The 9th Annual Hawaii Energy Conference will feature two keynote speakers to headline each of the days of May 10 and 12 as it explores the theme “Electrification: Where are we now? What does the future hold?” The conference will open with Abigail Anthony, Commissioner, Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission speaking to the topic “When Tradewinds Blow: Maintaining Course during the Energy Transition.”
Commissioner Abigail Anthony is currently the Chair of the Commission on Energy Resources and the Environment of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and the President of the Board of the New England Utility Cybersecurity Integration Collaborative. Previously, she was the director of Acadia Center’s Grid Modernization and Utility Reform Initiative, and the organization’s Rhode Island director. During her time as director of Acadia Center, Anthony was appointed to the Rhode Island Energy Efficiency and Resource Management Council, where she served from 2010 to 2017 overseeing the implementation of the state’s energy efficiency programs and policies.
On Day 2, Amy Myers Jaffe, Research Professor and Managing Director of the Climate Policy Lab at the Fletcher School of Tufts University will address the conference. Jaffe boldly declared recently in the Wall Street Journal, “The electrification of (almost) everything is coming, and we’re just not ready for it.”
A leading expert on global energy policy and sustainability, Jaffe previously served as senior advisor for sustainability at the Office of the Chief Investment Officer at the University of California, Regents and as executive director for energy and sustainability at University of California, Davis where she led research on low or zero carbon fuels and transportation policy. Jaffe has taught energy policy, business, and sustainability courses at Rice University, University of California, Davis, and Yale University.
Widely published, Jaffe is the author of “Energy’s Digital Future: Harnessing Innovation for American Resilience and National Security” and is co-author of “Oil, Dollars, Debt and Crises: The Global Curse of Black Gold.” She is chair of the steering committee of the Women in Energy Initiative at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy policy and a member of the Global Future Council on Net Zero Transition at the World Economic Forum (Davos).
Presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and supported by the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, the Hawaii Energy Conference will be virtual and in addition to the keynotes will feature panel discussions, interviews and exhibits over the two days.
The program includes a conversation with Shelee Kimura, newly-appointed President and CEO of Hawaiian Electric. Shelee previously served as senior vice president of Customer Service & Public Affairs and senior vice president of Business Development & Strategic Planning. She provided leadership for the company’s customer care initiatives through the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, making equity and access a top priority while improving customer satisfaction and stakeholder engagement. She led the development of Hawaiian Electric’s 2015- 2020 Strategic Transformation Plan. During that period, she strengthened and grew the Hawaii market for affordable, clean energy resources and launched the electric transportation division, which will play a critical role to help decarbonize Hawaii’s economy.
Abigail Anthony, Commissioner, Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission
Amy Myers Jaffe, Research Professor and Managing Director of the Climate Policy Lab at the Fletcher School of Tufts University
Shelee Kimura, President and CEO of Hawaiian Electric
Panel topics to be explored over the two days are:
Electrification and Battery Storage
The Community and Electrification
Electrification and Energy Efficiency
Electrification and Transportation
Electrification and Carbon: It’s a Math Problem
Systemic Shocks and the Changing Pace of Electrification
Electrification and the Cost of Resilience: Are We Prepared?
A study by Princeton University predicts that by 2050 electrifying transport and buildings could double the amount of electricity consumption in the U.S.
“There is no doubt that the push to Electrification will affect our way of life,” stated De Rego. “Electrification demands attention, among other things, to upgrading the grid, working out a reasonable and responsive regulatory framework, and responding to community needs and concerns.”
The virtual venue will be open up to a week in advance, encouraging attendees to network to connect and build important relationships prior to, during and after the conference. They will be able to visit the virtual exhibit hall where companies showcase their products and services and can connect with attendees via chat or video.
Amy Myers Jaffe is Research Professor and Managing Director of the Climate Policy Lab. She was formerly the David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment and Director of the Program on Energy Security and Climate Change at the Council on Foreign Relations.
A leading expert on global energy policy and sustainability, Jaffe previously served as senior advisor for sustainability at the Office of the Chief Investment Officer at the University of California, Regents and as executive director for energy and sustainability at University of California, Davis where she led research on low or zero carbon fuels and transportation policy. Jaffe has taught energy policy, business, and sustainability courses at Rice University, University of California, Davis, and Yale University. Jaffe is widely published, including as co-author of Oil, Dollars, Debt and Crises: The Global Curse of Black Gold, with Mahmoud El-Gamal.
Her book Energy’s Digital Future: Harnessing Innovation for American Resilience and National Security is published by Columbia University Press. She is chair of the steering committee of the Women in Energy Initiative at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy policy.
A frequent media commentator, Jaffe serves on the leadership council of the U.S. Association of Energy Economics and holds a Senior Fellow award from that organization for her career contributions to the field of energy economics.
Jaffe is a member of the Global Future Council on Net Zero Transition at the World Economic Forum (Davos).
Amy Myers Jaffe will provide the Keynote Address on Day 2 of the 2022 Hawaii Energy Conference. Read more about the program
Abigail Anthony was appointed by Governor Gina Raimondo to the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission in 2017. Commissioner Anthony is currently the Chair of the Commission on Energy Resources and the Environment of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and the President of the Board of the New England Utility Cybersecurity Integration Collaborative. Previously, Commissioner Anthony was the director of Acadia Center’s Grid Modernization and Utility Reform Initiative, and the organization’s Rhode Island director. During her time as director of Acadia Center, she was appointed by Governors Carcieri and Chafee to the Rhode Island Energy Efficiency and Resource Management Council, where she served from 2010 to 2017 overseeing the implementation of the state’s energy efficiency programs and policies.
Commissioner Anthony holds a PhD in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics from the University of Rhode Island. She received her MA and BA in economics from the University of Montana. Commissioner Anthony is a lifelong Rhode Islander and lives in Jamestown with her husband and three sons. Abigail is especially devoted to serving as the president of the congregation of Temple Shalom, in Middletown, Rhode Island.
Amy Myers Jaffe, a research professor at Tuft’s University, boldly declared in the Wall Street Journal, “The electrification of (almost) everything is coming, and we’re just not ready for it.” The 9th Annual Hawaii Energy Conference will explore the theme “Electrification: Where are we now? What does the future hold?” as it revisits the challenges of electrifying the grid and transportation – current successes, potential pitfalls, and future opportunities.
Presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and supported by the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, the conference will again be virtual and will feature keynotes, panel discussions, interviews and exhibits over two days – May 10 and 12.
The concept of electrification usually refers to a loosely defined slogan – the “electrification of everything,” explained Frank De Rego, Jr., Director of Business Development Projects, MEDB, and Co-Chair of the Program Committee. “In essence, electrification means all the energy we rely on to power our homes, offices, industries, and transportation will eventually come from electricity. For a growing number of states in the U.S. that energy must be produced by 100% clean, renewable sources by a date certain – for Hawaii it’s the year 2045.”
Electrification has created the potential for new technologies associated with the production and use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel source and has necessitated innovations in battery storage for utilities and transportation. Electrification also demands attention, among other things, to upgrading the grid, working out a reasonable and responsive regulatory framework, and responding to community needs and concerns.
“There is no doubt that the push to Electrification will affect our way of life,” stated De Rego. “A study by Princeton University predicts that by 2050 electrifying transport and buildings could double the amount of electricity consumption in the U.S.”
He continued, “Our communities will need to develop disciplined, proportional responses to the challenges Electrification poses. Strategies for energy efficiency and the equitable distribution of electrification’s benefits must balance building capacity for increased consumption.”
The two-day discussion will review the issues surrounding electrification with the following thoughts in mind: How do we define “electrification” and is it the same everywhere? How are the community’s needs and concerns being addressed as the infrastructure for electrification become more prevalent? How is resilience being brought into the equation of electrification? What has been and will be the impact of COVID-19 on customers of the utility? What should the climate goals of electrification be – net zero carbon, net negative carbon, or zero emissions? What is the role of hydrogen in electrification? …and more
With in-person gatherings still impacted by COVID-19, the virtual presentation allows the energy industry leaders from Hawaii, the Continental U.S., Japan and Europe to continue to exchange ideas on how to better serve the community in today’s rapidly changing power generation and delivery environment.
The conference will also include a virtual exhibit hall for companies to showcase their products and services and connect with attendees. The virtual venue will be open up to a week in advance, encouraging attendees to network to connect and build important relationships prior to, during and after the conference.
FrankDe Rego, Jr, (pictured right) Director of Business Development Projects, MEDB and Co-Chair of Conference Program Committee hosts the 2021 Hawaii Energy Conference with former Chair, Doug McLeod
Maui Economic Development Board, with support of Maui County Office of Economic Development, wrapped up the virtual 2021 Hawaii Energy Conference on June 25. The Conference attracted a record number of participants – 413; 54 speakers and 18 sponsors &/or exhibitors from Hawaii, Continental U.S. , Japan, Canada and Australia.
Below is a list of articles published by the press and other online sources before, during and Post-Conference.
