by HEC Team | Jul 27, 2020 | 2020, News
The 2020 Hawaii Energy Conference airs this week with the live streaming of the three-hour event on July 30. Postponed in March due to COVID-19, the free event starts at 9am HST and will feature industry experts discussing how the energy sector can and should respond to our current challenges by creating a “just” electrical grid.
Addressing the theme, ‘Imagining a Just Recovery. What would that look like for the grid?’ keynotes and panel discussions will answer the questions — What strategies will policy makers and regulators use to achieve results that benefit broad swaths of society? How will utilities and companies in the energy sector contribute?
Jennifer Potter
Commissioner, Hawaii Public Utilities Commission
“The Hawaii Energy Conference has regrouped at a critical time for Hawaii and our country,” said Jennifer Potter, Commissioner with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission and member of the conference program committee. “The incredible macroeconomic stress and individual financial burdens are reverberating across our nation and there is no greater time to have meaningful dialogue on affordability and equity. Building a recovery plan that is inclusive of all socioeconomic groups is imperative.”
Scott Seu, the President and CEO of Hawaiian Electric, will open the live stream conference with a Keynote titled “Why Energy Equity Matters… Especially to the Electric Company.”
The program includes four panels plus brief video presentations with important information related to the theme. Hawaii Clean Power Alliance will present “The Macroconomics of Change” and Ulupono Initiative’s video presentation will be on “Why We Should All be Talking More About Performance Based Regulation.”
Murray Clay
President, Ulupono Initiative
“The Hawaii Energy Conference provides a vital service to our state by convening policymakers and stakeholders to discuss our energy future,” said Murray Clay, President of Ulupono Initiative. “As we all work together to help Hawaii stabilize and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is especially important to embrace innovative technology, policies and regulation within the renewable energy sector, which will help protect our natural environment, shielding our island state from volatile world fossil fuel markets, strengthening its overall resilience, and aid in its economic recovery.”
The panel “COVID and the Commissions” will provide a comprehensive overview of how four state Commissions have been tackling the response to COVID in their jurisdictions. Moderator of this panel, Jennifer Potter, explained, “The Commissioners represent states that have displayed innovation in their approach to keeping the utility services intact, addressing affordability during the pandemic, and strategies to evolve the regulatory stakeholder processes to accommodate remote participation.”
The other three panels are:
Solar Jobs – Being Part of the Solution? — The Executive Director of the Hawaii Solar Energy Association leads a discussion of how jobs in solar and other parts of the “clean” energy sector can contribute to a Just Recovery.
Develop With Us, Not For Us — This panel will welcome both policy and pragmatic perspectives centered on how to design and develop WITH and not just FOR communities. Panelists will discuss how societal harms exacerbated by ill-informed energy development can be remedied through co-creative clean energy design.
Leadership Toward a Just Grid — As we embark on the path to “build back better” following the pandemic, our energy systems should be designed with resilience in ways that ensure equity. This panel will discuss emerging efforts aimed at bending the arc towards vulnerable populations now, not as a last resort.
The Hawaii Energy Conference, presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and supported by the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, serves to exchange ideas on how to better serve customers in the Islands’ rapidly changing energy environment. Attendees will be able to network with each other through a conference browser app as well as access resources provided by sponsors through the virtual Exhibit Hall and digital swag bag.
Participating sponsors are: Hawaii Clean Power Alliance, Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI), Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Energy, Hawaiian Electric, Powin Energy, Progression Energy, 174 Power Global, Burns & McDonnell, Dudek, Elemental Accelerator, Greenlots, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, OpusOne Solutions, Par Hawaii.
This unique opportunity to hear from industry leaders and innovators has attracted keen interest nationally and internationally. For information on how to register for this free, virtual event and other details, go to https://hawaiienergyconference.com
by HEC Team | Jun 24, 2020 | 2020, News
A new date, a new program and an online venue has been set for the 2020 Hawaii Energy Conference. Presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and supported by the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, the live stream presentation will explore the theme “Imagining a Just Recovery. What would that look like for the grid?”
Scott Seu, President & CEO, Hawaiian Electric Company will open the discussion on July 30.
The in-person event was postponed mid-March, just one week before the scheduled date, due to the escalating risks and ongoing uncertainty surround COVID-19. Alternative presentation methods were explored to continue the important discussions around equity and energy in 2020.
The Hawaii Energy Conference understands our energy systems do not exist in a vacuum. COVID-19 has laid bare the stark reality of pre-existing inequalities in our society. The elderly, the poor, and minorities have suffered tremendously in the pandemic’s wake. Peaceful, sometimes violent, forms of protest make it painfully evident that an equitable or just recovery is the only path forward to heal our communities.
Not everything is bad news. The planet experienced an unexpected respite from air pollution, and a slowdown in carbon loading to the atmosphere. But the lessened impact to our ecosystem came at an extraordinary economic cost. As we move forward, what strategies will policy makers and regulators use to achieve results that benefit broad swaths of society? How will utilities and companies in the energy sector contribute?
“This Program is a free three-hour event designed to give a sample of what the discussion is like at the leading energy conference in Hawaii,” said Doug McLeod, Conference Chair. “Scott Seu, the new President and CEO of Hawaiian Electric will begin the live stream discussion at 9am HST. Those joining us will hear what he and the other speakers have to say as part of our discussion of a Just Recovery.”
Commissioners from four states will engage in a live discussion on how the pandemic has changed the priorities for Public Utility regulation across the West. Hawaii PUC Commissioner, Jennifer Potter, will moderate the discussion with Clifford Rechtschaffen (California), Mark Kolesar (Alberta) and Mark Thompson (Oregon).
The Executive Director of the Hawaii Solar Energy Association, Will Giese, will lead another panel discussion on how jobs in solar and other parts of the “clean“ energy sector can contribute to a Just Recovery.
Rachel James, Attorney with the Hawaii PUC, will lead a panel titled “Develop with Us, Not for Us.” This panel will welcome both policy and pragmatic perspectives centered on how to design and develop WITH and not just FOR communities. Panelists will discuss how societal harms exacerbated by ill-informed energy development can be remedied through co-creative clean energy design.
The final panel will explore “Leadership towards a Just Grid”. Jonathan Koehn, Chief Sustainability and Resilience Officer for the City of Boulder will lead a discussion on the big opportunities that can arise from big issues. How can we use the pain from the last few months to create a grid that works for more of society?
With the Hawaii Energy Conference going virtual it is anticipated to attract a bigger and broader audience than its traditional base of energy industry leaders from Hawai’i, Continental US, Japan and Europe. The conference serves to exchange ideas on how to better serve customers in the Islands’ rapidly changing energy environment.
Recognizing the importance of these issues across the globe, and as a Mahalo (Thank you) for all those who have supported the Conference in the past, admission for this three-hour event will be FREE. This is a unique opportunity to hear from a industry leader and innovators.
Go here for program details.
by HEC Team | Jun 4, 2020 | 2020, News
The 7th Hawaii Energy Conference, presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and supported by the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, has been rescheduled and will be a live stream event.
Imagining a Just Recovery. What would that look like for the grid?
Please join us online on July 30 for a robust discussion of how the energy sector can and should respond to our current challenges by creating a “just” electrical grid.
The Hawaiʻi Energy Conference understands our energy systems do not exist in a vacuum. COVID-19 has laid bare the stark reality of pre-existing inequalities in our society. The elderly, the poor, and minorities have suffered tremendously in the pandemic’s wake. Peaceful, sometimes violent, forms of protest make it painfully evident that an equitable or just recovery is the only path forward to heal our communities.
Not everything is bad news. The planet experienced an unexpected respite from air pollution, and a slowdown in carbon loading to the atmosphere. But the lessened impact to our ecosystem came at an extraordinary economic cost. As we move forward, what strategies will policy makers and regulators use to achieve results that benefit broad swaths of society? How will utilities and companies in the energy sector contribute?
Recognizing the importance of these issues across the globe, and as a Mahalo (Thank you) for all those who have supported the Conference in the past, admission for this three-hour event will be FREE.
Details of speakers and registration for the live stream Hawaii Energy Conference coming soon.
by HEC Team | Feb 10, 2020 | 2020, News
Rachel Huang, Director of Energy Strategy, Research and Development for Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), will be the keynote speaker at the 2020 Hawaii Energy Conference
The Director of Energy Strategy, Research and Development for Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), Rachel Huang, will be the Keynote speaker for the 7th Annual Hawaii Energy Conference (HEC) on Day 1. Presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), the two-day conference is on March 18 & 19 at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center.
The HEC will take a deep dive into how electrification can be “beneficial” and what is required to design an equitable energy transition. SMUD, a nonprofit power company, is on the forward edge of power-grid technology, successfully integrating distributed renewable-energy resources into its energy mix.
In her role at SMUD, Huang oversees the development of strategy for new business models, demonstrations, and evolution of utility functions in the face of an increasingly distributed energy future. Her responsibilities include the development of the strategic roadmap for distributed energy resources, the research and demonstration of innovative and emerging technologies, and the coordination of their execution across the enterprise.
Jennifer Potter, member of the Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission, observed, “Rachel Haung hired me at SMUD 10 years ago as a demand side specialist. Under her leadership, I developed a deep understanding of what it means to provide outstanding service our community thorough programs and services developed for every customer, in every sector. She is a beacon of light for our industry.”
Huang also serves on the board for the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) and represents Region 6 on the American Public Power Association’s Demonstration of Energy & Efficiency Development (DEED) Program Board.
“For more than a decade, Rachel Haung has been a thought leader for customer focused programs and services,” remarked Frank De Rego Jr, Vice Chair of the Conference and MEDB’s Director of Business Development Projects. “She has led numerous teams at SMUD that have developed innovative solutions that streamline interconnection practices for DERs (Distributed Energy Resources), advanced programs that provide services to underserved communities, and effectuated SMUD’s research and development DER activities.”
The 2019 MOU signing between California and Hawaii committing to 100-percent clean-energy goals. L to R: James Griffin, Chairman Hawaii PUC; Michael Picker, President California PUC
The HEC program will also feature a signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with California on climate change. “Hawaii will be the sixth state to join the Western Public Utility Commissions’ (PUC) Joint Action Framework on Climate Change,” said Potter. The MOU affirms a commitment to ensure that investor-owned utilities operate in a manner that protects human health and safety, the environment, and ratepayers from risks related to carbon pollution.
Clifford Rechtschaffen, Commissioner California PUC
James Griffin, Chairman of the Hawaii PUC will be joined on stage by Clifford Rechtschaffen, Commissioner for the California PUC, for the formal signing of the MOU. Rechtschaffen will also speak on a panel titled ‘Catching up with the Commission. Hawaii PUC Initiatives such as Performance Based Regulation.’ Moderated by Potter, the other two panelists will be Cara Goldenberg of the Rocky Mountain Institute and Mark Kolesar, Chair of the Alberta PUC.
Other confirmed speakers on the program include: Governor David Ige; Scott Seu, President of Hawaiian Electric; Jenna Tatum, Director, Building Electrification Initiative; Nate Hix, Founder, Living Wage Hawaii; Nicole Velasco, NORESCO and Murray Clay of Ulupono Initative.
Panels on electrification will answer the questions — What are the benefits, challenges, and practical limits of electrification? Given the wildfire issues affecting the West, will there be the same access to electricity for those who cannot afford microgrids or DERs? Can an electrified system be more resilient and efficient? What are the alternatives to electrification?
Regarding equity, panels will explore what does an equitable energy transition look like? How can we break through economic, cultural and linguistic barriers to ensure that we have an energy system that works for everyone? Where should we invest and put equity into equity? Is it possible to create a transition that respects local cultures, is socially just, and protects our most vulnerable?
“I enjoy the lively debates among panelists,” said Tricia Rohlfing, 2020 HEC Program Committee member and Vice President of Finance at Hawaii Pacific Solar. “I can recall one particular panel discussing the future of battery storage where panelists had very different takes on how that might look. Those differing opinions are important for everyone to hear and contemplate, especially those setting policy.”
The conference consistently attracts energy industry leaders from Hawai’i, Continental US, Japan and Europe to exchange ideas on how to better serve customers in the Islands’ rapidly changing energy environment. Participants can take advantage of the ample networking time and have access to the leading experts in the state.
The Hawaii Energy Conference is supported by the County of Maui Office of Economic Development and Sponsors: Hawaii Clean Power Alliance, Hawaii Natural Energy Institute and Ulupono Initiative; Hawaii Energy; Hawaii State Energy Office; Hawaiian Electric, Johnson Controls, Powin Energy; 174 Power Global; Burns & McDonnell; Carbon Lighthouse; Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Opus One Solutions and Society of Petroleum Engineers.
Learn more on how to register.
by HEC Team | Jan 17, 2020 | 2020
Scott Seu, President and CEO of Hawaiian Electric, will speak on Day 2 at the 2020 Hawaii Energy Conference
Scott Seu, the new President and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Company, will be the featured speaker at the Hawaii Energy Conference on March 19, 2020. The conference will take a deep dive into how electrification can be “beneficial” and what is required to design an equitable energy transition.
In a “Conversation with Scott Seu,” he will share his views on the direction of Hawaiian Electric – including how the company will effectively modernize the electrical grid to meet the state’s 100% renewable energy portfolio standards by 2045 and the outreach necessary to balance the needs of a diverse customer base, particularly the most vulnerable in our community.
Outgoing president Alan Oshima remarked on the transition in leadership in a recent statement by Hawaiian Electric, “We have the plans in place to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our use of fossil fuels over the next decade and with his unique experience in operations and working with the community, I know Scott is the right person to get it done. This leadership transition ensures that our pace continues accelerating toward our clean energy goals.”
Seu has also helped lead the company’s resilience initiatives, focusing on community awareness and building stronger relationships with key public and private stakeholders. Hawaiian Electric was named “Utility of the Year” for 2019 by Utility Dive, a leading energy industry publication.
“Growing up in Hawaii and in the company, I feel a profound sense of duty to help chart the course for our future generations,” Seu said. “This is a critical time in our state’s clean energy transformation and as I talk to people it’s clear that there are many different visions of the best way forward. That means our work isn’t just about technology, but about pulling together as a community to collaborate and understand the choices we can make. I am humbled and honored to serve our community, our customers, and our employees as the next leader of Hawaiian Electric.”
Presented by Maui Economic Development Board in collaboration with the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, the 7th Annual Hawaii Energy Conference will explore the theme “Electrification and Equity.” The program includes keynote speakers, panel discussions and case studies.
Panel topics include:
- Defining Beneficial Electrification. What Would an Equitable Energy System Look Like?
- Who Benefits from Beneficial Electrification? Making It Real for Renters
- Resilience – How to Apply Principles of Equity
- Moving Beyond “Cost-Benefit” And Valuing Non-Monetary Benefits
- Project Siting for Utility Scale Projects – How Can We Meet Demands for Just and Equitable Impacts?
- Inclusive Efficiency. How To Benefit Different Groups
- The Equity in Equity: An Investing Panel
and more. Click here for further program details.
The conference consistently attracts energy industry leaders from Hawai’i, Continental US, Japan and Europe to exchange ideas on how to better serve customers in the Islands’ rapidly changing energy environment. Participants can take advantage of the ample networking time and have access to the leading experts in the state.
Early Bird rates for the Conference expire on January 31, 2019. This is a unique opportunity to hear from an industry leader and innovator.
For information on how to register and other details, visit: www.hawaiienergyconference.com.
