North Dakota
State Scorecard Rank
48
North Dakota
5.5Scored out of 50Updated 12/2020
State Government
Score: 0.5 out of 6
State Government Summary List All
The state offers one grant for consumer energy efficiency projects, and does not actively lead by example. There are no research centers focused on energy efficiency within the state.
Financial Incentives List All
The state of North Dakota offers the following financial incentives to encourage energy efficiency improvements:
- Energy Conservation Grant Program: The grant program is administered by the Division of Community Services and assists North Dakota political subdivisions in making energy efficiency improvements to public buildings. Awards range from $10,000 to $100,000 and a 50% cash match is required.
- State Energy Program (SEP): The State Energy Program (SEP) promotes energy efficiency and conservation and is supported by financial and technical assistance through the U.S. Department of Energy. Community Services receives an annual allocation to implement the SEP program. Annual allocations vary but usually fall between $350,000 and $380,000. Community Services makes SEP funds available to applicants for a variety of energy efficiency related activities. These include energy education, installation of energy efficient measures (building audits, lighting retrofits, HVAC upgrades, etc), transportation initiatives (alternative fuel vehicles and fueling systems), and renewable energy technologies (small scale wind turbines and solar technologies).
Further financial incentive information can be found in the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE North Dakota).
Last Updated: June 2022
Equity Metrics and Workforce DevelopmentList All
We were unable to determine if the state's energy plans or electrification strategies establish specific policies or equity-related metrics to ensure access for underserved customers or if they include specific measures to prioritize clean energy workforce development.
Last Updated: September 2020
Carbon Pricing PoliciesList All
The State of North Dakota does not yet have carbon pricing policies in place.
At this time, neither the state nor the utilities track avoided GHG emissions through energy efficiency programs, and the utilities do not currently include emissions reductions within benefit-cost testing calculations.
Last Updated: July 2020
Public Building Requirements List All
Though North Dakota has no requirements for state buildings, it does have programs in place for public building efficiency. The legislature approved a continuing appropriation to assist North Dakota political subdivisions that are making energy efficiency improvements to public buildings. Applicants can receive up to $100,000 on qualifying projects. This program will receive $1.2 million per biennium.
Last Reviewed: June 2022
Fleets List All
No policy in place or proposed
Note: For state efficient fleet initiatives, policies listed must make a specific, mandatory requirement for increasing state fleet efficiency. State alternative-fuel vehicle procurement requirements that give a voluntary option to count efficient vehicles are thus not included.
Last Reviewed: June 2022
Energy Savings Performance Contracting List All
Section 48-05-10 & 48-05-11 of North Dakota Code enables energy savings contracts.
Last Reviewed: July 2020
Research & Development List All
No public research centers have a focus on energy efficiency.
Last Updated: July 2017
Important Links List All
Buildings
Score: 3 out of 9
Buildings Summary List All
North Dakota is a home rule state and has no statewide mandatory energy codes. The voluntary energy code is under the purview of the North Dakota State Building Code and the state Building Code Advisory Committee has the authority to make recommendations that could include energy standards future editions of the State Building Code. North Dakota recently adopted the 2018 IECC as its voluntary statewide code – without commercial amendments and with weakening residential amendments – and 91% of the state population resides in jurisdictions that have adopted this code update.
Residential Codes List All
North Dakota is a home rule state and has no statewide mandatory energy codes. The state recently adopted an amended version of the 2018 IECC as its voluntary residential code. Approximately 91% of the state’s population lives in a jurisdiction that has adopted the ND State Building Code which includes the 2018 IECC.
Last Reviewed: September 2020
Commercial Code List All
North Dakota is a home rule state and has no statewide mandatory energy codes. The state recently adopted the 2018 IECC as its voluntary commercial code. Approximately 91% of the state’s population lives in a jurisdiction that has adopted the ND State Building Code which includes the 2018 IECC.
Last Reviewed: September 2020
Compliance List All
- Gap Analysis/Strategic Compliance Plan: NA
- Baseline & Updated Compliance Studies: NA
- Utility Involvement: NA
- Stakeholder Advisory Group: NA
- Training/Outreach: A series of seven trainings on the 2009 IECC were held across the state in January of 2015 for contractors, code officials, and aspiring code officials.
Last Reviewed: September 2020
CHP
CHP Summary List All
Some incentives are available for CHP, but the state has limited policies in place to encourage CHP deployment. No new CHP systems were installed in North Dakota in 2018.
Interconnection StandardsList All
There is currently no interconnection standard in place that applies to CHP.
For more information on interconnection standards, click here.
Last Updated: July 2017
Encouraging CHP as a ResourceList All
There are currently no state policies designed to acquire energy savings from CHP (like other efficiency resources) or energy generation from CHP (in terms of kWh production) that apply to all forms of CHP.
Last Updated: July 2017
Deployment IncentivesList All
Incentives, grants, or financing: CHP systems maybe be eligible for assistance through the state’s Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Electrical Generating Facilities program, according to which all electrical generating facilities are 100% exempt from sales and use taxes in North Dakota.
Net metering: North Dakota’s net metering rule applies to systems 100 kW or smaller that operate in the service areas of investor-owned utilities. If a customer has net excess generation (NEG) at the end of a monthly billing period, the utility must purchase the NEG at the utility's avoided-cost rate. There is no statewide limit on aggregate net-metered capacity. These rules apply to CHP systems.
Last Updated: July 2017
Additional Supportive PoliciesList All
There are currently no additional supportive policies to encourage CHP.
Last Updated: July 2017
Utilities
Score: 0 out of 20
Utilities Summary List All
While the PSC does not require utilities to implement energy efficiency programs, regulated utilities are required to meet their power needs through least-cost planning, which includes the consideration of Demand-Side Management (DSM) programs. North Dakota’s utilities run a limited set of programs in order to meet resource needs. However, efficiency program budgets and the associated energy savings have been below the national average.
The most recent budgets for energy efficiency programs and electricity and natural gas savings can be found in the State Spending and Savings Tables.
Last Updated: July 2017
Customer Energy Efficiency Programs List All
North Dakota’s utilities run a limited set of energy efficiency programs. Otter Tail Power offers a financing program for energy efficiency improvements as well as rebates. Northern Plains Electric Cooperative also offers a commercial energy efficiency loan program. Xcel energy and a number of municipal utilities offer rebates for energy-efficient appliances.
The most recent budgets for energy efficiency programs and electricity and natural gas savings can be found in the State Spending and Savings Tables.
Last Updated: July 2017
Energy Efficiency as a Resource List All
There is currently no policy in place that treats energy efficiency as a resource.
The North Dakota PSC has a rule that requires integrated resource planning (IRP).
For more information on energy efficiency as a resource, click here.
Last Updated: January 2019
Energy Efficiency Resource Standards List All
There is currently no EERS in place.
For more information on Energy Efficiency Resource Standards, click here.
Last Updated: July 2017
Utility Business Model List All
There is currently no policy in place that decouples utility profits from sales. Xcel Energy has a straight fixed variable approach in place.
Last Updated: July 2017
Evaluation, Measurement, & Verification List All
There are no formally approved ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs in North Dakota. For more information on Evaluation Measurement and Verification, click here.
Last Reviewed: January 2020
Guidelines for Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs List All
Requirements for State and Utility Support of Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs
No specific level of spending is required.
Coordination of Ratepayer-Funded Low-Income Programs with WAP Services
Level of coordination is unclear from publicly available data.
Last updated: July 2017
Self Direct and Opt-Out Programs List All
There are no self-direct or opt-out programs in North Dakota.
Data AccessList All
North Dakota has no policy in place that requires utilities to release energy use data to customers or third parties.
Last Updated: July 2017
Transportation
Score: 2 out of 12
Transportation Summary List All
The state integrates transportation and land-use planning, but has not otherwise pursued policies that encourage efficient transportation systems.
Transportation System Efficiency List All
Transportation and Land Use Integration: The state of North Dakota passed House Bill 1340 in December 2009 mandating metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to develop, in cooperation with the state and public transit operators, transportation plans and programs for metropolitan areas. These plans must include transportation measures that promote inter-modal transportation development and efficient transportation systems while minimizing transportation-related fuel consumption. Transportation plans must also comply with government-approved comprehensive growth plans.
VMT Targets: No policy in place or proposed.
Complete Streets: No policy in place or proposed.
FAST Freight Plans and Goals: North Dakota has a state freight plan that identifies a multimodal freight network, but it does not include freight energy or greenhouse gas reduction goals.
Last Updated: July 2017
Incentives for High-Efficiency Vehicles List All
No policy in place or proposed.
Last Reviewed: July 2019
Equitable Access to TransportationList All
North Dakota does not have any state programs in place to incentivize the creation of low-income housing near transit facilities, nor does it consider the proximity of transit facilities when distributing federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits to qualifying property owners. Last Reviewed: July 2019