Focus on Energy is Wisconsin utilities’ statewide energy efficiency and renewable resource program. Since 2001, the program has worked with eligible Wisconsin residents and businesses to install cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
Situation
Focus on Energy was launched in 2001, with all data management and processing handled exclusively by contractors on contractor-owned systems. In 2005, a custom application was developed to house all the data vital to administering the program. As the program grew, the size, complexity, and needs of the program made the custom applications too expensive and labor intensive to operate.
Strategy
Embracing a long-term commitment, Wipfli embarked on a true partnership with Focus on Energy. The firm immersed itself in the industry and launched the Microsoft Dynamics® 365 (Customer Relationship Management [CRM]) solution. By applying agile methodology, Wipfli was able to initiate and conduct numerous implementation activities involving designing, building, and testing—all through an iterative process.
Benefits
Today, through the use of CRM, Focus on Energy has reduced risk exposure and improved internal controls for its energy savings projects. These Focus on Energy projects have provided benefits of over $500 million annually to residents and businesses throughout Wisconsin.
- The centralization of accounts and energy savings data is resulting in tremendous efficiencies, monetary savings, and reporting accuracy for the program.
- In 2016, every dollar invested in Focus on Energy projects yielded $3.00 in benefits to the state of Wisconsin. In addition, the program saved 9.4 billion kilowatt hours. Those savings equate to the power needed to run all the lights in Times Square for 156 years.
- Basic and advanced reporting abilities have simplified tracking of energy savings goals and streamlined reporting within the Focus on Energy program. Prior to the CRM deployment, seven different databases were utilized, each with its own interface and unique data fields.
- Advanced reporting and consolidation now allow for accurate measurement of incentives paid—payments that equal over $55 million in incentives annually to state residents for participating in the Focus on Energy program.
