What is Shared Energy Manager?
The Shared Energy Manager program is a climate action implementation program designed by the Energy Programs Office to assist local governments in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with on-the-ground, practical support from a professional energy manager to conduct energy assessments, renewable energy studies, and other services to implement their climate action plans. The energy manager works with the program participants to review existing plans and project proposals, make recommendations, and perform assessment services to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
These services are tailored to each municipality’s needs and goals and are not a “one size fits all” approach to energy management. Examples of specific technical assistance tasks which have been performed for participating local governments include:
- Energy Benchmarking
- Energy Star Certification Facility Verification
- Audits & Energy Conservation Measure (ECM) analysis and recommendation for:
- Municipal Buildings
- Streetlighting and Traffic Lighting
- Wastewater Treatment Facilities
- Renewable Energy Feasibility Evaluation, including Solar Photovoltaic (PV) and renewable thermal technologies
- Fleet Electrification Analysis, including alternative fuel vehicles and Small Rolling Equipment
- Energy Management Plan creation
- ECM specification and implementation assistance
Year 1 and 2: Wilson Engineering Services, Inc.
Wilson Engineering Services was selected for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 program years to provide energy management services to five (5) municipalities across Pennsylvania under the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP). The following communities participated in the Shared Energy Manager Program working to implement their climate action plans:
Year 1: Bellefonte Borough, Chester County, City of Reading, Elizabeth Township, and Indiana Borough
Year 2: Abington Township, Ben Avon Borough, Cumberland County, City of Easton, and City of Shamokin
The total projection of potential savings in the final year 1 report of $425,672/yr from all Shared Energy Manager activities with a total potential emissions reduction of 1812 Metric Tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e). For year 2, the total estimated savings were at least $441,962 and an estimated emissions reduction of 352 MTCO2e.
Year 1 Results
Table 1: Quantitative Totals for Identified Energy Management Opportunities1
| Municipality | Annual Cost Savings ($) | Incentive Funding Potential2 ($) | Electric Savings (kWh) | Natural Gas Savings (MCF) | Annual GHG Emissions Reduction (MT CO2e)3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellefonte Borough | $141,097 | $106,310 | 2,359,715 | 0 | 857 |
| Chester County | $82,210 | $57,381 | 1,426,581 | 0 | 272 |
| City of Reading | $17,378 | $16,949 | 182,783 | 632 | 34 |
| Elizabeth Township | $26,054 | $148,265 | 129,770 | 101 | 22 |
| Indiana Borough | $158,933 | $398,530 | 1,089,564 | 710 | 275 |
Year 2 Results
Table 1: Quantitative Totals for Identified Energy Management Opportunities
| Municipality | Estimated Savings ($/yr) | Estimated Incentive Potential ($) | Estimated Electric Savings (kWh/yr) | Estimated NG Savings (mmBtu/yr) | Estimated Gasoline/Diesel Savings (gal/yr) | Estimated GHG Emissions Reduction (MT CO2e/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abington Township | $16,863 | $21,451 | -139,126 | 23,764 | - | 136 |
| Ben Avon Borough | $13,711 | $2,514 | -101,220 | 2,030 | - | 54 |
| Cumberland County | $31,792 | $266,070 | 258,102 | - | 2,428 | 98 |
| City of Easton | $379,596 | - | 116,992 | 528 | - | 64 |
| City of Shamokin | - | - | - | - | - | - |
2024-2027 Program and Application
The 2024 Cohort for the Shared Energy Manager program started in January of 2024 and is currently active. Going forward over the next 4 years, we have expanded the Shared Energy manager program utilizing funding from the US Department of Energy through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to include a larger number of participants per year (20) and we are allowing school districts and governments entities which were not participants in the Local Climate Action Plan program to apply.
The previous cohorts of our shared energy manager were limited to energy saving measures for participating government facilities and operations. The current program scope of work for the energy manager program has been expanded from government facilities and operations to projects such as energy efficiency and management plans for residential and commercial properties as determined by the participating local government. The types of activities that may be conducted for a local government participant include creating energy management plans for residents and businesses. Additionally, assistance will be provided with identifying or applying for funding from other state and federal funding programs such as Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants. The energy manager could potentially assist with any or all of:
- the development of community programs by local governments,
- the sourcing and application for program funding,
- the creation of requests for proposals, and
- review of the proposals submitted by respondents.
PADEP Shared Energy Manager Program Application Form Survey (surveymonkey.com).
If you would like to learn more about the program, please contact Chris Nafe at chnafe@pa.gov or 717.783.9726.