Implementing PAYS® in Your State or at Your Utility

The Pay As You Save® (PAYS®) system can be tailored to individual gas, electric, and water utilities to meet the needs of each utility and its customers.

PAYS was created by Harlan Lachman and Paul A. Cillo of the Energy Efficiency Institute, Inc. (EEI). EEI is committed to working with legislators, policymakers, energy-efficiency and renewable-energy advocates, utilities, and regulators to develop a PAYS infrastructure that effectively stimulates resource efficiency, renewable energy, and distributed generation investments consistent with local economic realities and long-range plans. EEI can help you implement PAYS in a variety of ways.

Use of the Pay As You Save® and PAYS® trademarks are available at no cost to utilities and state regulators who wish to implement programs that EEI determines meet the essential elements and minimum program requirements of the PAYS system.

All states where PAYS programs have been implemented have not required authorizing legislation. An approved tariff creates the legal basis for actions the utility may want to take when implementing a tariffed on-bill program to allow its customers to purchase resource efficiency upgrades. EEI offers its  PAYS® Model Tariff for investor-ownedmunicipal, and cooperative utilities free of charge. The latest versions are available on this on this website. EEI has completely revised its recommendations for providing notice to successor customers to ensure they learn about the benefits and obligations of PAYS upgrades prior to taking occupancy of a home, building, or rental unit.

EEI licenses the agreements, forms, and protocols (Intellectual Property) to utilities and states to facilitate implementation of successful PAYS programs. EEI has also licensed two program operators, allowing utilities that work with them to use EEI’s Intellectual Property without having to pay a licensing fee. Those interested in using EEI’s Intellectual Property to operate residential or small commercial programs (i.e., facilities less than 25,000 square feet) in the continental U.S. except Hawaii, Kansas, and California should contact EEtility, Inc., which has an exclusive license as explained in this FAQ.  A program operator or utility that is interested in a license to use EEI’s Intellectual Property in markets other than those covered by existing licenses and that proves its ability to operate successful programs based on the PAYS system should contact EEI.

Please contact EEI for more information or review the information describing the Pay As You Save system or the PAYS presentations on this website.