Future Focus Initiative

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Focus on Energy’s Future Focus process reviews new concepts and technologies that have the potential to expand the range and value of services available to Wisconsinites, as well as help the program achieve desired outcomes of energy savings, customer satisfaction, and/or market transformation. The process also helps test offerings for future expansion/inclusion in the Focus on Energy Program portfolio. The team screens these ideas every quarter. Any questions about future opportunities may be directed to focusinfo@focusonenergy.com.

Submit Your Idea

Pilot Programs and Demonstration Projects

Emerging Technology

Environmental & Economic Research & Development

Pilot Programs and Demonstration Projects

It is important to continually engage in experimenting and researching new ideas, pilot programs, technologies, and delivery methods to support the viability of Focus on Energy into the future. Once tested these opportunities may be added to the program portfolio.

Annually, Focus on Energy hosts Pitch Day, an opportunity for industry partners and stakeholders to showcase energy efficiency or renewable energy pilot program ideas to a panel of judges in an interactive way.

Active Pilots and Demonstration Projects Completed Pilots and Demonstration Projects Submit research concept or idea

VIRTUAL COMMISSIONING™ (VCx™)

The Virtual Commissioning (VCx) pilot provides an innovative way to help small to midsize businesses reduce their energy use.

Integrated Controls Pilot

This project researches the potentially deeper energy savings in networked lighting control (NLC) retrofits from lighting systems to enhance HVAC control strategies.

Affordable Housing- A Passive Building Pathway

This pilot demonstrates how Phius+2020 high performance building standards can deepen energy reductions and make affordable housing safer and healthier.

Life Sciences Midstream Pilot

This pilot incentivizes the purchase of energy efficient, ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers by life sciences companies in Wisconsin.

120v HPWH Research (Phase II)

Heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) use heat pump technology to heat your water more efficiently.

Air-to-Water Heat Pump Field Study

Assessing air-to-water heat pump (AWHP) retrofits in existing and new construction for single and multifamily buildings.

Focus Force Milwaukee

The pilot will educate and train individuals from disadvantaged communities for careers in the energy efficiency industry.

Save To Give Challenge

A new way to save energy, save money and make a difference in your community.

Multifamily Strategic Energy Management

Our collaborative approach to ensuring better relationships between utility companies and their customers.

Building Performance Consultant Training

The proven method of increasing the number of Energy Star Certified Building Performance Consultants (BPC).

Electric New Homes

Electrifying rural and historically unreached communities through heat pump trainings and educational sessions for Trade Allies.

HVAC Career Exploration

HVAC, renewables, insulation, and air sealing technical support while growing Trade Ally partnerships.

120V HPWH Research (Phase I)

Heat Pump Water Heaters in Wisconsin, and the market feasibility.

Healthy Homes

An approach to increasing the quality of life for households with a member experiencing pediatric asthma.

Heat Pumps for Wisconsin

This project researches the feasibility of alternative heat pumps, such as air-water heat pumps and gas absorption heat pumps, and produces a customer-facing…

Emerging Technology

This initiative includes the Emerging Technology Accelerator, which looks at new technologies for residential and commercial businesses, and the Industrial Technology Accelerator, which focuses on understanding technologies most beneficial to industrial operations. Technologies identified undergo an initial screening, and if they meet the opportunity threshold, they advance to comprehensive review.

Environmental & Economic Research and Development Program

Focus on Energy supports energy efficiency and renewable energy research through the Environmental & Economic Research and Development Program (EERD). EERD research projects allow Wisconsin to further its efforts towards reducing energy waste, costs, and environmental impacts. EERD projects are selected through a targeted competitive request for proposals (RFP) process that occurs approximately once per year. Focus on Energy also accepts research concepts or ideas on a rolling basis.

Review completed projects