| The Future of Energy Efficiency in the Pacific Northwest: Summary of a Futures Workshop held in March 2001.The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (Alliance) sponsored a workshop on future social, economic and technology trends affecting energy efficiency in the Pacific Northwest. The workshop was designed and conducted in accordance with the dialogue process espoused and practiced by CWA Ltd. The major purpose of the workshop was to identify the trends that might have an effect on the current portfolio of Alliance projects and “get ahead” of important trends in designing and screening new program opportunities. The full study is available at the Alliance website: http://web.archive.org/web/20070711134007/http://www.nwalliance.org/.
Thirty-five participants, and six observers, representing futurists, environmentalists, utility company executives, journalists, social and political scientists, administrators, regulators, and consumer advocates participated in the workshop on March 14-16, 2001. At this event, stakeholders explored the long-term national and regional trends that may impact the adoption of energy efficiency in the PNW and chose specific actions to undertake in the near future. A Web-based survey was produced in preparation for the workshop, based on sampling of relevant secondary research. The survey was designed to engage the participants in responding to questions at three distinct but interrelated contexts. It was framed in such a way as to encourage participants to think “out of the box” about social, economic, and technological trends within the following limits: 1) International trends in energy consumption for a time horizon of 15 years; 2) National trends in energy efficiency for a time horizon of 10 years; and 3) Regional trends in energy efficiency for a time horizon of 5 years. An article authored by A.N. Christakis, D.S. Conaway and B. Bronfman was recently submitted to the World Futures Journal on this project. To view this article click here. |