The initiatives that form CalMTA’s market transformation portfolio are derived from ideas submitted through our Idea Portal. The sortable table below contains all market transformation ideas that have been submitted to date including those received through Requests for Ideas in 2023 and 2024. The Idea Portal is now open permanently and any ideas received will be added to the dashboard. Specific details about the results of the first two RFIs can be found in the Phase I Disposition Report (published June 2024) and the Disposition Report for the 2024 RFI (published May 2025).
How to use this dashboard:
| Idea number | Idea Name | Description | Status | Technology | Industry | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0010 | High Performance Windows | Windows that outperform code efficient windows by ~20% or more through the use of two+ panes of glass and/or the use of gases such as krypton or argon. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Residential | Electric |
| 0011 | Solar Windows | Enables windows to capture light and convert it into electricity similar to a solar panel but without blocking visible light. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Commercial | Electric |
| 0020 | LLLC | Lighting control systems that have sensors and controllers installed that are directly integrated or embedded into the light during the manufacturing process. By adding advanced controls into lighting systems, customers can have greater control over their lighting usage and increase occupant comfort, space utilization, and improve energy use. | Archive/Stage 2 -- Combined with IDEA-0120 Submitted in 2023 | Lighting | Commercial | Electric |
| 0021 | Bi-Directional EV Charging Residential | Allows power to flow from the EV battery to the home or grid in response to a grid demand or price signal resulting in reduced peak demand. | Archive/Stage 2 Submitted in 2023 | Electric Vehicles | Residential | Electric |
| 0023 | Switched Reluctance Motors (SWRM) | A unique software-controlled motor which can stand in for a conventional 3-phase motor with Variable Frequency Drive. The design is easy to manufacture and SWRMs are generally more efficient than induction motors on a VFD, especially at lower speeds. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Process Loads | Commercial | Electric |
| 0025 | Industrial Process Heat Pump | A class of active heat-recovery equipment that allows the temperature of a waste-heat stream to be increased to a higher, more useful temperature resulting in energy use being cut by up to one third. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Process Loads | Industrial | Electric |
| 0034 | XMP PUMPS | Development of a program targeted at improving regional practices in mechanical systems for commercial and industrial sectors including municipalities and agriculture. XMP provides a method to provide incentives, market awareness, stability signals, end user facing materials, program development facing materials, and assist in building a regional knowledgebase. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0110 Submitted in 2023 | Process Loads | Commercial, Industrial | Electric |
| 0037 | Cold Climate Heat Pumps | Heat pumps with variable-speed compressors which are inherently more efficient than single- or two-speed compressors and provide the capability to maintain heating capacity to 5˚F. | Archive/Stage 2 -- Combined with IDEA-0171 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Residential | Electric |
| 0068 | AC must be HP | A future-state in which consumers can no longer purchase a product that is only air conditioning. | Archive/Stage 2 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Residential | Electric |
| 0069 | Solar Assisted Heat Pumps | A type of HVAC system that combines the technology of solar thermal collectors with a heat pump. The solar energy powers the heat pump reducing the amount of energy needed from other sources. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Residential, Commercial, Industrial | Electric |
| 0070 | Economizer Inspection and Upgrade | Proposes paying HVAC companies to inspect economizers, a part of the building's cooling system that uses outdoor air to cool the building instead of the air conditioning compressor and repair them as needed resulting in energy savings. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Commercial | Electric |
| 0077 | Bi-Directional Level 2 EV Charging - Fleet | Allows power to flow from the EV battery to a business or grid in response to a grid demand or price signal. | Archive/Stage 2 Submitted in 2023 | Electric Vehicles | Commercial | Electric |
| 0078 | Efficient Heat Pump Water Heaters for Multifamily | Focus on increased performance and emission reductions from central water heating systems. HPWHs have a uniform energy factor (UEF), the measure of its energy efficiency, of 3.0 while gas water heaters have a UEF between 0.50-0.98. | Archive/Stage 2 Submitted in 2023 | Water Heating | Commercial | Electric |
| 0080 | Smart Electric Panels | Electric panels with integrated or add-on software controls, generally in the form of relays, that provide a user with additional information and capabilities beyond a traditional panel. Smart panels are capable of shutting down all non-critical loads, communicating circuit-level consumption, facilitating strategic participation in demand response programs, limiting whole-home demand by preventing coincident demand from appliances, managing appliances, and enables electrification by allowing addition of loads in excess of rated panel capacity. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Power Control | Residential | Electric |
| 0081 | Heat Pump Integrated Continuous Mechanical Ventilation | Combines HVAC and ventilation resulting in energy savings by reducing or eliminating the need for an added fan and separate space conditioning unit while also improving IAQ. | Archive/Stage 2 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Commercial | Electric |
| 0085 | Combined Heat Pump Cooling-Heating-Water Heating-Thermal Storage | A product that integrates water heating, space heating, and space cooling into one combined, three-function heat pump system. These systems can also store some amount of thermal energy for use at a later time. | Archive/Stage 2 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC, Water Heating | Residential | Electric |
| 0086 | Micro Heat Pumps | Small, portable heat pumps that offer heating and cooling. They are more efficient than space heaters and cost less to install and operate than a ducted HVAC system. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0097 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Residential | Electric |
| 0095 | One-stop Hazard Reporting Phone Number | Proposes a one-stop shop phone number for reporting power outages or downed power lines that would make it easier to report hazards and reduce response times by the utilities. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Service | Residential | Electric |
| 0097 | Portable Heat Pumps for heating and cooling for tenants | Provides the convenience and low cost of portable air conditioners while offering the dual function of space heating and cooling. They are more efficient than space heaters and cost less to install and operate than a ducted HVAC system. | MTI Planning Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Residential | Electric |
| 0101 | Condenser Coil Cleaning of Commercial Refrigeration Units | Patented dust hood which can be used to clean the condenser coils of stand-alone ("self-contained") commercial refrigeration units which reside in large numbers in foodservice, healthcare and laboratory locations. Cleaning the condenser coils that are generally dirty and clogged result in 15-25% energy savings. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Refrigeration | Commercial | Electric |
| 0105 | Streetlight Municipalization Legislation | Proposes municipalities acquire ownership of the streetlights in California from the IOUs and upgrade them to efficient LED technology as well as install dimming and occupancy capabilities. | Archive/Stage 2 Submitted in 2023 | Lighting | Municipal | Electric |
| 0106 | High-Efficiency Factory-Built Homes | Homes that exceed ENERGY STAR certification criteria and are fully electric with low impact on the grid. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Whole Building | Residential | Electric |
| 0107 | Induction Cooktops | Work by generating a magnetic field at the surface of the cooktop increasing the efficiency and speed of cooking while reducing heat lost to space conditioning. Over 85% of the energy consumed by an induction hob is transferred to the cooking vessel while an electric resistance hob is roughly 70% efficient and a gas hob is 30% efficient. | MTI Planning Submitted in 2023 | Appliances | Residential | Electric |
| 0108 | Ultra-Low GWP CHPWH Skid Packaged Systems with TES | A skid packaged Central Heat Pump Water Heating (CHPWH) system that utilizes CO2 refrigerants, unpressurized storage, and phase change materials (PCMs) to enhance energy density and deliver superior performance compared to conventional CHPWH systems. | Archive/Stage 2 Submitted in 2023 | Water Heating | Commercial | Electric |
| 0110 | Smart Pumps | A packaged pumping solution that combines a pump, motor, drive, and integrated controls into one product and is an example of highly efficient pumps and circulators. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Process Loads | Commercial, Industrial | Electric |
| 0112 | Adjustable Speed Drives leveraging the Power Index | Uses the ratio of rated power over baseline power to calculate savings as a result of adding an adjustable speed drive to a motor-driven system. | Archive/Stage 2 Submitted in 2023 | Process Loads | Commercial, Industrial | Electric |
| 0113 | Central HPWH for MF - Skid Mount or complete Kit solutions | Stores water in a central location using a recirculation loop to distribute hot water using a packaged system approach also known as a plug and play solution that can be shipped and installed as a complete solution. | Archive/Stage 2 -- Combined with IDEA-0078 Submitted in 2023 | Water Heating | Commercial | Electric |
| 0115 | Leveraging ESRPP for Equity in Consumer Products in Retail | The ENERGY STAR Retail Products Platform (ESRPP) partners with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR program, utility organizations and large retailers utilizing mid-stream incentives to influence retail buyer's purchase decisions while collecting full category sales data with a focus on disadvantaged communities. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0107 Submitted in 2023 | Service | Residential | Electric |
| 0116 | ERTUs | Rooftop Units (RTU) are forced-air systems that package the evaporator, condenser coils, fans, and heating components into a single unit to serve a building’s heating, cooling, and ventilation needs. Design improvements addressing supply efficiency, heat recovery, and an improved shell can deliver 10-40% above today's minimum efficiency RTUs while even greater savings and grid benefits can be achieved through the addition of advanced control strategies. | MTI Planning Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Commercial | Electric |
| 0118 | Very High Efficiency Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems | High efficiency heat recovery combined with a high-performance heat pump as an HVAC system approach, resulting in significant commercial sector energy savings potential. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Commercial | Electric |
| 0119 | Residential and Mid-Size Wind Turbines for sites that have wind | Idea would encourage the adoption of wind turbines that are 30-80 feet tall and provide 3kW to 30kW of energy to residential and commercial sectors. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Generation | Residential | Electric |
| 0120 | Luminaire Level Lighting Controls (LLLC) | Lighting control systems that have fixture-level integrated sensors (either at the factory or on-site) and controllers that are wirelessly networked, enabling lighting products within the system to communicate with each other and transmit data. Key features include occupancy sensing, continuous dimming, daylighting, high end trim, and controls persistence. | Archive/Stage 2 Submitted in 2023 | Lighting | Commercial | Electric |
| 0121 | Remote Pump Monitor | Uses various sensors to measure a pump's operational data such as suction pressure, discharge pressure, flow rate and power consumption to provide real-time information to end users. It helps customers monitor their pumping systems and make timely decisions regarding optimizing pumping operations. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Process Loads | Commercial, Industrial | Electric |
| 0123 | Automate Energy Optimization for Production Companies | An energy management system for distribution network operators (DSO) and transmission system operators (TSO) level integration that provides energy optimization by allowing customers to capitalize on keeping the balance between energy production and consumption. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Practice | Commercial | Electric |
| 0125 | Cold climate window and portable heat pumps with condensate evaporation | Portable and window heat pumps with variable-speed compressors which are inherently more efficient than single- or two-speed compressors and provide the capability to maintain heating capacity to 5˚F. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0097 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Residential | Electric |
| 0126 | Combi Heat Pump | An integrated Heat Pump system designed to provide space cooling, space heating, and water heating. | Archive/Stage 2 -- Combined with IDEA-0085 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC, Water Heating | Residential | Electric |
| 0127 | Energy Conditioning Technology | A custom technology solution that optimizes voltage by adding capacitance via a series of capacitors that enables the unit to capture reactive power (KVAR) which is commonly lost and adds it back to the system. It also stabilizes the voltage of the entire system, reduces voltage drop when demand increases, and reduces tripped breakers as a result of low voltage or power spikes. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Power Control | Residential, Commercial | Electric |
| 0128 | Procure Networked Lighting Controls from Multi-Vendor Teams | Digitally standardized interchangeable components for network lighting controls. The proposed practice will develop model procurement language with the goal of making digitally standardized multi-vendor NLC systems broadly available in California | Archive/Stage 2 -- Combined with IDEA-0120 Submitted in 2023 | Lighting | Commercial | Electric |
| 0129 | Combi Heat Pump | An integrated Heat Pump system designed to provide space cooling, space heating, and water heating. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0025 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC, Water Heating | Residential | Electric |
| 0130 | Continuous Process Management for WWTP | An integrated demand side management solution that helps reduce energy consumption and provides flexibility in demand response through controls and pump system optimization during periods of electric utility overgeneration and peak load shedding. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Practice | Municipal | Electric |
| 0132 | Gas Water Heater Buyback Program + Solar Water Heater 2.0 | Proposes to buy back gas water heaters and replace the gas water heaters with heat pump water heaters or passive solar water heaters resulting in energy savings and emission reductions. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0194 Submitted in 2023 | Water Heating | Residential | Electric |
| 0133 | Thermal Energy Storage as a Distributed Energy Resource | Proposes using thermal energy storage as a distributed energy resource at commercial sites that traditionally have the highest energy intensities like hospitals, grocery stores, and refrigerated warehouses. | Archive/Stage 2 Submitted in 2023 | Energy Storage | Commercial, Industrial | Electric |
| 0136 | HPWH Installation Certification | Certification for contractors to install HPWHs while providing incentives and financing to customers and develop workforce training. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA 0194 Submitted in 2023 | Water Heating | Residential | Electric |
| 0138 | Heat Pumps | Proposes adopting electrification starting with heat pumps which pull heat from the outdoor air in the cooler months and transfers it indoors. In warmer months, it pulls heat out of indoor air to cool the home. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | HVAC, Water Heating | Residential | Electric |
| 0139 | Commercial Wok Range Market Transformation | Studies the energy efficient and cost benefits of induction wok ranges compared to a gas wok range baseline. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Foodservice | Commercial | Electric |
| 0140 | Residential Electrification Concierge Service | A software-enabled managed marketplace that connects homeowners seeking home electrification services with local contractors. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Service | Residential | Electric |
| 0144 | Integrated Windows & Building Envelope Make Net Zero Energy AFFORDABLE NOW | Proposes a pipeline for R7 and R9 windows which are a multi-pane fixed acrylic window that fit 24" wood frames in residential and light commercial buildings. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Residential, Commercial | Electric |
| 0145 | HPWH Exterior Enclosure | Reduces the sound from heat pump water heaters (HPWH) and ensures proper airflow around a HPWH that has been installed in an external location due to space limitations within the residence. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0194 Submitted in 2023 | Water Heating | Residential | Electric |
| 0146 | Work-based Learning to Achieve Equitable Climate Cool Schools | Prepares and supports cohorts of Local Education Agencies to design, build, operate, and repair their facilities to meet state energy, decarbonization, and air quality requirements by providing cohort support, internship pilot programs, roadmaps and implementation activities. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Practice | Municipal | Electric |
| 0147 | IE5 Motor with Integrated Variable Speed Drive for Water Pumping | A permanent magnet motor with an efficiency rating of Ultra-Premium Efficiency (IE5) combined with an integrated variable speed drive (VFD) for industrial water pumping applications, including pressure boosting, raw water feed, boiler feed, and cooling tower water circulation. A motor and VFD combination allow for customization of operating speeds to account for fluctuation in demand. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0110 Submitted in 2023 | Process Loads | Commercial, Industrial | Electric |
| 0148 | Market connections for the new plug-in heat pump water heater (HPWH) | Proposes to accelerate the adoption of 120-volt plug in HPWH which circumvent costly electrical panel and infrastructure upgrades generally required when installing a standard 240-volt HPWH. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0194 Submitted in 2023 | Water Heating | Residential | Electric |
| 0150 | Pay-for-Performance Market Platform (CalMTA FLEXmarket Market Transformation Project) | Ensures alignment between participant incentives and desired programmatic impacts by enabling a pay-for-performance (P4P) market platform with open qualified aggregator participation. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Service | Residential | Electric |
| 0151 | Aggregator of Aggregators (AoA) | Proposes one centralized aggregator that groups multiple individual Virtual Power Plant projects into large deal packages for finance purposes due to the Department of Energy's Load Programs Office only looking at deal sizes of $100 million or larger. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Service | Residential, Commercial | Electric |
| 0152 | Continuation of the Empower Procurement Product Evaluation Hub (Cal EPE Hub) | A CEC-funded project that provides rigorous and unbiased evaluations of distributed energy resource (DER) products that reduce and/or manage demand for energy consumption in commercial buildings and agriculture. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Service | Commercial, Agriculture | Electric |
| 0153 | Eco-Tech Apprenticeship: HPWH Experts for CA's Sustainable Future | Proposes to standardize training for heat pump water heating technology across the trades and to integrate this technology and skill set into colleges, trade schools, union training halls, and contractor organizations across California for both residential and commercial applications. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0194 Submitted in 2023 | Water Heating | Residential | Electric |
| 0156 | A solution reducing heat stress and improving air quality for low-income people | Combines a local fan, a local evaporative cooler, and a Corsi box into one system that can provide efficient cooling and improve air quality in summer as well as reduce heat stress and improve air quality in heat waves and wildfires, for low-income communities. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Residential | Electric |
| 0158 | Regional Lighting Assessment Tool | Improves outdated and inefficient CAD-based municipal roadway lighting design processes by using a combination of field measurements and lighting product information. | Archive/Stage 2 -- Combined with IDEA-0105 Submitted in 2023 | Lighting | Municipal | Electric |
| 0159 | Industrial Heat Pump Market Transformation | Accelerates the adoption of industrial heat pumps which are a class of active heat-recovery equipment that allows temperature of a waste-heat stream to be increased to a higher, more useful temperature resulting in energy use being cut by up to one third. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0025 Submitted in 2023 | Process Loads | Industrial | Electric |
| 0162 | Updating Warren-Alquist Act by Adding Greenhouse Gas Reduction to Statute | Updating Warren-Alquist Act by Adding Greenhouse Gas Reduction to Statute would allow the CEC to more easily and swiftly establish regulatory frameworks for codifying embedded carbon, as well as implementing GHG-based building energy performance standards. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Policy | Residential, Commercial | Electric |
| 0164 | Decarbonization for Industrial and Agricultural Sectors, and Hospitals | Proposes to place an emphasis on exploring alternative heating technologies and implementing heat recovery solutions to increase overall energy efficiency in the industrial and agricultural sectors. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0025 Submitted in 2023 | Process Loads | Industrial, Agriculture | Electric |
| 0165 | Foodservice Decarbonization | Focuses on electrifying the most common pieces of cooking equipment that have historically been fueled by natural gas including combination ovens, friers, griddles, charbroilers, and 6-burner ranges as well as water heating. Electric cooking equipment offers direct energy savings due to more energy going into the cooking and less energy lost to space conditioning as well as greatly increases indoor air quality. | MTI Planning Submitted in 2023 | Foodservice | Commercial | Electric |
| 0166 | Unitary Packaged Heat Pump Systems for Light Commercial Applications TFP | Proposes a study to determine the reason behind low market adoption rates of Packaged Unitary Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) systems in the state of California. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0116 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Commercial | Electric |
| 0168 | Enhance the Resilience of ESJ areas by Enabling Community Solar and other DERs | Focuses on community solar and energy storage in disadvantaged communities that would essentially create microgrids that could respond to grid events and provide resiliency for the surrounding neighborhoods | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Generation | Residential, Commercial | Electric |
| 0169 | Foodservice Refrigeration: High Efficiency Condenser and Evaporator Units TFP | Proposes to target high efficiency condensing units (HECUs) and high-efficiency evaporator units (HEEUs) to replace standard efficiency condensing units and standard efficiency evaporators. HECUs and HEEUs have variable speed motors which control the output directly by changing the speed or torque of the motor as needed. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Foodservice | Commercial, Industrial | Electric |
| 0170 | Making Homes Electric-Ready by Upgrading Electric Panels in ESJ Communities | Proposes to upgrade electric panels in underserved communities to prepare the homes for electrification. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Whole Building | Residential | Electric |
| 0171 | Residential Variable Speed Heat Pump | Precisely controls the compressor and fan motor in an HVAC system which results in energy savings by controlling the output directly by changing the speed or torque of the motor as needed. | Archive/Stage 2 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Residential | Electric |
| 0172 | Advanced Electric Motors Market Awareness and Demand TFP | Increase awareness of and demand for advanced electric motors in California by launching an advanced motor measure program that generates savings and accelerates market adoption. | Archive/Stage 2 -- Combined with IDEA-0024 Submitted in 2023 | Process Loads | Commercial, Industrial | Electric |
| 0173 | Scaling Passive House | A performance standard for residential and nonresidential construction and alterations that lean on continuous insulation, high-efficiency fenestration, and dedicated ventilation, among other principles, resulting in ultra energy-efficient buildings with capacity to retain heating or cooling and release it steadily and slowly. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0210 Submitted in 2023 | Whole Building | Residential | Electric |
| 0174 | Induction Cooktop Training Partnership | Training Partnership would increase exposure to the many benefits of induction cooktops in order to increase their acceptance and uptake in commercial kitchens. The purpose is to overcome bias through education. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0165 Submitted in 2023 | Appliances | Residential | Electric |
| 0175 | EVSE Standards Roadmap | Proposes to develop plan for EVSE adoption by performing a market characterization study to establish current practices and better understand barriers to establishing California state energy efficiency and flexible demand appliance standards and identify which technologies should be adopted to ease the transition from traditional fossil fuel vehicles to battery electric vehicles and the corresponding impact to the electric grid. | Archive/Stage 2 -- Combined with IDEA-0021 Submitted in 2023 | Electric Vehicles | Residential | Electric |
| 0177 | HPWH Rapid Installer Expansion TFP | Train installers to make them more familiar with the product by offering a focused certification program that will use ESMAC+ (Energy Star Manufacturer Action Council) training, virtual gathering meetings, manufacturer virtual universities, and in-person learning about HPWH benefits and installation how-tos. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0194 Submitted in 2023 | Water Heating | Residential | Electric |
| 0178 | Second Skin Walls | Vines that act as a second thermal shield on the southern and western facing walls in addition to the standard home walls. The vines protect the exterior walls from absorbing the thermal heat from the sun, thus reducing the need for air condition. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Commercial | Electric |
| 0179 | Load flexibility controls of heat pump water heater systems | Using advanced controllers to control the flow router and manage water flow between water heaters and storage equipment. The technology also schedules and controls HPWH system operation according to grid control signals, such as time-varying electricity price, carbon intensity, and demand response signals to minimize energy costs, greenhouse gas emission, and peak electricity consumption. | Archive/Stage 2 -- Combined with IDEA-0078 Submitted in 2023 | Water Heating | Residential, Commercial | Electric |
| 0180 | Deployment of Retrofit-Ready 120V Heat Pump Water Heaters | Incentivizes contractors to keep 120V HPWHs on their truck and educate contractors on the strengths and weaknesses of the technology. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0194 Submitted in 2023 | Water Heating | Residential | Electric |
| 0182 | High Efficiency Electric Manufactured Housing Specifications and Factory Design | High efficiency, solar enabled, all electric manufactured housing which can be used to build new decarbonized affordable housing in California and replace existing mobile and manufactured homes that cannot cost effectively or feasibly be retrofitted. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0106 Submitted in 2023 | Whole Building | Residential | Electric |
| 0183 | Elevating Underserved Foodservice: Community-Centered Tech Transformation | Tailoring technology to energy requirements, operational demands, and cultural nuances of ethnically specific independently owned small restaurants in disadvantaged communities. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0165 Submitted in 2023 | Foodservice | Residential | Electric |
| 0185 | Combining Monitoring-Based Commissioning with DR to Maximize Grid Benefits | A pathway/practice to deploy MBCx in combination with DR in commercial buildings to maximize energy and demand benefits in a single package. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Practice | Commercial | Electric |
| 0188 | Reflective Insulation for Windows | Keeps building interiors cool without interfering with the occupants' views by blocking infrared light reducing solar heat gain by 50% in turn reducing summer cooling load. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Residential, Commercial | Electric |
| 0190 | Using infrared sensor reducing overcooling, save energy, by Closed-loop Control | A closed-loop HVAC sensor-controller that predicts occupant thermal sensation from the thermographic measurement of skin temperature distribution, then uses this information to reduce overcooling by regulating HVAC output. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Residential, Commercial | Electric |
| 0191 | Portable Energy Storage Systems Utilizing Second-Life EV Batteries. | A portable 2 kWh Energy Storage System (ESS) utilizing secondlife EV batteries for residential and commercial applications which can reduce utility bills and GHG emissions by load-shifting electricity to reduce peak demand and also provides backup power during grid outages, at a 30- 50% cost advantage compared to new batteries. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Energy Storage | Residential, Commercial | Electric |
| 0194 | Heat Pump Water Heater Parent Idea | Parent idea for multiple heat pump water heater submissions. HPWHs have a uniform energy factor (UEF), the measure of its energy efficiency, of 3.0 while gas water heaters have a UEF between 0.50-0.98. | MTI Planning Submitted in 2023 | Water Heating | Residential | Electric |
| 0155 | Residential Efficient Gas Absorption Heat Pump | A technology that offers significant improvements to existing furnaces and electric heat pumps by using natural gas to pump heat from the outdoors to an indoor conditioned environment via a group of heat exchangers, vessels, and a pump that comprise the thermal compressor. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Residential | Gas |
| 0103 | Climate-health warning labels on gas pumps | Requirement to add climate health warning stickers on all gas pumps in the state of California which outline the environmental and health impacts of gasoline combustion | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Service | Commercial | N/A |
| 0181 | Hemp Transformation | Convert hemp into biofuels to provide energy that was previously provided by combusting trees, cotton, plastics, and gasoline. Hemp does not require fertilizers and uses less water than other potential biofuels | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Generation | Commercial | N/A |
| 0012 | Dynamic Window Glazing | Electrochromic technology darkens the interior of glass by applying a small DC voltage via a thin coating on the window. The window can be tinted during the summer months reducing solar heat gain resulting in a reduction in cooling load while allowing heat gain in the winter to offset heating needs. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0022 | Smart Home | Smart home technology enables automation of certain appliances for increased capabilities, security, comfort, and convenience including products such as thermostats, lighting, refrigerators, and cooking appliances. In addition, these appliances can be connected to an overarching smart home energy management system which allows the customer to monitor their energy usage and make changes based on usage patterns. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Whole Building | Residential | Neutral |
| 0024 | VFDs on All Pumps and Fans > 10 HP | Variable frequency drives on pumps and fans allow reduced speed and energy consumption during periods of low loads; can be combined with advanced motors for additional efficiency gains . | Archive/Stage 2 Submitted in 2023 | Process Loads | Commercial, Industrial | Neutral |
| 0035 | Refrigerant Recycling | Refrigerant Recycling provides an economical refrigerant supply chain that encourages the collection of refrigerants by trained technicians which is then reused. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Refrigerants | Residential, Commercial, Industrial | Neutral |
| 0079 | Vacuum Insulated Glass (VIG) | A vacuum layer between two panes of glass virtually eliminates both conductive and convective heat transfer as well as reduces radiant heat transfer when combined with low-e coatings resulting in energy savings. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0157 Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0093 | Shade cloth over the outside of windows | Proposes that new buildings should be built with outside roller blinds (as is done in Europe even on newer public housing) which keeps direct sunlight from coming in the house (in summer) or can be used at night against cold. Existing buildings can be retrofitted cheaply using shade cloth over frames, seasonally, or on motorized rollers. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0098 | Thermal and Infiltration Management System | Radiant barrier window insulators that make any existing window more energy efficient and cool roof coatings that reduce heat loss and gain. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Residential, Commercial | Neutral |
| 0100 | Hydronic Additive | Improve the system efficiency of closed loop water-based HVAC systems including boiler systems, heat pumps, district loops and chilled water systems resulting in water that heats and cools faster and energy savings. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Commercial, Industrial | Neutral |
| 0109 | High Performance Windows | A product that achieves a .22 U-factor or less. The primary product currently meeting this efficiency level is a thin triple-pane window. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0010 Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Residential | Neutral |
| 0111 | Efficient Fans Leveraging the fan energy index (FEI) | Requirement to adopti the FEI rating as the key energy metric for fans in state codes. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Process Loads | Commercial, Industrial | Neutral |
| 0114 | ESRPP | The ENERGY STAR Retail Products Platform (ESRPP) partners with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR program, utility organizations and large retailers utilizing mid-stream incentives to influence retail buyer's purchase decisions while collecting full category sales data. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Service | Residential | Neutral |
| 0122 | Commercial Secondary Windows | Adds on a single pane window to the existing frame in commercial buildings with single pane windows which creates an insulating air gap resulting in energy savings without replacing the full window. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0124 | ARC Advanced Rooftop Controls for HVAC | Proposed technology that would install variable frequency drives (VFDs) with proprietary logic controllers on existing HVAC systems. Variable frequency drives control the output directly by changing the speed of the fan motor as needed. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0116 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0131 | Time of Sale Energy Disclosure | A practice to leverage market forces to increase investment in energy efficient home upgrades by including energy efficiency upgrades in the appraisal process thus making them visible to the market. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Practice | Residential | Neutral |
| 0142 | Agricultural Irrigation as a Flexible Demand Load | A proprietary agricultural irrigation technology that cuts irrigation water consumption by 80% as well as an equal amount of power consumption from well pumping, booster pumps and canal transportation pumps. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Process Loads | Agriculture | Neutral |
| 0143 | Rare trees for shade and income grown with greywater | Growing rare or fruit trees to shade homes using greywater from a residence's laundry machine. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Residential | Neutral |
| 0149 | Modernizing building automation system hardware to use standardized controls | Upgrading BAS systems in large commercial buildings (>50,000 SF) while adhering to ASHRAE Guideline 36-2021 (G36) which explicitly describes best practice controls sequences in a standardized way and has demonstrated very substantial energy savings and other benefits compared to typical existing controls in buildings. | Archive/Stage 2 Submitted in 2023 | Whole Building | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0154 | Hydronic Heating Supply | A self-contained unit that converts a building’s hydronic heating supply by using a proportional control valve and double-wall heat exchanger to provide on-demand domestic hot water for the ultimate in water and energy savings in multifamily, hospitality, assisted-living centers, and healthcare patient towers. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Water Heating | Commercial, Industrial | Neutral |
| 0157 | Single Pane Retrofit | Replaces inefficient glass with an ultra-high-performance vacuum insulating glass (VIG) which virtually eliminates both conductive and convective heat transform as well as reduced radiant heat transfer when combined with low-e coatings. | MTI Planning Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0160 | Low Carbon Calcined Clay Concrete in California | A supplementary cementitious material that can reduce CO2 emissions through material & energy efficiency to meet state net zero goals for the sector. Clay is naturally zero carbon raw material and can be calcined at lower temperatures using less energy. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Process Loads | Commercial, Industrial | Neutral |
| 0161 | Commercial Secondary Windows | Adds on a single pane window to the existing frame in commercial buildings with single pane windows which creates an insulating air gap resulting in energy savings without replacing the full window. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0122 Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0163 | Enable HVAC QI/QM by Introducing a Universal HVAC Interface | Establish a standardized universal physical and software interface that would be mandated for all new HVAC equipment manufactured after a specified date. The interface would report various faults, including but not limited to airflows, refrigerant charge, refrigerant contaminants, CO2 emissions, and other performance indicators such as output, efficiency, and energy consumption. | MTI Planning -- Combined wth IDEA-0116 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0176 | Title 24 Enforcement Assistance: AHJ Automation and Acceptance Testing | An integrated set of tools to help the construction market with the energy code review process by automating and simplifying it. This would provide transparent data to the Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) which will in turn help enforce Title 24 Acceptance Testing which is currently only performed less than 20% of the time required by law. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Practice | Residential, Commercial | Neutral |
| 0184 | Advancing Smarter HVAC Controls in Small-to-Medium Commercial Buildings | A group of more than 20 product offerings including networked thermostatic control, advanced RTU control, and light commercial building automation systems (BAS) which provide customers with the ability to control their HVAC as well as participate in demand response. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0116 Submitted in 2023 | HVAC | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0186 | Exterior Shading for solar control | The use of various shading devices or structures installed on the outer side of residential windows to control and manage sunlight, heat, glare, and privacy reducing heat gain which reduces the summer cooling load. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0093 Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0187 | High-Performance Secondary Window Panels | A single pane of glass or plastic in an aluminum or wood frame installed on the inside or outside of the primary window. This would increase the overall U-factor at a lower cost than replacing the entire window. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0122 Submitted in 2023 | Envelope | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0189 | Transforming the Market for High Performing Homes in California | A 3rd party certification program which will leverage public funds to market demand for energy efficiency upgrades that will endure after incentive dollars are exhausted. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0131 Submitted in 2023 | Whole Building | Residential | Neutral |
| 0192 | Statewide marketplace with integrated rebates & consumer loans to drive market | A consumer marketplace that would drive the uptake of MTI-targeted residential technologies/practices through the online retail purchase channel by eliminating barriers | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Service | Residential | Neutral |
| 0193 | Building Performance Standards Accelerator MTI | Encourages cities to adopt BPS policies which target existing building stock and improve efficiencies either through a prescriptive design or an energy use intensity benchmark. | MTI Planning Submitted in 2023 | Whole Building | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0036 | Low GWP Refrigerant - Grocery | Replacing high GWP refrigerants at existing grocery locations throughout California with lower GWP refrigerants such as CO2. High GWP is between 1,000-3,000 while CO2 has a GWP of 1. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | Appliances | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0137 | Sustainable Refrigeration Transition | Combines practice and technology to demonstrate the value of investing in and managing refrigeration systems more sustainably for smaller independent grocers. The practice involves comprehensive refrigerant leak detection and remediation, and the technology component aims to facilitate the transition to low global warming potential (GWP) and natural refrigerant technologies. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2023 | Refrigerants | Residential, Commercial, Industrial | Neutral |
| 0167 | Introduce Lower GWP Refrigerants in California Market, including Heat Pump | Forging collaborations with manufacturers and their industry associations, such as AHRI and ASHRAE, to facilitate the introduction of refrigerants with GWP significantly lower than the mandated limit of 700 into the market. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2023 | HVAC, Water Heating | Residential, Commercial | Neutral |
| 0022 | Smart Home | Enables automation of certain appliances for increased capabilities, security, comfort, and convenience including products such as thermostats, lighting, refrigerators, and cooking appliances. In addition, these appliances can be connected to an overarching smart home energy management system which allows the customer to monitor their energy usage and make changes based on usage patterns. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2024 | Whole Building | Residential | Electric |
| 0210 | Passive House Standard in Title 24 | A high-performance building standard (superior to California's Title 24 Part 6). Passive Houses are energy efficient and airtight (highly insulated with no thermal bridging, and with heat-recovery ventilation) which cuts heating and cooling loads by more than half relative to Title 24. This proposal is to incorporate the Passive House standard as an optional pathway within Title 24. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2024 | Whole Building | Residential | Electric |
| 0213 | Chilled Water Energy Storage | Using an insulated tank as a thermal battery. In the winter, hot water solar collectors would be used to product hot water and in the summer, solar PV would be used to chill the water. | Archived at Threshold review Submitted in 2024 | Energy Storage | Residential, Commercial | Electric |
| 0214 | "Consumer Reports" for Energy Efficient Products | The Empower Procurement Product Evaluation Hub (Cal EPE Hub) is a CEC-funded project that provides rigorous and unbiased evaluations of DER products that reduce and/or manage demand for energy consumption in commercial buildings and agriculture. Through its website, the Hub provides application guidance, side-byside product comparisons, and feedback from actual users for a variety of DER technologies. The Hub aims to inform procurement decisions made by large commercial and institutional energy utility customers across California | Archived at Threshold review Submitted in 2024 | Service | Commercial, Agriculture | Electric |
| 0215 | Visit a Heat Pump | A web-based platform, similar to AirBNB, that would allow individuals interested in heat pump technology to connect with heat pump owners who are willing to allow visitors to see the technology. The service will advance the adoption of heat pump technology by providing “social proof” which is a significant driver of home technology uptake. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2024 | Practice | Residential | Electric |
| 0216 | Television Energy Efficiency | Using an existing and proven program infrastructure known as ENERGY STAR Retail Products Portfolio (ESRPP), the program will provide per unit financial incentive on retailers’ sale of ENERGY STAR V9.1 televisions. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2024 | Appliances | Residential | Electric |
| 0218 | Sustainable Outdoor Lighting | Combines a typical outdoor light fixture with a solar panel, battery, and smart controller. The smart controller decides when to use battery power and when to draw from the grid. Typically, the battery is sized to be charged predominantly by the solar panel during the day. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2024 | Lighting | Municipal | Electric |
| 0219 | Combined Heating, Cooling, and Hot Water with TES | A combined heating, cooling, and domestic hot water (DHW) system with TES for residential applications. The system uses thermal storage and advanced controls to reduce energy costs by 30% vs. gas and other heat pumps. | Archive/Stage 2 -- Combined with IDEA-0085 Submitted in 2024 | HVAC, Water Heating | Residential | Electric |
| 0220 | DOAS and VRF Market support for advancing high efficiency rooftop units | Market transformation for efficient rooftop units (RTU) | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0116 Submitted in 2024 | HVAC | Commercial | Electric |
| 0221 | Light Duty Commercial Heat Pump Water Heating | Using a unitary heat pump water heater in a commercial facility similar to those used in single-family residences. Light-duty commercial applications are hot water needs similar to residential customers, such as in bathrooms and breakrooms. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2024 | Water Heating | Commercial | Electric |
| 0222 | Residential Smart-Splitting | Electric vehicle supply equipment technology family, addressing the issue of insufficient electrical panel capacity. Smart-splitting solutions enable multiple devices to utilize an existing 240V outlet to power multiple devices by managing the charge. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2024 | Power Control | Residential | Electric |
| 0223 | Gas absorption heat pumps (GAHPs) with phase changing insulation | Residential Efficient Gas Absorption Heat Pump is a technology that offers significant improvements to existing furnaces and electric heat pumps by using natural gas to pump heat from the outdoors to an indoor conditioned environment via a group of heat exchangers, vessels, and a pump that comprise the thermal compressor. In the 2024 submission, the description adds a statement about “leveraging recent advancements in Phase Changing Materials for home insulation to reduce the energy consumption of HVAC systems by reducing the need for active heating and cooling. | Archived at Threshold Review Submitted in 2024 | HVAC | Commercial | Gas |
| 0212 | Net Zero Emission California 2044 | Energy Efficiency Done Right specializes in enveloping efficiency and we have the best secondary window attachment ever made. it is the In'Flector Radiant Barrier Window Insulators, in'flector makes glazing work more like walls! | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0157 Submitted in 2024 | Envelope | Residential, Commercial | Neutral |
| 0217 | High Quality, High Efficiency Light Sources | This initiative would advance linear LED products developed through the Million LED Challenge, an initiative led by the UC Davis California Lighting Technology Center in partnership with the California Energy Commission EPIC Program and the University of California’s Office of the President. | Archive/Stage 1 Submitted in 2024 | Lighting | Commercial | Neutral |
| 0226 | Solar Streetlighting with Battery Backup | Solar street lighting with battery back-up can provide the same level of lighting as grid-connected lighting, without the delays caused by utilities for grid connection. Therefore, new lighting can be installed in all neighborhoods, in parks, marinas, parking lots, and any other place needed. Because the technology operates on 100% solar energy, and does not rely on grid energy, it is both renewable, and does not contribute to the stress on the grid. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0218 Submitted in 2025 | Lighting | Municipal | Electric |
| 0229 | Condenser Coil Enclosure Redesign | Proposes redesign of the condenser coil enclosure of refrigeration, AC and air source heat pumps (HVACR cooling apparatus) to carry a centrifugal particle separator to remove particulate contaminants in the incoming air flow and mitigate energy robbing coil fouling. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0101 Submitted in 2025 | Refrigeration | Residential, Commercial | Electric |
| 0231 | Heat Pump | Insufficient description provied with submission. Idea related to Industrial Heat Pumps. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0025 Submitted in 2025 | Process Loads | Industrial | Electric |
| 0227 | Self funding Clean Energy Plan | Proposes to create an energy demand reduction plan that is self funding. We propose a plan wherein we will fund an energy efficiency plan that pays for itself through energy savings. This can be done through a series of efficiency measures or collective efficiency measures, This will be accomphlished by funding the efficiency measures over a period of 8-10 years using equity in the structure or organization to insure that the monthly savings are greater than the monthly financed costs. After this phase is complete we will seek carbon credits, and then after the savings are proven fund renewable energy projects with the recouped savings. | MTI Planning -- Combined with IDEA-0157 Submitted in 2025 | Whole Building | Residential, Commercial | Neutral |
| 0232 | See the Waste, Fix the Waste: SMB Energy Awareness + Implementation (MCV-SMB) | See the Waste, Fix the Waste (MCV-SMB) is a standardized “Meter → Control → Verify” practice for small businesses (restaurants, c-stores, small grocery, light warehouse) paired with energy coaching to turn insight into action. Savings come from controls + coached operations, then targeted retrofits. Energy coaching ensures schedules are followed, equipment is shut off on time, and drift is corrected quickly. GHG falls with kWh/therms; peak shaping targets high avoided-cost, higher-emissions hours. All impacts are meter-verified (NMEC) and maintained via MBCx + monthly coaching. | Archive/Stage 1 -- Combined with IDEA-0185 Submitted in 2025 | Practice | Commercial | Electric |
The California Market Transformation Administrator (CalMTA) develops and manages market transformation initiatives in the state to reduce energy use and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
CalMTA follows a rigorous process for reviewing, scoring, and then developing relevant, timely market transformation initiatives. The process supports market transformation initiative creation from concept to program development to market deployment, as well as the eventual exiting of the market.
Learn more about CalMTA’s planning and research on energy efficient technologies and our work to build California’s market transformation portfolio, and access quarterly and annual progress reports.
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