The Connecticut Policy and Energy Society is excited to announce its 2021 Fall Conference “The Future of Energy: What’s the Deal?,” which will take place virtually on October 21st. This year, The Future of Energy will highlight emerging trends within the energy industry focused on equity and inclusion. Throughout this day-long event, we will spotlight the ways the energy industry can be a continued driver towards representing underserved populations while providing attendees with important and substantive energy industry updates.
Conference Agenda:
10:00am: Welcoming Remarks
10:15-10:45am: Morning Keynote: Andrew Wishnia, Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for Climate Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation
10:45-11:15am: Sustainability for All – Moving CT’s Municipalities Towards an Inclusive Energy Future Municipalities across the state are grappling with the best strategies and solutions to welcome energy projects in underserved portions of their community. This conversational panel, led by Lynn Stoddard, Executive Director of SustainableCT, includes leaders from the City of Hartford and the Town of Coventry who will share their ongoing initiatives and insightful ideas on how other municipalities can equitably host new energy projects in their towns. Whether the town is large or small, rural or urban, this is a must see panel!
Panelist: Shubhada Kambli, Sustainability Director, City of Hartford
Panelist: John Elsesser, Town Manager, Town of Coventry
11:15-11:30am: Break
11:30-12:00pm: How Diverse Voices are Incorporated in Renewable Energy Development This panel will highlight renewable energy development on tribal land and discuss how indigenous tribes are charting their own energy future.
2:00-2:30pm: Connecticut’s Cannabis Industry: The Equity and Energy Nexus This panel will focus on the emerging cannabis industry, and discuss whether there are energy/equity lessons that may prove illustrative to the energy industry.
Moderator: Andréa Comer, DCP Deputy Commissioner and Chair of the Social Equity Council
Panelist: Fran Boucher, Energy Efficiency Program Manager, National Grid
2:30-3:30pm: A Look Into CA and NY Energy Equity Policies The California Energy Commission manages data known as Energy Equity Indicators to help identify opportunities to improve access to clean energy technologies for low-income customers and disadvantaged communities, increase clean energy investment in those communities, and improve community resilience to grid outages and extreme events. NYSERDA has developed a Solar Energy Equity Framework to increase clean energy investments in disadvantaged communities.
Moderator: Bryan Garcia, President & CEO of the CT Green Bank
Panelist: Katrina Leni-Konig, Energy Research and Development Supervisor at the California Energy Commission
Panelist: Christopher Coll, Director at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
Connecticut Power and Energy Society (CPES) will host its 20th annual The Future of Energy: What’s the Deal? Conference and Exposition on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington, Connecticut. This full-day event will include panel discussions, two keynotes, and time for industry networking.
AGENDA:
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM
Registration / Exhibitor Showcase / Networking Breakfast
8:30 AM – 9:15 AM Welcome and Introduction
Morning Keynote: Marissa Paslick Gillett, PURA Chair
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM
Panel 1: Competitive Markets – Leaders in Advancing Renewable Energy Goals
10:15 AM – 10:45 AM Break: Exhibitor Showcase/Networking
10:45 AM – 11:45 PM
Panel 2: Clean Energy – Made in Connecticut
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM Networking Lunch
New Energy Professionals Rising Star Award Presentation: Jennifer Galiette
Afternoon Keynote: Alex Klaessig, Research Director, IHS Markit
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Panel 3: Financing Renewable Energy Projects in New England
MORNING KEYNOTE: Marissa Paslick Gillett, PURA
Marissa Paslick Gillett is Chairman of Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA). Governor Ned Lamont nominated Gillett to begin serving on the three member regulatory authority on April 26, 2019, and her appointment was confirmed by both the House of Representatives and State Senate in the 2019 session of the Connecticut General Assembly.
AFTERNOON KEYNOTE: Alex Klaessig, IHS Markit
Alex is a Research Director for the IHS Markit Gas, Power, and Energy Futures team, specializing in understanding how environmental regulation, technology, and innovation drive changes in North American electric power markets. In addition to co-chairing IHS Markit’s Energy Innovation Pioneers program, he has been instrumental in several IHS Markit studies, including “Hydrogen in the Golden State,” a examination of the hydrogen could play in a deeply decarbonized California.
Alex Klaessig will be speaking about: Exploring Faster Electrification and Decarbonization Possibilities Low-carbon ambitions manifest in many jurisdictions across North America. The current mantra of policymakers is to electrify energy uses while powering the electric grid with an increasing proportion of renewable generation. To assess the plausibility of achieving these goals, the IHS Markit “fast-transition” analysis examines the power sector changes necessary to reduce that sector’s carbon emissions by 90% by 2050 while electrifying transportation. Alex will present the narrative of decarbonization and then discuss the implied challenges and investment opportunities.
The goal of this panel is to discuss how restructured markets are achieving renewable policy goals based on an increased awareness of available options. The marketplace has shown us that commercial and industrial customers are making business decisions with renewable objectives in mind. How is the competitors approach to renewable different than utilities? Are there unique products/services? How are competitors making a more informed, more environmentally conscious consumer?
Connecticut’s energy future consists of clean and durable energy systems that contribute to sustainable and reliable service. When these systems are made in Connecticut they contribute to high quality job creation and economic development valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars with thousands of jobs.
These Connecticut manufacturers stand ready to meet the challenge to compete in the global market for clean energy technology:
US Hybrid, South Windsor, CT, makes advanced alternative “Zero Emission Vehicles” including buses, trucks, and ground support equipment. Speaker: Abas Goodarzi President and CEO.
Nel, Wallingford, CT, produces the electrolysis equipment that makes hydrogen as a clean energy carrier and can source power from intermittent renewable wind and solar. Speaker Steve Szymanski, Director of Business Development.
R&D Dynamics, Bloomfield, CT, makes an Organic Rankin Cycle engine with an oil free foil bearing and turbo expander that can extract energy from low quality waste heat without additional fuel and emissions. Speaker: Giri Agrawal, President and CEO.
Each of these three companies demonstrate the ingenuity of the Connecticut workforce to compete in a global market with energy technology that meets the need for clean and reliable power, and provides local jobs and economic development for Connecticut.
This panel will explore financing renewable energy projects in New England from the perspective of lenders and developers. What do private lenders look for when investing in a portfolio of renewable projects? From the perspective of the Connecticut Green Bank, what programs are available and what are the criteria to participate? As a developer, what are the benefits to constructing projects in the Northeast? What are some of the challenges and how are these being addressed through regulatory changes? Panelists will explore these questions and more, provide case studies and reflect on lessons learned and next steps to develop renewable projects in New England.
RISING STAR AWARDEE! Jennifer Galiette
Jennifer Galiette is Senior Counsel at Eversource Energy where her practice focuses on Connecticut state regulatory matters. She has over 11 years of experience assisting electric and natural gas clients in the energy industry in a wide range of regulatory and transactional matters at the state and federal levels. At Eversource, Jen advises and represents electric, natural gas, and water clients in state regulatory matters, including active representation of the Company in proceedings before the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and in regulatory appeals before the Connecticut state courts.
Prior to joining Eversource, Jen was Counsel in the Energy and Utilities practice group at Day Pitney LLP. At Day Pitney, Jen represented clients in proceedings and litigation before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and state regulatory commissions in New England and New York and she advised clients across the country on energy compliance matters.
Jen is the immediate past Chair of the Energy, Public Utility and Communications Law Section of the Connecticut Bar Association where she continues to serve as a member of the Executive Committee. She is also an active member of the Connecticut Power and Energy Society, the Yale Alumni in Energy organization, and Lawyers Collaborative for Diversity. Jen earned her law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2008 and her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Yale University in 2005.
