The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) has outlined several priorities for the Quad V Planning Study. The study seeks to advance the PSC’s transitional priorities for Focus on Energy set forth in decisions made during Quadrennial Planning Process IV and requires new approaches to tasks conducted in past Focus on Energy quadrennium energy efficiency potential studies. The overall objective of the Quad V Planning Study is to inform program and policy planning for Quadrennium V of Focus on Energy (2027-2030) using data-driven analysis. The Quad V Planning Study will be conducted during 2024 and 2025 and will include opportunities for stakeholder engagement and collaboration.

The PSC’s priorities for the Quad V Planning Study include:

• Estimating avoided emissions potential. The PSC wishes to better understand the impacts of Focus on Energy’s programmatic interventions (such as different technologies and time-of-day usage) on avoided emissions.
• Incorporating load shapes to improve peak demand reduction. An increasing interest in capturing demand savings, for both summer and winter peak demands, warrants a deeper investigation into opportunities for peak demand reduction by applying (and developing as necessary) end-use load shapes to the estimate of potential.
• Understanding implications by customer segment. The PSC is interested in understanding the implications of potential energy, demand, and emission reduction potential for various customer segments in its territory, particularly income-qualified customers.
• Assessing opportunities for expanded program electrification. As building electrification gains market acceptance, the PSC is interested in understanding the options for and potential benefits of policy and programmatic changes that promote further fuel switching.
• Understanding how energy efficiency and electrification incentives offered through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) could impact the remaining potential in Wisconsin. The PSC wishes to better understand how the IRA could impact programmatic uptake for Focus on Energy programs and the best path to complement its implementation.
• Contextualizing study findings to inform program goals. To help contextualize study findings and consider appropriate and realistic program goals, the PSC is interested in understanding costs and savings metrics from historical Focus on Energy programming and jurisdictions in other states.