To learn how to capture the maximum possible savings when crafting a demand-side management program, our utility customers frequently ask us what the penetration rates are for particular technologies. In fact, during my years as a researcher at E Source, it was likely the type of question that I answered most often for our members. Because maximum savings can be achieved with technologies that have a low adoption rate, it makes a lot of sense to recommend or incentivize technologies for which adoption rates are slow in high-efficiency models.

In an effort to advance the rapid dissemination of this kind of information, Energy Star maintains really cool annual fact sheets on exactly this type of data. Here’s data from the most recent 2011 market penetration study.

Check out the Energy Star Unit Shipment and Market Penetration Report (PDF) for additional information with a much more granular breakdown of the technologies, along with numbers of units shipped and the state of specification revisions.

And to give greater context to the Energy Star program and the latest developmemnts in appliance efficiency standards, be sure to read the ...