The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Palo Alto, Calif., and the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), Boston, have signed a memorandum of understanding that provides a mechanism for transferring key findings of EPRI research to CEE, where program administrators from the United States and Canada work to introduce energy-efficient products and services to the market.
As an example, EPRI conducts consumer electronics research, also an active area for CEE. Depending on research findings by EPRI, CEE could use that information to develop a specification to help highly efficient televisions reach the market.
The two non-profit organizations focus on energy efficiency initiatives from complementary positions. EPRI conducts scientific research projects involving, among other areas, energy efficient technologies and applications. CEE members accelerate the market introduction and acceptance of new, high-efficiency products and services through the development of energy-efficiency program templates termed initiatives.
"This relationship has the potential to benefit our respective members and the public in numerous ways," says Arshad Mansoor, vice president of power delivery and utilization for EPRI. "Our roles in the energy-efficiency market are highly complementary, and, with a common membership of energy companies, it may allow us to take on collaborative projects that we might not have been able to be a part of in the past."
"We want to work closely with EPRI so information about the work in each area — our members' efficiency programs and EPRI's research, design and development — informs and improves the other organization for the benefit of members," says Marc Hoffman, CEE executive director. "In addition, we foresee expediting the transfer of results from the lab to the market through efficiency programs."
EPRI and CEE may seek to collaborate on potential technologies, including hyper-efficient home appliances, internal power supplies, servers and data centers, consumer electronics, and solid-state street and area lighting.
EPRI will keep CEE informed of developments born of its assessment, testing, and demonstration activities that may influence how energy efficiency and demand response programs may be structured going forward. By the same token, CEE will keep EPRI informed of technological or analytical gaps facing program designers, which can help EPRI prioritize research activities in the energy efficiency area.
