External Stakeholders

Stakeholders 

Before stakeholders, we must first consider the most important group of all: your customers, both those who will directly participate in the program and those who will not. These are your prime stakeholders and the program must fit their needs. By talking to a wide variety of members/customers, you will learn more about what will help make the program successful and what barriers will get in the way. Integrating these voices into the program planning process can yield major results. Try to include representatives from groups that do not typically participate in utility programs — they may be able to shed light on how different incentive structures or different utility communication methods could move the needle for hard-to-reach populations.

Beyond your member-customers, understanding how your program may impact and benefit a broader group of stakeholders will inspire conversation, elicit feedback, and provide an opportunity for the utility to talk about its emerging program. Community mapping and stakeholder engagement are key to building a strong beneficial electrification coalition. Depending on a program’s goals, these stakeholders generally include: 

• Energy auditors, Home Performance contractors, and electricians: Auditors and contractors are key program delivery partners. The successful implementation of your program likely hinges on their buy-in. Listen to their feedback as they will often be the default face of the program to participants. For more information, see the Toolkit’s page on Contractor Recruitment and Management. 

• Regional air quality agencies: These agencies are also natural allies for electrification programs and can be valuable in building a network of support. Reaching out to these potential partners can help build overall awareness in your region for your program. 

• Local nonprofits and energy advocates: These grassroots organizations and advocates are excellent for building community support, gaining media attention, and attracting program referrals. 

• Local business groups: Most small businesses could benefit from some type of electrification upgrade. Chambers of commerce or similar groups can suggest ways for a program to meet the unique needs of small businesses — and then help sell the program to its members.

• State and local officials/policymakers: Policymakers and other officials will be keen to know about your program and may wish to utilize it as a case study for their own policy pursuits. They can also be great partners for grants/financing and for EV charging infrastructure planning.

• Transit agencies, school board officials & bus mechanics: No electric school bus program will be successful without early engagement with these key groups. Their buy-in and guidance are essential, just as they need utility guidance on technical matters. 

• Private & governmental fleet operators: This can include waste collection, police departments, fire and rescue, utility fleet operators, delivery companies, paratransit shuttles, industrial forklift operators, regional class 8 trucking, refrigerated trucking, tractors, etc.

• Real estate agents: Your customers, especially ones new to the area, will learn a great deal about their new home through their real estate agent. Connecting with these agents can be a boost for your project as they are out in the community talking regularly with your residential customers.

• Auto dealers and equipment suppliers: For your customers to electrify, they will need to have adequate access to a range of heat pumps, electric trucks and other EVs, and other technologies. This can especially be a concern in rural areas. Start a dialogue with those best suited to make these technologies widely available in your area. Share how the utility plans to encourage customers to seek out these products. Learn more about any potential issues on the supply side, especially because of recent global supply chain problems.

• Utility-led peer engagement

  • Consider connecting with other utilities with similar ambitions or those who have already implemented programs. 

  • Nonprofits like the Beneficial Electrification League and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) can greatly assist with beneficial electrification development. They can also help connect and moderate discussions between utilities given their wide professional network. 

  • EV conferences such as Roadmap in Portland, OR, hosted by the nonprofit Forth, offer utility-specific tracks and workshops.

Working partnerships that span a wide reach of the territory can serve the program’s goals and introduce more people to the opportunities more quickly.