Dan Mellinger

Education

• B.S., Electrical Engineering, Michigan State University, 1999

Certifications

• Professional Engineer (PE) – Vermont, 2006
• Certified Energy Manager (CEM) – Association of Energy Engineers, 2008
• Data Center Energy Practitioner (DCEP) Generalist Certified, Center of Expertise for Data Center Energy, 2025
• Lighting Certified (LC) – National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professions, 2009

Experience

2020-Present

Principal, Energy Futures Group, Hinesburg, VT

2017-2019

Senior Consultant, Energy Futures Group, Hinesburg, VT

2016-2017

Senior Strategic Planner, VEIC, Burlington, VT

2009-2016

Efficiency Vermont Commercial Lighting Lead, VEIC, Burlington, VT

2005-2009

Efficiency Vermont Business Energy Consultant, VEIC, Burlington, VT

1999-2005

Semiconductor Manufacturing Engineer, IBM, Essex Junction, VT

Selected Projects

Citizens Action Coalition (Indiana). Critically review and advise on market potential study findings, action plans, modeling of energy efficiency, and multi-year DSM plans for each of the Indiana investor-owned utilities. Provide expert witness testimony on DSM regulatory cases. Advise on Indiana data center technical and regulatory issues.(2018-present)

Natural Resources Defense Council (Michigan, Illinois, Colorado). Provide technical consultative insights on energy efficiency and electrification programs and measures. Critically review multi-year demand side management (DSM) plans filed by Michigan and Colorado utilities. Deliver and defend regulatory testimony on energy waste reduction (EWR) plans for Consumers Energy and DTE in Michigan. (2017-present)

DesignLights Consortium (DLC). Conduct research for and provide technical assistance on the technical requirements for the Solid-State Lighting (SSL) and Networked Lighting Control (NLC) Incorporate LED product requirements that support the integration of networked lighting controls. Support DLC member utilities with TRM measure development and program design. (2018-present)

California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA). Provide technical assistance on the design and implementation of commercial and residential energy efficiency financing programs. Calculate and report program energy savings estimates to the program administrators and regulators. (2017-present)

Rhode Island Energy Efficiency & Resource Management Council. Provide technical consultative insights on commercial and industrial energy-saving measures. Advise on new technologies, programs, and models for accelerating innovation in achieving aggressive energy savings. Critically review and provide recommendations on annual and 3-year plans for electric and gas energy efficiency. (2018-present)

Connecticut Energy Efficiency Board. Provide technical consultative insights on commercial and industrial energy-saving programs and measures. Lead technical consultant to the Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) team. (2018-2025)

DesignLights Consortium (DLC). Created the Pathways to Connected Lighting Guide to assist energy efficiency program managers in developing and improving their connected lighting offerings. (2024)

Inclusive Prosperity Capital (IPC). Developed energy savings estimates for energy efficiency measures offered through the Smart-E Loan Program in Southwestern states. (2024)

General Services Administration (GSA). Provide technical support and assistance, as a subcontractor to Cadmus Group, in developing strategies to achieve 100% carbon free electricity for all federal government agencies by 2030. Develop a forecast model using agency consumption data mapped against multiple scenarios of NREL’s Cambium 2022 data model by state and balancing authority. (2023)

Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. Developed a data tracking framework and recommendations, in partnership with Cadmus Group, as technical consultants to the Vermont Climate Council. (2021-2022)

Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council. Provide technical consultative insights on commercial and industrial energy-saving programs and measures. (2018-2022)

Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) Ontario. Perform a jurisdictional scan of commercial lighting programs across the U.S. and Canada. Develop program design recommendations for networked lighting controls and lighting design. (2022)

EfficiencyOne (Nova Scotia). Provide program design consultation and recommendations for the Business, Non-Profit, and Institutional (BNI) market within the 2023-2023 DSM Plan (2021).

Iowa Environmental Council. Provide program design recommendations and best practices as part of a collaborative effort to launch a midstream pilot with MidAmerican Energy. (2020-2021)

Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA). Senior advisor on the market assessment of Luminaire Level Lighting Controls. Perform secondary data analysis, energy code review, and in-depth interviews of relevant market actors. (2019-2020)

Alliance to Save Energy. Conducted research and published a report on lifetime savings potential, peak demand savings potential, and cost effectiveness of commercial LED and networked lighting controls. (2019)

DesignLights Consortium (DLC). Developed an analysis and published product adoption and energy savings forecasts for commercial and industrial LED lighting and networked lighting controls. (2018)

Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. Delivered and defended testimony quantifying the potential for higher levels of energy efficiency as an alternative resource to a proposed 525 MW natural gas plant. (2018)

Technical Reference Manual Development (Vermont, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, DC). Developed commercial lighting TRM characterizations for Efficiency Vermont prescriptive and midstream programs. Technologies addressed: LED lamps and fixtures, fluorescent lamps and fixtures, and lighting controls. Contributed to TRM lighting measure characterizations in Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, and Washington, DC. (2011-2017)

Efficiency Vermont Technology Roadmap. Created a 3-year, comprehensive emerging-technology planning roadmap for Efficiency Vermont. Roadmap addressed technologies and residential, commercial, and industrial customer classes. Designed an interactive and dynamic Excel roadmap platform. (2017)

Vermont Demand Resources Plan. Developed a 20-year forecast of efficiency potential from commercial and residential lighting for the Vermont Demand Resources Plan (DRP). Forecast metrics: adoption, energy and demand savings, and incentive spending. The Vermont Public Utility Commission uses the DRP to set Efficiency Vermont’s 3-year budgets and goals. (2016-2017)

DLC LED Qualification Program. Contributed toward the concept, launch, and growth of the DLC LED qualification program, in collaboration with Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) and regional utilities. Lead technical advisor on specification development. (2010-2016)

Vermont Efficiency Excellence Network. Supported the design and launch of the Efficiency Excellence Network for Efficiency Vermont trade allies. Helped establish trade group participation criteria, assisted in trade ally recruiting, and delivered program and technical training. (2013-2016)

Efficiency Vermont Midstream Lighting Program. Contributed to the design of, and eventually administered, the nation’s first commercial lighting midstream program. Continuously expanded and evolved the program to keep pace with emerging technology and market changes. Managed distributor relationships and increased participation to 100% of electrical distributors. (2009-2016)

Lighting Design Program. Created a program that pairs Vermont commercial customers with professional lighting designers on retrofit projects to improve comprehensiveness. The resulting energy savings per project increased 50% compared to typical lighting retrofits. (2010-2016)

Statewide Municipal Street Lighting Program. Assisted in the design and launch of a partnership between Vermont municipalities and utilities for upgrading street lighting to LED. Used financial strategies to address the non-depreciated asset costs while minimizing the municipality investment cost. Provided technical support to the program administrator and municipalities. (2010-2014)

Vermont Commercial Lighting Market Analysis. Used data analytics to evaluate and forecast product adoption and energy savings potential in the Vermont commercial lighting market. Developed new program strategies based on the data insights. (2013-2016)

Selected Publications

Mellinger, Dan, Julian Ricardo, Lisa Wilson-Wright, and Matt Woundy. 2020. 2019-2020 Luminaire Level Lighting Controls Market Assessment. Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. https://neea.org/img/documents/2019-2020-Luminaire-Level-Lighting-Controls-Market-Assessment.pdf.

Mellinger, Dan, and Liesel Whitney-Schulte. 2020. A New Sales Pitch. LD+A, November. https://www.ies.org/lda/a-new-sales-pitch/.

Mellinger, Dan. 2019. Commercial & Industrial Lighting Lifetime and Peak Demand Savings Analysis. Alliance to Save Energy. https://www.ase.org/lighting-savings-report.

Mellinger, Dan. 2018. Energy Savings Potential of DLC Commercial Lighting and Networked Lighting Controls. DesignLights Consortium. https://energyfuturesgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/DLC_Energy-Savings-Potential-of-DLC-Commercial-Lighting-and-Networked-Lighting-Controls.pdf.

Mellinger, Dan, and Lauren Morlino. 2018. Getting to 50: How Vermont Plans to Reach 50% Market Adoption of Linear LED by 2025. ACEEE Summer Study.
http://www.aceee.org/files/proceedings/2018/#/paper/event-data/p120.

Goetzler, Bill, George Lawrence, Dan Mellinger, and Mary Yamada. 2018. Lighting Isn’t Finished:
Pivoting beyond the LED Bulb. ACEEE Summer Study.
http://www.aceee.org/files/proceedings/2018/#/paper/event-data/p134.

Mellinger, Dan. 2014. Lighting Efficiency Programs: Second Half Strategies. LD+A, October.

Mellinger, Dan, and Connie Samla. 2013. Maximizing ROI Through Good Design. LD+A, April.

Arnold, Gabe, Mike Burke, Dave Lahar, Dan Mellinger, and Paul Markowitz. 2012. A Win-Win-Win for Municipal Street Lighting: Converting Two-Thirds of Vermont’s Street Lights to LED. ACEEE Summer Study. https://aceee.org/files/proceedings/2012/start.htm.

Baldacci, Kate, Eileen Eaton, Rebecca Foster, Dan Mellinger, Margaret Song, and Liesel WhitneySchulte. 2010. Defining a Framework for Comprehensive Commercial and Residential Lighting Programs. ACEEE Summer Study. https://aceee.org/files/proceedings/2010/start.htm.