DEIJ Full Conference Sessions at RE+

Tuesday, Sept. 12 | 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

To foster an equitable clean energy economy, the industry must prioritize communities that have been negatively impacted by previous energy developments. The Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA’s) focus on adder credits provides new tools that can benefit low to moderate income (LMI) communities and customers. What lessons have been learned and what tools have been developed since the passage of this legislation in August 2022? In this session, panelists will discuss how to leverage energy community and LMI adders in the IRA, and best practices for centering equity in the clean energy transition.

Speakers:

• Erika Symmonds, VP of Equity and Workforce Development, SEIA (Moderator)
• Pari Kasotia, Sr. Director and Head of Policy, Luminace
• William Ellis, Director of Governmental and External Affairs, Pepco
• Yesenia Rivera, Executive Director, Energy Allies
• Omar Blayton, CFO, Sunwealth Power, Inc.

Tuesday, Sept. 12 | 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Labor unions will play a critical role in growing the clean energy workforce. This quick talk will feature a case study exemplifying successful partnerships between the industry and unions. Attendees will gain understanding on how to connect with unions and organized labor and learn how these parties can work together on various projects.

Speakers:

• Stephanie Zawistowski, Director of Grassroots Engagement & Political Organizing, SEIA (Moderator)
• Aubrey Newton, Director, Northwest Laborer's Employers Cooperation Fund (LECET)
• Adam Sokolski, Director, Regulatory and Legislative Affairs, EDF Renewables

Tuesday, Sept. 12 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Embedding diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in our culture is our collective responsibility. To foster an equitable clean energy economy, the industry must prioritize the inclusion of communities and stakeholders that have been previously excluded. This session will feature panelists that have implemented solutions related to workforce development, operationalizing equity into business processes, and more. Come learn more about best practices for centering equity in the clean energy transition.

Speakers:

• Mary C. Palmer, Director of Energy Equity & Inclusion, SEPA (Moderator)
• Brandy Bolden, Chief Customer Officer, SMUD
• Pranav Myana, Founder & CEO, Amaterra Tech
• Chéri A. Smith, Founder and CEO, Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy

Tuesday, Sept. 12 |  1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Due to a combination of technical, legal, policy and business challenges, residential solar incentive programs have typically only served customers with detached, single-family homes . Generally, renters and condominium owners have been unable to access the benefits of distributed generation programs, resulting in barriers to equitable access. This session will explore how the creation of 'virtual net metering' solutions can create a cleaner more inclusive and resilient grid.

Speakers:

• Sara Birmingham, Senior Director of State Policy, West, SEIA, (Moderator)
• Leland Keller, Energy Services Engineer, Fort Collins Utilities 
• Micah Jasuta, Project Manager, Austin Energy
• Christopher Worley, Director of Public Policy, Sunrun
• Olivia Nedd, Policy Director, Access & Equity Program, Vote Solar

Tuesday, Sept. 12 | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Traditionally, community engagement has been thought of as a means to meet minimum requirements. In many circumstances, decision-makers have only approached the public to inform them of their actions, especially in underserved areas. How can organizations modify their existing stakeholder engagement approaches to move beyond the inform stage and into the involve, collaborate, and empower stages? In this session, panelists will discuss some of the best practices for public engagement and provide insights into ways that decision-makers can gain community trust and collaborate to create “win-win” scenarios with all parties involved.

Speakers:

• Charles Bolden, Sr. Director of Congressional Affairs, SEIA (Moderator)
• Juan Parra, Director, Community Engagement, Nexamp
• Sarah Z Salem, Community Engagement & Partnerships Director, GRID Alternatives
• Sherrick Roanhorse, Senior Government Affairs Manager, PNM Resources
• Victoria Johnson, Global Equity Director, HDR
   

Tuesday, Sept. 12 | 2:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Low and moderate-income (LMI) households are demographic groups that utilities nationwide have struggled to effectively engage in flexibility programs, despite this untapped customer segment representing a large opportunity for utilities in fulfilling equity goals.  This case study will share what an effective campaign that effectively engages customers and installers to address common barriers that often prevent LMI households from participating in demand response programs.

Speakers:

• Anna Balzer, Solar Community Engagement Coordinator, Boston Government Service/DOE (Moderator)
• Eamonn Urey, Senior Product Manager, Salt River Project
• Tom Neyhart, CEO, Posigen Solar & Energy Efficiency

Tuesday, Sept. 12 | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

The electrification of ports through electric drayage truck procurement and installation of zero-emission infrastructure will reduce emissions while making ports more efficient. These efforts will in turn advance equity, as the communities surrounding ports disproportionately suffer outcomes such as asthma, infant mortality, and premature death. However, this effort will require partnerships between public agencies, utilities, and private companies. In this session, panelists will discuss the potential benefits to public health and equity from electrifying our ports, which policy levers can be utilized, and how diverse stakeholders can work together.

Speakers:

• Kelly Fleming, Vice President, Boundary Stone Partners (Moderator)
• Nick Chaset, Chief Executive Officer, East Bay Community Energy 
• Matt LeDucq, CEO, Forum Mobility

Wednesday, Sept. 13 | 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

When it comes to financing community solar projects, there is a lack of standardized processes and diversification of project portfolios to secure the necessary financing that will spur project deployment and increase accessibility. When considering funding mechanisms, markets have also primarily focused on traditional approaches to determining customer eligibility, such as FICO scores, that make various groups/communities ineligible for subscription. New policies and financing tools are on the horizon that will help address these concerns. In this session, panelists will discuss the impact that community solar has made on the clean energy landscape, as well as the potential the market has to fuel and fund a clean energy transition rooted in equitable access and meaningful benefits for all.

Speakers:

• Nicole Steele, Workforce and Equitable Access Program Manager, DOE (Moderator)
• Alaric J. Babej, Principal, Customer Energy Solutions at Public Service Company of New Mexico 
• Justin Biltz, Director of Policy and Strategy, Cypress Creek Renewables
• Joel Gamoran, Vice President & General Manager, Energy Services
• Eric LaMora, Executive Director Nautilus Solar
• Taylor King, VP, Renewable Energy, Live Oak Bank

Wednesday, Sept. 13 | 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM

As the clean energy industries grow, it is a high priority to make our expanding workforce reflective of our country's overall population. How do companies succeed in attracting and retaining diverse talent and building equity and inclusion into their DNA? Join this panel to hear real-life examples of how to achieve these important goals.

Speakers:

• Utopia Hill, CEO, Reactivate

Wednesday, Sept. 13 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Despite the enormous capacity for locally-sited clean energy, over 14% of households on Native American reservations lack access to electricity. The federal government has made significant resources available to tribal nations through The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), providing an important opportunity to position tribes as profitable leaders in the nation’s renewable energy transition. How can these communities make the most of this opportunity and address systemic challenges through greater energy independence? How can the clean energy industry partner with tribal nations to aid in the energy transition?

Speakers:

• Margaret Tallmadge, Senior Development Manager, Navajo Power, PBC (Moderator)
• Jennifer Hershman,  Director of Community Relations, SOLV Energy
• Kevin Blaser, Managing Director, Energy Systems
• Paul Dearhouse, LPO Senior Consultant, Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program, Department of Energy

Wednesday, Sept. 13 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Electrifying everything will be a huge feat. From heating and cooling, to cooking and transportation, the vision for the future of home energy consumption and production is an all-electric lifestyle. This mass adoption of electrification will only happen if homeowners, at scale, invest in multiple products such as solar panels, heat pumps, and EVs. Ultimately, will they and what will that look like? How do stakeholders ensure electrification is accessible to all? This discussion will investigate the most common consumer electrification adoption pathways (i.e. if a consumer buys a smart thermostat, what are they most inclined to purchase next?), the decisions/considerations homeowners are making, and their expectations around home electrification, and the important of a consumer-first mentality.

Speakers:

• Vikram Aggarwall, CEO/Founder, EnergySage, Inc. (Moderator)
• Keishaa Austin, Head of Partnerships and Engagement, Rewiring America
• Tom Bowen, President, Qmerit 
• Michael Grasso, Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing and Growth Officer, Sunnova
• Sandhya Murali, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer, Solstice

Wednesday, September 13, 2023 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

With new incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act’s for meeting specific labor provisions, there is a renewed focus amongst clean energy businesses to create successful apprenticeship programs and other strategic initiatives to develop a more diverse and sustainable clean energy workforce. In this session, subject matter experts will discuss best practices for working with diverse populations, securing full tax credit values in the IRA, and ensuring a skilled, diverse workforce pipeline to meet future industry needs.

Speakers:

• Becky Long, Senior Program Manager, Workforce Development & Inclusion, SEIA (Moderator)
• Bonnie Kunkel-Forest, Apprenticeship Coordinator, Home Builders Institute (HBI)
• Scott Canada, Executive Vice President, Operations, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.

Wednesday, Sept. 13 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Underserved communities, including low-income and minority populations, are typically located in areas vulnerable to extreme events that cause displacement, energy and power disruptions, and ultimately, economic losses. Many of these communities do not have access to distributed energy resources that could mitigate some of these disruptions. This session will explore the viability of solar + storage to address community resilience, ensuring that these populations can withstand future weather events and other economic disruptions. Panelists will examine how to engage with the communities that are too often excluded from conversations surrounding climate policy and resilience planning.

Speakers:

• Theodora Okiro Quarles, Clean Energy Policy Expert, Okiro Solutions Consulting (Moderator)
• Susannah Churchill, Western Policy Director, Solar Landscape
• Adaora Ifebigh, Senior Director of Impact, Sol Systems
• Tolu Omotoso, Director, Energy Solutions
• Courtney Welch, Senior Manager, Policy and Strategy, SunPower