Launching a Program
Why It Matters
As your team nears launch, now is a great time to both review the previous steps and keep on an eye on what still needs to be done. Part of this process may be to test your program through a pilot. A deliberately phased and tested launch can mitigate risk and allow for your utility to innovate and deliver.
Toolkit Review
The Beneficial Electrification toolkit has been designed to lead users through a comprehensive experience with the aim to promote and implement electrification programs nationwide. To this end, Sections 1 - 4 have hopefully given you valuable information on:
How to explain beneficial electrification and this present opportunity
The many applications of beneficial electrification, including major potential for buildings and transportation
An opportunity to self-assess the potential for beneficial electrification in your service territory
A step-by-step walkthrough of understanding program basics, program goal-setting and scaling, team building, involving external program stakeholders, developing a program funding plan, potential incentives and financing for ratepayers, and how to evaluate your program’s impact
As your program takes shape, important steps like marketing your program to ratepayers, and inviting local contractors to help inform and participate in the program remain. Both steps involve the utility developing a coherent and consistent message for this new program. How will you communicate an exciting and inclusive message that draws people into your program?
Program Development Checklist
A. Program Design
B. Program Administration
C. Program Delivery
Perspectives from Co-ops with Beneficial Electrification Programs
Any advice for co-ops that are preparing to design and launch their own beneficial electrification program?
“It is important to be transparent and keep it simple. Rebates and programs should have simple rules and clearly defined member benefits. Include all program materials available on the website for members to review before making decisions. Provide cost calculations, product information or buyer's guides, sample contracts, frequently asked questions, etc. so that members feel comfortable with program participation.”
— Eileen Wysocki
Distributed Resource Programs Administrator
Holy Cross Energy
How has your program benefitted members and the co-op?
“Our beneficial electrification programming efforts have strengthened our relationship with our members. They appreciate the ability to receive beneficial electrification services from a trusted source, are pleased with their upgrades, and understand how their actions strengthen the cooperative. We now have a more direct relationship with many members who are well-positioned to partner with us on future grid resiliency opportunities.”
— Laura Getts
Business Development Manager
San Isabel Electric
Starting Out
Pilot Program
A pilot program allows utilities to test program concepts, gauge interest in program offerings, and quickly improve processes based on feedback. Testing a program before investing more time and money into a full program plan can also help confirm expected results and can increase buy-in from utility leadership. Running a beneficial electrification pilot with internal resources is a good way to jumpstart on-the-ground efforts while working to secure outside funding. Pilots can also be a good way to signal a utility’s growing interest in beneficial electrification to member-customers and stakeholders, while still offering the utility flexibility to determine what a long-term program would look like.
If you plan to run a pilot, you may want to consider these questions during the pilot design phase:
How will you decide if a pilot is successful? What metrics will you track?
How long should you run your pilot?
Will you pilot more than one program model?
How will you communicate what you learned from the pilot?
What aspects of the pilot can be replicated as you shift to a full-scale program?
Rolling a program out across an entire service territory is substantially different from running a pilot. Program managers must translate pilot findings into systems that will work for a larger program and anticipate what aspects of the pilot program will become challenging to manage as the program gets larger. In lieu of doing a pilot, some program managers opt for a soft launch.
Soft Launch
With a soft launch, a program is made available to a limited subset of customers to gather data and make improvements to systems. A soft launch of a program may run for several months before the program is officially launched and marketed to all eligible customers. Unlike a pilot, the purpose of a soft launch is to identify challenges and optimize program delivery rather than assess the value of the program. It can be especially useful in giving contractors time to prepare for the program.
Key tip: Participants in your pilot or soft launch could become champions of your program and provide early success stories for press releases, website testimonials, or other marketing materials.