address energy efficiency opportunities to reduce plant operation costs. The challenges, experiences, and successes in the Wisconsin water/wastewater program serve as a valuable guide to the design, development and implementation of energy efficiency in water/wastewater organizations, facilities and processes. Case examples from planning through delivery of projects, from starting and continuing activities, are presented to illustrate how energy efficiency implementation can be advanced and achieved. Includes tables, figure.