CIP Guidance and Policy Documents

• Low Income Eligibility in Multifamily Building with 5+ Units (.pdf) 

This guidance should be used to identify buildings that will be occupied by low-income residents for multiple years to justify that CIP spending will benefit low-income customers. 

• 2016 Minnesota low income rental classification (.xls)

• Delivered Fuels (.pdf) 

This document describes how electric utilities may offer and report saving from space heating and DHW conservation measures in circumstances where low income customers do not have access to CIP programming. 

• Weatherization Assistance Program

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) enables income-qualified households to permanently reduce their energy bills by helping to make their homes more energy efficient while protecting the health and safety of family members. WAP is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Commerce contracts with 25 Service Providers across the state to deliver the WAP. Utilities are encouraged to collaborate with WAP Service Providers in delivering program targeted to low income customers.

• CIP Project Guide for Municipal Utilities and Electric Cooperatives (.pdf) 

This document provides ideas for basic CIP program design. Utilities should use the Technical Reference Manual or work with Minnesota Department of Commerce (Commerce) Staff to develop energy savings assumptions or methodologies rather than using this document for that purpose.

• Technical Reverence Manual (TRM)

The TRM consists of a set of standard methodologies and inputs for calculating the savings impacts and cost-effectiveness of CIP measures.

• ACEEE Local Technical Assistance Toolkit 

The American Council for an Energy Efficiency Economy (ACEEE) has developed a toolkit to respond to needs of local governments and others engaged in advancing energy efficiency at the local level.

• 2017-2019 BENCOST Model (.pdf) 

The BENCOST model is a benefit/cost analysis tool created and maintained by Commerce for use in gas utility CIP programs. This document describes the input values that utilities must use for their 2017-2019 Triennial CIP Plans.

• M&V Protocols (.pdf) 

Measurement and verification protocols apply to individual custom CIP projects with estimated annual savings greater than 1,000,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity or 20,000 thousand cubic feet (MCF) of natural gas.

• Measurement and Verification Pre-Project Planning Form (.pdf) 

For pre-planning measurement and verification projects.

• Measurement and Verification Post-Project Reporting Form (.pdf) 

For reporting on measurement and verification projects upon completion.

• Behavioral Feedback Programs (.pdf) 

Utilities must use a methodology termed the “Average Savings Method” (ASM) for crediting energy savings from behavioral projects towards utility savings goals and evaluating net benefits generated from behavioral projects in DSM financial incentive calculations. The complete public record regarding the DSM financial incentive is in docket 08-133.

• Shared Savings DSM Financial Incentive Mechanism (for IOUs)

The complete public record regarding the DSM financial incentive is in docket 08-133. Comments filed by Commerce on January 19, 2016 describe the current incentive mechanism and the incentive mechanism proposed for implementation beginning in 2017. The Public Utilities Commission final decision on this matter can be found here. 

• Potential Studies/Market Studies 

Energy efficiency potential studies and market studies funded through the Conservation Applied Research and Development program are available to help utilities design programs.