Solar Program EM&V and Analysis

Utilities across the U.S. are increasing their uptake of solar at the home, local business, community, and grid scale. Frontier Energy partnered with utilities and government organizations to design rebate and incentive programs; measure the performance of those programs; and analyze the costs, benefits, and performance of solar DER.

Frontier Energy is:

• An independent evaluator of solar photovoltaic programs serving residential, commercial and low-income customers. Our team conducts evaluation, measurement and verification (EM&V) to assess program performance while accounting for each program's objectives, constraints, opportunities and challenges.
• An implementer of distinct solar market transformation initiatives that provide residential and commercial customers with financial incentives to install behind-the-meter solar systems. These initiatives help expand the pool of qualified installers and reduce average installation costs across a largely rural service area.
• The creator of Solar Cost-Benefit Analysis & Tools, a resource used to assess the benefits and costs of various solar applications. The report models direct benefits and costs and proposes consistent metrics for evaluating indirect benefits: jobs, economic development, environmental benefits, value added to public amenities, resiliency, and local public awareness.
• The lead author of the Texas Technical Reference Manual (TRM) and Solar Deemed Savings in 2000 and author of all subsequent updates. All Texas utilities that have solar PV development programs, as well as program implementers and evaluators, use TRM methodologies to report solar program savings and cost effectiveness.
• Monitoring and conducting real-time data analysis for solar projects that range from 61kw to 15 MW of generation capacity.