May 14-15, 2015 - Northwest Power and Conservation Council, Portland, OR

Agenda and Presentations

Thursday, May 14

8:30 am – 9:00 am
Continental Breakfast

9:00 am – 9:30 am
Welcome and Introductions

Presenters:

  • David Terry, Executive Director, National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO)
  • Mark Glick, Administrator, Hawaii State Energy Office; Regional Representative, NASEO Board of Directors
  • Andy Ginsburg, Division Administrator, Energy Planning and Innovation, Oregon Department of Energy

 

9:30 am – 10:30 am 
State Policy and Program Priorities Roundtable 
During this roundtable session, each State and Territory Energy Office will share the major energy actions, priorities, and issues happening in their respective state or territory.  This update should include both energy issues that are within the State Energy Offices’ purview, as well as those that extend beyond the offices.  The roundtable will give participants the chance to hear from their peers, ask questions, identify ways they can work together, and elevate areas that NASEO can provide assistance. (Approximately 5 minutes for each state or territory).

Moderator: 

  • Mark Glick, Administrator, Hawaii State Energy Office; Regional Representative, NASEO Board of Directors

Focus:

  • Each State and Territory Energy Office will provide an update on the program, policy, and planning priorities and challenges within their state.

Discussion:

  • Are there several States with similar priorities and focus?
  • What can NASEO do to assist in achieving the states’ or multi-state actions?
  • Is there a role for NASEO, DOE, EPA, NASEO Affiliate Members, or others to provide assistance?

 

10:30 am – 10:45 am
Break

10:45 am – 12:00 pm 
Western Electricity Issues and Priorities 
Most of the states in NASEO’s Western Region are engaged with western grid interconnection activities and a variety of technological, market, and regulatory changes facing the power production, distribution, transmission and use.  A stated purpose of the western grid interconnection is to promote cooperative state efforts to enhance the economy of the west.  One way to do this is to guide future investment toward a cleaner energy future that can enable large-scale energy efficiency savings and promote lower-carbon energy supplies over the long term.  This session will explore some of these opportunities and the priorities facing the west.

Moderator: 

  • John Chatburn, Administrator, Idaho Governor’s Office of Energy Resources

Presenters:

  • Tony Usibelli, Director, Washington State Energy Office
  • Suzanne Cooper, Vice President for Bulk Marketing, Bonneville Power Administration
  • Tom Eckman, Director, Power Division, Northwest Power and Conservation Council
  • Arnie Olson, Partner, Energy+Environmental Economics (E3)

Focus:

  • Grid modernization, reliability, resilience
  • Fees for renewables
  • Energy storage, distributed resources, micro grids
  • Energy Imbalance Market

 

12:00 pm – 12:45 pm
Working Lunch

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm 
Update on EPA’s Clean Power Plan, Reliability, and Potential Compliance Options 
During this session NASEO will update states on our recent U.S. Enviornmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Power Plan related work with the other two members of the “3N” group – the National Assocaition of Clean Air Administrators (NACAA) and Natonal Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) – as well as other key organizations.  This session will focus on the impact of initial pre-planning decisions on the ability to leverage private-sector and other non-ratepayer energy efficiency programs.

Moderator:

  • Tony Usibelli, Director, Washington State Energy Office

Presenters:

  • Tom Eckman, Director, Power Division, Northwest Power and Conservation Council

 

2:00 pm – 3:15 pm 
Multi-State, Multi-Agency Collaboration – Facilitated Discussion 
This session will focus on region-specific examples of collaborative work in areas such as environmental compliance, building energy codes, energy assurance planning, and micro-grid development being conducted collaboratively among State Energy Offices, Public Utility Commissions, and State Environmental Agencies.  The session will revolve around an expert panel responding to a series of questions related to various energy, ecnomic and envionrmental goals.  This facilitated session will stress audience participation and discussion.

Moderator:

  • Andy Ginsburg, Division Administrator, Energy Planning and Innovation, Oregon Department of Energy

Panel Members:

  • Tony Usibelli, Director, Washington State Energy Office
  • Tom Eckman, Director, Power Division, Northwest Power and Conservation Council
  • Colin McConnaha, Senior Climate Change Policy Analyst, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
  • Paul Kjellander, Commissioner, Idaho Public Utility Commission

 

3:15 pm – 3:30 pm
Break

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm 
Update on Financing
Western states’ utilization of innovative and practical energy efficiency and renewable energy financing programs has grown significantly.  This session looks at a range of programs from best practices around conventional revolving loan funds, to new trends in commercial financing programs, and the latest options for energy efficiency financing through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Moderator: 

  • Jeremy Lewis, State Energy Program Director, New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department

Presenters: 

  • David Terry, Executive Director, NASEO
  • Chris Cassidy, Energy Branch, Rural Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
  • Anthony Buckley, Division Administrator, Energy Development Services, Oregon Department of Energy

Focus:

  • Engaging rural communities and business
  • RLF operational trends, successes, and challenges
  • NASEO Financing Program update

 

4:30 pm – 5:00 pm 
National Policy Issues and NASEO Program Update 
This session will provide a detailed update on NASEO’s priority federal policy activities and engagement with the U.S. Congress, federal agencies, and private sector trade and advocacy groups based in Washington, DC.  The session provide a brief review of NASEO’s committee activities and newest programs and joint-projects with states in areas such as transportation, grid integration, zero net energy buildings,  manufacturing, energy emergency response, and energy policy planning.

Presenter:

 

Friday, May 15

7:30 am – 8:00 am
Continental Breakfast

8:00 am – 9:15 am 
Electric and Hydrogen Vehicles: Deployment and Policy in the West 
This session will explore trends in policy and deployment of electric vehicles among western states.  The session will include a discussion of potential business models and means for states and electric utilities to promote electric vehicles.  In addition, there will be a review of the latest low carbon fuel standard activities in the west, as well as the status of hydrogen fuel cell deployment.

Moderator:

  • Dr. Laura Nelson, Director, Utah Office of Energy Development

Presenters:

  • Barbara Bauman Tyran, Director, Washington and State Relations, Electric Power Research Institute
  • Rick Wallace, Senior Policy Analyst, Oregon Department of Energy
  • Charlie Allcock, Director of Business Development, Portland General Electric
  • Jeff Allen, Executive Director, Drive Oregon

Focus:

  • Electric and hydrogen vehicle Infrastructure issues
  • Utility business case and actions in support of electric vehicles
  • Local government policy issues and actions
  • Low carbon fuel policies

 

9:15 am – 10:15 am 
U.S. Department of Energy Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program Update 
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program (WIP) oversees the U.S. State Energy Program (SEP) and Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and provides technical assistance to states in developing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and programs.  Topics addressed during this session will include WIP priorities, SEP and WAP program updates, and best practices information in the wastewater treatment energy efficiency area.

Moderator:

  • Paul Thomsen, Director, Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy

Presenter:          

  • Amy Royden-Bloom, Manager, State Energy Program, Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs, U.S. Department of Energy              

Focus:

  • Status update on SEP, WAP, and WIP funding and program direction
  • Water and Wastewater Treatment Energy Efficiency Efforts

 

10:15 am – 10:30 am
Break

10:30 am – 11:45 am 
Advancing Building Energy Efficiency Policy, Programs, and Markets:  Multifamily, Benchmarking, Zero Net Energy, and Residential Resilience 
Western states are actively engaged in advancing building related energy efficiency and lead the nation in innovative programs and approaches.  This session will review Western  state efforts in the commercial, mulitifamly, and residential sectors, including building energy codes.  The session will then transition to a discussion around lessons learned and the potential for adopation and adaption by other states.

Moderator: 

  • Gene Therriault, Deputy Director, Statewide Energy Policy Development, Alaska Energy Authority; Vice-Chair, NASEO Board of Directors

Presenters:

  • Jeff Harris, Chief Transformation Officer, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA)
  • Chuck Murray, Senior Energy Policy Analyst, Washington State Energy Office
  • Ralph DiNola, Executive Director, New Buildings Institute
  • Mark Glick, Administrator, Hawaii State Energy Office; Regional Representative, NASEO Board of Directors

 

11:45 am – 12:00 pm 
Action Items and Wrap-up

  • Bill Nesmith, Senior Advisor and Western Region Coordinator, NASEO

Focus:

  • Prioritize the multi-state action items and State feedback
  • Plans for the 2015 NASEO Annual Meeting in San Diego, California, September 13-16, 2015

 

Adjourn