Meet Toben

Toben specializes as a program design, implementation support, and evaluation advisor to help utilities and state agencies achieve energy efficiency (EE), demand response (DR), and broader clean energy and decarbonization goals. From initial concept to complete full-scale implementation, Toben assists clients with all aspects of design, market research, vendor selection and management, regulatory approval, implementation, and evaluation of their clean energy initiatives. He has also given expert testimony with public utility commissions.

With over 18 years of experience, Toben has led numerous and diverse projects including clean energy portfolio design, benefit-cost analysis, process and impact evaluation, potential studies, baseline studies, and emerging technology and new vendor due diligence market research. He has served as an advisor and evaluation expert for electric and gas utilities across North America with a focus on how to maximize customer satisfaction while achieving energy savings via innovative and cost-effective program designs.  

In recent years, Toben is assisting clients with increased focus on aggressive decarbonization and energy saving plans by incorporating distributed energy resources (DER) such as solar and battery storage, electric vehicle charging, and non-wire and non-pipe alternatives into their customer service offerings. These initiatives prioritize the need for energy flexibility, optimizing supply and demand resources in a temporal and geographical manner to maximize grid benefits, while ensuring the highest levels of customer satisfaction, and more rapid decarbonization. 

Areas of Specialization

• Energy Efficiency EM&V
• Program Design & Regulatory Support
• Clean Energy Benchmarking
• Clean Energy Implementation & Regulatory Support
• Clean Energy Baseline and Potential Studies

Representative clients include State of Vermont, Tucson Electric Power, DTE Energy, National Grid-NY, New York Power Authority, Washington Gas & Light, Efficiency Maine

Experience Highlight

DTE Energy  2012-2020 Portfolio Evaluation and Market Research for Electric and Natural Gas Efficiency Program

Toben served as lead program manager for Guidehouse (f.k.a. Navigant) when they initiated a new approach to evaluate DTE’s energy efficiency portfolio. He also provides DTE special market research support and joint utility energy efficiency studies for statewide collaborative benefits. Representative research projects include: 

• Market Transformation Potential Study
• Compressed Air Energy Savings
• Strategic Energy Management Design Research
• Benchmarking and Program Gap Analysis
• Emerging Technology Research
• C&I Gas Efficiency Market Research
• Non-Wire Alternatives
• Efficiency as a Service & New Business Models
• Midstream Program Design. 

EE/ DR/ DER Program Design and Implementation Support. 

Toben leads energy efficiency, demand response, and other distributed energy resources portfolio design, benefit-cost analysis and DSM portfolio design studies. These consulting projects identify the market need, savings goals, and forecast participation levels, by measure type, including projected costs, incentive levels, and customer engagement strategies to achieve goals. Past engagements include work for PSEG Long Island, PSE&G, NYPA, National Grid- NY, PECO, JEA, TVA, DTE Energy, Efficiency Vermont, and Consumers Energy. 

Experience Highlights

PSE&G Energy Efficiency Portfolio Design for “Clean Energy Future”, a six year ~$3 Billion initiative. Toben managed the development of PSE&G’s 2019-2024 Clean Energy Future energy efficiency and innovative pilots portfolio design, in partnership with Gabel Associates. Comprehensive and aggressive mix of electric and natural gas energy efficiency measures, behavior programs, combined with innovative pilots including Conservation Voltage Reduction, Smart Home, Battery Storage, Non-Wire and Non-Pipe Alternatives, Emerging Technology Pilot programs. Managed a team of subject matter experts, built internal consensus on approach and strategy, and regularly presented strategy to corporate officers. 2017-2018.

EE/DR Market Research and Benchmarking Studies

Toben manages niche market research studies to improve the program quality, effectiveness, and customer satisfaction of clean energy programs. Recent studies have focused on emerging technologies and innovative pilot program opportunities for electric and natural gas programs, the role of AMI data and M&V 2.0 opportunities, and assessment of how distributed energy resources (DER) such as solar photovoltaic, battery storage, and electric vehicles will be integrated into a suite of customer facing clean energy options. 

Energy Efficiency Baseline and Potential Studies.

 Assisting utilities and regulatory agencies with field verification of energy efficiency and demand response market baselines that document in a statistically significant manner what is common practice for residential, commercial, and industrial buildings and equipment. Subsequent research into calculating energy efficiency and demand response technical, economic and achievable potential over a 20-year horizon. These studies directly influence energy efficiency and demand response policy and goal setting.