Wednesday, June 14
Designed for attendees to benefit from shared knowledge and experience of those who have “been there”, case study sessions include presentations coupled with an extended audience Q&A segment.
9:45 a.m. - You Get a Heat Pump! You Get a Heat Pump! Everyone Gets a Heat Pump!
The IRA will support a proliferation of home electrification programs. This session will support states, implementers, contractors, and manufacturers to design and implement heat pump programs that can deliver equitable outcomes and work at scale. These case studies will highlight key program components - reducing friction for contractors, making it easy for customers to say yes, sizing and installing units properly, and educating consumers on optimal usage - as well as where programs can go wrong. Experts will address how they overcame barriers and share resources so that others can replicate these programs. They will offer best practices for those seeking to develop programs, crucial partnerships for success, and ideas for how pilots can become sustained programs.
Facilitator:
- Jamal Lewis, Director of Policy Partnerships & Equitable Electrification, Rewiring America
Speakers:
- Travis Estes, COO, Abode Energy Management
- Peter Eglinton, Deputy Director, Efficiency Maine Trust
- Mia Lombardi, Energy Efficiency Consultant, Heating Electrification, Eversource Energy
9:45 a.m. - Community Decarbonization: Beyond Lip Service
The federal government has prioritized community engagement and partnership as an essential part of Justice40, and many IRA funding opportunities highlight centering communities in the development and implementation of programs. What does authentic, inclusive, and meaningful community engagement look like? We’ll examine equitable community empowerment and highlight tools like the community engagement spectrum and resources from EPA, DOE, and others. These case studies will highlight successes - and missteps - in engaging with communities beyond "checking the box" and help states, communities, and their partners to develop energy plans, decarbonization strategies, and program proposals.
Facilitator:
- Cynthia Jennings, Attorney, Board of Directors, Slingshot
Speakers:
- Emily Schapira, President & CEO, Philadelphia Energy Authority
- Grace Umaña, Community Program and Partnership Manager, All In Energy
- Jasmine Graham, Executive Director, Mid-Hudson Energy Transition Inc.
2:00 p.m. - Workforce 201: Pipelines to Careers
The clean energy transition promises a bounty of local, well-paying jobs. How do we ensure that promise is fulfilled? This session will highlight programs and strategies that work, teasing apart the many components and angles of "workforce development" - from gap analyses, to innovative training approaches, to best practices for placing and retaining workers. We will explore which workforce development activities are building diversity in the next generation of the workforce, and which are best addressed locally, regionally, or nationally. Speakers will discuss ideas for building on existing resources to accelerate workforce programs under the IRA, and why developing strong partnerships with stakeholders across the workforce spectrum is critical for success.
Facilitator:
- Sandra Henry, CEO, Slipstream
Speakers:
- Tagwongo Obomsawin, Clean Energy Partnership Program Manager, Maine Governor's Energy Office, State of Maine
- Katherine James, Recruitment and Career Development Manager, Center for Smart Building Technology, Roxbury Community College
- Waltasia Mansano, Manager of Clean Energy Jobs Program, PSE&G
2:00 p.m. - It's All About the Gs (Green Banks, Grants & Growth)
Green banks, PACE, and other financing programs for building efficiency and decarbonization have been around for over a decade. Now federal programs like the Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund provide new avenues to develop financial resources that can accelerate equitable building efficiency and electrification. Can states and communities use established and new funding to combine and layer programs to complete hard-to-finance projects? Can these programs offer sustainable funding mechanisms that get beyond grants and incentives? We’ll take a look at current program models as well as innovative proposals and ideas for using new funding.
Facilitator:
- Michael Freedman-Schnapp, Managing Director, Forsyth Street Advisors
Speakers:
- Bryan Garcia, President and CEO, CT Green Bank
- David Davenport, Managing Director, NY Green Bank
- Lancelot Loncke, Washington DC Department of Energy & Environment