MCE
The performance and results of government energy efficiency programs provide a valuable source of information for policy development and implementation, however during the development of NFEE Stage One it was found that program outcomes were not always reported in a way that allowed ready comparison, and often did not capture the range of benefits of improved energy efficiency outside energy and greenhouse savings. The Productivity Commission inquiry into energy efficiency also identified the value and importance of evaluation to determine the effectiveness of energy efficiency programs.
To improve the coordination of energy efficiency program monitoring, reporting and evaluation the NFEE Steering Committee is coordinating the development of a collection, reporting and evaluation framework, known as D-REF. The framework is intended to provide a nationally consistent approach to data collection; reporting and evaluation for existing government funded energy efficiency programs and will become an integral part of the program design of future energy efficiency initiatives. It will be used to determine the efficacy of Government funded energy efficiency programs, identify deficiencies in current programs, and inform decisions about future funding priorities and program design.
D-REF will be used to report on and evaluate the actual impact of NFEE Stage One (as opposed to projected impacts), and may also be used for individual jurisdictions to report on and evaluate the implementation of jurisdiction-specific energy efficiency programs.