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District of Columbia
State Programs
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State Planning and Incentive Structures | Energy Efficiency Actions | Energy Supply Actions
State Planning and Incentive Structures
Lead By Example—Energy Efficiency in Public Facilities
Status: Completed
Details: On July 15, 2008, the District of Columbia passed The Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2007, which requires D.C. government buildings and large private commercial buildings to be benchmarked annually using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, and requires the disclosure of benchmarking results. The Green Building Act of 2006 requires that new city building designs earn an ENERGY STAR target finder score of at least 75 and that new city buildings be ENERGY STAR benchmarked annually. DC's Comprehensive Energy Plan (May 2003) calls for Washington, D.C. government to reduce energy consumption by 1% per year. It requires each agency to submit an energy management plan and to implement project SAVE (save agencies valuable energy). It calls on agencies to implement building automation and control systems adopted by ASHRAE. All new buildings will incorporate these networks. The plan includes recommendations for incorporating LEED standards for existing buildings.
- http://www.imt.org/Capital/DC_EnergyBill.pdf
- http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/images/00001/20061218152322.pdf
- http://dceo.dc.gov/dceo/frames.asp?doc=/dceo/lib/dceo/
DC_Comprehensive_Energy_Plan_III.pdf
Lead By Example—Energy Efficient Appliance and Equipment Purchase Requirements for Public Facilities
Status: Completed
Details: DC's Procurement Practices Act was amended by the ENERGY STAR Efficiency Amendment Act of 2004, which directs agencies to include a specification that energy using products be ENERGY STAR labeled provided that there are at least 3 manufacturers that produce products with the ENERGY STAR label, and that there are at least 3 responsible vendors offering ENERGY STAR-labeled products.
- http://dceo.dc.gov/dceo/frames.asp?doc=/dceo/lib/dceo/
DC_Comprehensive_Energy_Plan_III.pdf - http://counsel.cua.edu/dclaw/GovCont/Procurement.cfm
Lead By Example—Clean Energy Goals for Public Facilities
Status: No Activity Identified
Lead By Example—Energy Efficiency and Alternative Fuel Goals for Public Fleets
Status: Completed
Details: In 2004, the Washington, D.C. City Administrator's Office enacted a policy requiring 90% of the city government's light-duty vehicle acquisitions to be alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs).
State and Regional Energy Planning
Status: Completed
Details: The DC Energy Council produced its first Comprehensive Energy Plan (CEP) in 1987 and an update in 2003. The 2003 CEP has overall goals to continue the reduction in energy consumption, to work against increases in energy prices and expenditures, and to promote collaboration and energy security. The 2003 CEP proposes 43 recommendations that address various end-use sector and special strategies with these goals.
Determining the Air Quality Benefits of Clean Energy—Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Set Asides (NOX Budget Trading Program)
Status: No Activity Identified
Determining the Air Quality Benefits of Clean Energy—Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Set Asides (CAIR Budget Trading Program)
Status: No Activity Identified
Energy Efficiency Actions
Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standards
Status: In Progress
Details: On July 15, 2008, the Council of the District of Columbia passed the Clean and Affordable Energy Act, which creates a Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU), a third-party contractor charged with implementing and managing energy efficiency programs and incentives within the District. The SEU is charged with reducing peak energy demand, per-capita energy consumption, improving the energy efficiency of low-income housing, and fostering green collar jobs in the District. Specific targets and deadlines have yet to be set. The Act also establishes a Sustainable Energy Trust Fund used to support the activities of the SEU, redirected from existing surcharges of $0.002/kWh on customers’ electricity bills and $0.005/therm on natural gas bills.
Public Benefit Funds for Energy Efficiency
Status: Completed
Details: In March 2005, the DC Public Service Commission approved a two-year, $20 million PBF for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and low-income energy assistance. The charge is $0.0001/kWh. Over half of the funds will go toward expanding and creating new programs; the weatherization program; refrigerator and air conditioning replacement program; and an energy efficiency education program. $4.2 million of the $10 million annual budget is allocated to energy efficiency.
Building Codes for Energy Efficiency—Commercial Programs
Status: Meets ECPA
Details: 2000 IECC; can use COMcheck to show compliance. 2000 IECC took effect on January 9, 2004. The D.C. Green Building Act of 2006 went into effect on March 8, 2007. The standards will require LEED certification by 2009 for private construction projects of 50,000 square feet or greater. The DC City Council passed the DC Green Building Act on December 5, 2006, and it was signed by the Mayor on December 28, 2006 (Act 16-515).
- http://www.bcap-energy.org/node/5
- http://www.constructionweblinks.com/Resources/Industry_Reports__Newsletters/Apr_16_2007/wash.html
- http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/lims/getleg1.asp?legno=b16-0515
Building Codes for Energy Efficiency—Residential Programs
Status: Meets ECPA
Details: 2000 IECC; can use REScheck to show compliance. 2000 IECC took effect on January 9, 2004
State Appliance Efficiency Standards
Status: Completed
Details: On October 19, 2007, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty signed the Energy Efficiency Standards Act of 2007, which created energy efficiency standards for 6 products (4 of which will be preempted by January 1, 2009, due to federal standards included in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007).
- http://dccouncil.washington.dc.us/images/00001/20071015114941.pdf
- http://aceee.org/energy/state/districtofcolumbia/dc_standards.htm
Energy Supply Actions
Renewable Portfolio Standards
Status: Completed
Details: On July 15, 2008, the District of Columbia passed the Clean and Affordable Energy Act, which doubles the existing RPS requirement to 20% renewable energy generation by 2020. Passed in January 2005, the original RPS created a two-tiered standard that applies to all retail electricity sales in DC. Tier 1 includes energy generated from solar, wind, biomass, landfill gas, wastewater-treatment gas, geothermal, and ocean sources. Tier 2 resources include hydropower (other than pumped storage generation) and municipal solid waste. Specifically, utilities' profiles must include 1.5% from tier 1, 2.5% from tier 2, and 0.005% from solar energy, by 2007. In 2012, 5.0% from tier 1, 2.5% from tier 2, and 0.07% from solar. Starting in 2020 and beyond, 20% of energy must come from tier 1 sources, 0% from tier 2, and at least 0.4% from solar energy.
- http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/images/00001/20071108120109.pdf
- http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/images/00001/20050105125710.pdf
- http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/incentive2.cfm?Incentive_Code=DC04R&state=DC&CurrentPageID=1&RE=1&EE=1
Public Benefit Funds for Clean Energy Supply
Status: Completed
Details: The Reliable Energy Trust Fund (RETF) began in 2001 and provides support for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and projects for low-income residents. It provides qualified applicants up to 50% of the costs associated with installing renewable energy generation resource and generates roughly $250,000 annually for renewable energy.
- http://www.dsireusa.org/documents/Incentives/DC05R.htm
- http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/tabsrch.cfm?state=DC&type=PBF&back=regtab&Sector=S&CurrentPageID=7&EE=1&RE=1
- http://www.aceee.org/briefs/dec05_01.htm
Output-Based Environmental Regulations
Status: No Activity Identified
Interconnection Standards—Clean Distributed Generation
Status: In Progress
Details: On July 25, 2008, the DC Public Service Commission issued a second Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to adopt the "District of Columbia Small Generator Interconnection Rules," known as "DCSGIR," applicable to generators of 10 MW or less. The Notice stated that the Commission intends to take final rulemaking action in not less than 30 days after publication of this Notice in the D.C. Register. On August 14, 2007, the DC Public Service Commission (PSC) declined to adopt the federal interconnection standard for DG, pursuant to EPAct 2005.
- http://www.dcpsc.org/edocket/docketsheets_pdf_FS.asp?caseno=FC1050&docketno=44&flag=D&show_result=Y
- http://www.dcpsc.org/pdf_files/commorders/orderpdf/orderno_14410_FC1050.pdf
- http://www.dcpsc.org/pdf_files/commorders/orderpdf/orderno_14333_FC1050.pdf
Interconnection Standards—Net Metering
Status: Completed
Details: The District of Columbia Public Service Commission (PSC) issued Order 14840 (Docket FC 945-E-1881) on June 25, 2008, finalizing its proposed rules for net metering. The rule provides small distributed generators with a net metering credit equal to the full retail rate and permits excess credits to be carried forward indefinitely.
The District has a net metering rule for commercial, industrial, and residential systems up to 100 kW. Renewables, fuel cells, microturbines, and CHP are the eligible technologies. The PSC has issued an order accepting in part, and rejecting in part, portions of the Potomac Electric Power Company's (Pepco) proposed standard contract for net metering. The order (Case No. 945-E-1402) issued February 23, 2007 requires Pepco to file a new standard contract for net metering customers with small solar and renewable power generators at their homes or businesses within 30 days.