LF Energy and the OpenEEmeter project team are pleased to re-launch the CalTRACK working group to incorporate updates to the methods and code and formally enfold CalTRACK under the OpenEEmeter project umbrella.
What Is CalTRACK
The CalTRACK methods and OpenEEmeter codebase are a standard and transparent set of procedures designed to calculate savings based on metered energy consumption. Since their development these procedures have been used to measure the impacts of dozens of energy efficiency programs across the United States and as a settlement tool for performance-based demand flexibility markets.
The original CalTRACK working group members included the California Energy Commission, the California Public Utilities Commission, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, DNV GL, Energy Savvy, and a host of other contributing members (CalTRACK history). The OpenEEmeter codebase was donated to Linux Foundation Energy (LFE) as an open-source project in 2019 to culminate the group’s efforts.
What’s Next
In the last few years, the need for accurate and standardized meter-based methods has grown, along with the market for scalable and integrated demand-side programs. In 2020-2021, COVID-19 disruptions heightened the importance of identifying and removing the impacts of external (non-program) factors on energy consumption. In partnership with the Department of Energy, Recurve developed the GRIDmeter comparison group methods to address this challenge. Similarly, California’s 2020 heat wave and rolling power outages exposed the necessity for more reliable demand response methods. In response, Recurve developed the FLEXmeter methods on behalf of the California Independent System Operator. CalTRACK and GRIDmeter are the foundations of FLEXmeter, which can accurately measure the impact of demand response events, even during extreme heat waves, and, importantly, support integrated EE and DR measurements.
While CalTRACK 2.0 is foundational to all of these approaches, we believe that further updates to the methods and the OpenEEmeter code will promote greater accuracy and confidence in the impacts of behind-the-meter resources and could help bring a wider variety of demand-side programs to the table. We look forward to working with other stakeholders and partners who have used CalTRACK and the OpenEEmeter for their own initiatives and would like to contribute to this process.
On November 22, 2022 Recurve will host the CalTRACK 2.1 kickoff meeting. The CalTRACK 2.1-OpenEEmeter development process will follow the LFE Charter and Code of Conduct.
Methods development is an experimental process that can benefit from the input and experiences of many. The collaborative feedback loop is an exciting aspect of open-source development. The successes and failures at every stage represent progress for all to see and provide many points for collaboration and for new ideas to emerge. We can’t wait to get the band back together.
This article was originally posted on CalTRACK.
