Illinois Energy Online

March 16, 2021 | Online ::

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Backed by progressive clean energy plans coming from Governor Pritzker, the state of Illinois continues down the path towards a clean and resilient economy. This transition is further enabled by the state’s top-rated grid; number two in the nation according to GridWise Alliance’s Grid Modernization Index. With the 2020 election in the rearview mirror, what new legislations will emerge, and will the Governor’s plans become a reality?

Attend EUCI’s Illinois Energy Online, a virtual conference dedicated to renewable developers, EPCs, and solutions providers who are active in Illinois or looking to expand into the state. Get the latest information from government authorities, energy regulators, utilities, renewable developers & advocates. Hear why Illinois is one of the best markets for clean energy providers. 

Learning Outcomes

• Discuss ICC rulemaking, programs & initiatives
• Review the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan
• Discuss Adjustable Block and Illinois Solar for All Programs
• Review FERC Order 2222, reliability, resilience, DERs & EV planning
• Assess the Capacity Market and initial reactions to current outlook
• Identify utility investment plans for smart grid innovations and climate resiliency
• Discuss utility-scale siting & permitting challenges & recommendations
• Identify drivers & hurdles for distributed generation

Credits

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.6 CEUs for this event.

 

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must log on and be in attendance for the entirety of the conference to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Instructional Methods

PowerPoint presentations and one panel discussion will be used in the program.

Who Should Attend

• Renewable Developers, EPCs, and Solutions Providers currently active in Illinois or looking to expand into the state
• Financiers & Investors of renewable energy projects
• Commercial & Industrial energy users looking to procure renewable and distributed energy
• Government Authorities & Energy Regulators
• Utilities & Alternative Retail Electric Suppliers (ARES)

Tuesday, March 16, 2021 : Central Time

All sessions include time for Q&A with the audience and networking breaks in between sessions.

8:45 – 9:00 a.m. :: Log-in & Opening Remarks

9:00 – 4:30 p.m. :: Conference Timing

GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE

9:00 – 9:30 a.m. :: Status & Update on ICC Rulemaking, Programs & Initiatives

• Protecting consumer rates and ensuring adequate, reliable, and efficient energy
• Preserving net-metering and initiatives to avoid disruptions to the solar market

Sadzi Oliva, Commissioner, Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC)

9:30 – 10:00 a.m. :: What’s Next for the Renewable Portfolio Standard?

• Status of the Adjustable Block and Illinois Solar for All Programs
• Planning for the next revision of the Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan

Anthony Star, Director, Illinois Power Agency (IPA)

REGIONAL REGULATIONS & PRIORITIES

10:00 – 11:00 a.m. :: Decarbonizing Illinois’ Power Sector

• The decline of coal and supporting communities in transition
• Aligning climate science, environmental justice, and power sector decarbonization
• Planning for and incentivizing a clean, modern grid

JC Kibbey, Illinois Clean Energy Advocate, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

11:00 am – 12:30 p.m. :: Capacity Market Deep Dive

• From initial reactions to today’s outlook
• Ways the ruling could enable renewables

Moderator:

Howard Learner, President and Executive Director, Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC)

Panelists:

Dave Kolata, Executive Director, Citizens Utility Board (CUB)

Gregory J. Poulos, Executive Director, Consumer Advocates of the PJM States, Inc.

Susan L. Satter, Chief, Public Utilities Bureau, Office of the Illinois Attorney General           

12:30 – 1:30 p.m. :: Lunch Break

UTILITY INVESTMENT PLANS

1:30 – 2:30 p.m. :: Smart Grid & Climate Resilient Infrastructure

• Climate resilient infrastructure
• The digital transformation
• DER and EV integration

Carla Frieh, Director of Engineering, ComEd

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES ON ILLINOIS ENERGY MARKET

2:30 – 3:30 p.m. :: Market Outlook for Utility-Scale Development

• Utility scale solar and wind opportunities
• Sitting & permitting challenges & recommendations

Patrick Brown, Vice President of Project Development, BayWa r.e. Solar Projects LLC

3:30 – 4:30 p.m. :: Drivers & Hurdles for Distributed Generation in Illinois

• Reaching disadvantages communities
• Supporting energy equity and diversity & inclusion
• The future of the Adjustable Block Program and subsidies
• Where will funds come from?
• What do residential and C&I customers want?
• Community solar and net-metering

Mark Pruitt, Principal, Illinois Community Choice Aggregation Network

Patrick Brown, Vice President of Project Development, BayWa r.e. Solar Projects LLC

Patrick brings to BayWa-re 15 years of land development and entitlement experience of which nine are focused in the renewable industry.  As a Vice President of Development, Patrick oversees the 3 GW+ U.S. Market pipeline.  He leads the development team on the full development cycle from land acquisition, interconnection, entitlements, to pre-construction and asset divestment.  

Previously, Patrick was a Project Development Manager for Soitec Solar Industries a CPV Manufacturer based in San Diego, CA. While at Soitec, Patrick managed the development and land entitlements of Soitec’s portfolio that included 156.5 MW in San Diego, CA, 150 MW in the Imperial Valley and 200 MW in San Bernardino County, CA.  

Carla Frieh, Director of Engineering, ComEd

Frieh has been in the utility industry for 16 years. She has held various engineering and management roles of increasing responsibility throughout her career at ComEd. Prior to becoming director of engineering, Frieh was the manager of reliability programs, where she was responsible for setting the strategy for ComEd’s reliability investments to ensure maximum customer benefits. Before that, she established ComEd’s Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) Operations department. As lead of the AMI team, she was responsible for the health of ComEd’s smart meter system, including ensuring meters communicate reliably with the network and the successful integration of smart city applications on the AMI network. Frieh is also a technology lead on the IEEE Industry Technical Support Leadership Committee.

JC Kibbey, Illinois Clean Energy Advocate, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC

J.C. Kibbey is the Illinois Clean Energy Advocate for the Natural Resources Defense Council, where he analyzes and advocates for policies that advance clean power, transportation, and buildings in Illinois. His work also includes modernizing the electric grid and supporting people impacted by the transition away from fossil fuels.

J.C. previously served as a policy advocate in the Union of Concerned Scientists’ climate and energy program, where he helped pass clean energy legislation in Illinois and Michigan; and as a public policy researcher at Service Employees International Union, where he led environmental justice work and represented the union at the BlueGreen Alliance. He holds a master’s in public policy from Northwestern University, where he received the Distinguished Thesis Award, and a bachelor’s in political theory from Michigan State University.

Dave Kolata, Executive Director, Citizens Utility Board (CUB)

David Kolata joined CUB Illinois in 2001 as a senior policy analyst, moving to director of policy and government affairs in 2003. He was named executive director in September 2005. Prior to joining CUB Illinois, David was a policy analyst for the Environmental Law & Policy Center, where he focused on transportation and energy issues. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, a Master’s Degree in political science from the University of Toronto, and a Ph.D. in the same subject from Vanderbilt University. During David’s tenure, CUB Illinois has become a national leader in using technology to help achieve consumer benefits, with a particular emphasis on an online strategy that takes root at the local community level. He is a board member of the Illinois Environmental Council and was named to the Crain’s Chicago Business “40 under 40” list in 2006.

Howard Learner, President and Executive Director, Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC)

Howard A. Learner is an experienced public interest environmental and energy litigation attorney serving as Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center – the Midwest’s leading environmental legal advocacy and eco-business innovation organization.  Mr. Learner is responsible for the overall strategic leadership and program direction for ELPC’s successful work to promote clean energy development solutions to climate change challenges, advance innovative transportation policies, and preserve the Midwest’s natural resources and heritage.   One of ELPC’s core premises is that environmental progress and economic development can be achieved together.  ELPC’s clean energy programs put that sustainable development policy principle into action. 

Sadzi Oliva, Commissioner, Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC)

Sadzi Martha Oliva was appointed by Governor Bruce Rauner and confirmed by the Illinois Senate to the Illinois Commerce Commission in 2017 and is the first Latina to serve in this capacity in the State of Illinois. In this role, Commissioner Oliva balances the interests of consumers and utilities to ensure adequate, efficient, reliable, safe and least-cost public utility services; regulates the commercial activities related to investor-owned electric, natural gas, water and sewer companies; and enforces regulations for trucking, towing, motor carriers, and railroad safety. She is a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) as Chair of the Supplier and Workforce Diversity Sub Committee. She serves on the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Advisory Council, Financial Research Institute (FRI) Advisory Board, Gas Technology Institute (GTI) Public Interest Advisory Committee, National Utilities Diversity Council (NUDC) Board of Directors, as Treasurer for the Mid-America Regulatory Conference (MARC) and served as Illinois’ representative on the Organization of MISO (Midcontinent Independent System Operator) States (OMS) Board of Directors from 2018 to 2020. In June of 2018, Commissioner Oliva participated on a Peer Review on Renewable Energy Integration and Smart Grids in Panama with other Central American regulators sponsored by the Power Sector Program, Bureau of Energy Resources, U.S. Department of State and organized by NARUC. In October of 2018, Commissioner Oliva participated in a Partnership Exchange with the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission on Stakeholder Engagement and Public Communications in Jakarta, Indonesia. Commissioner Oliva co-authored an article published in Utility Dive on October 19, 2018, titled, “Alternative Retail Electric Suppliers: A Surge in Consumer Protection Standards in Illinois”. She authored an article published in Public Utilities Fortnightly in July of 2019 titled, “Illinois’ Future Energy Jobs Act at Work.” She also co-authored an article published in Negocios Now in September of 2019, titled “Strategic Resolutions for Increasing Supplier & Workforce Diversity in the Energy Sector.”

Gregory J. Poulos, Executive Director, Consumer Advocates of the PJM States, Inc.

Greg Poulos has been the executive director for the Consumer Advocates of the PJM States, Inc. (CAPS) since April, 2017.  Established in 2013, CAPS is a nonprofit organization whose members include state advocate offices in the 13 PJM states and the District of Columbia.  As a whole, the CAPS members represent over 65-million consumers throughout the PJM footprint.  As the executive director of CAPS, Greg coordinates the efforts of the member offices, stays active in the PJM stakeholder process, and monitors relevant proceedings at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to ensure that the prices consumers pay for reliable, wholesale electric service are reasonable.

Prior to joining CAPS, Greg spent over six years at EnerNOC as a member of the Regulatory Affairs team.  While at EnerNOC, Greg regularly represented the company at public utility commissions throughout the Midwest.  He also interacted with many regional transmission organizations including PJM, Inc., the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) and the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO). 

Mark Pruitt, Principal, Illinois Community Choice Aggregation Network

With more than 25 years of experience in the energy commodity supply and energy efficiency markets, Mark assists organizations with energy planning, project evaluation, procurement processes and contract negotiations. His current work focuses on advising communities on municipal aggregation and organizations on energy procurement issues.  His experience through the electricity deregulation process in Illinois provides him with a long-range perspective on positioning, risk management and opportunity development.  Prior to founding The Power Bureau, Mark served as the first Director of the Illinois Power Agency where he secured electricity supply on behalf of approximately 4.7 million residential and small commercial ratepayer accounts serviced by Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois. During his tenure, the Agency not only established the hedging and procurement processes to secure energy, capacity and transmission for ratepayers; but also reviewed and negotiated agreements for renewable energy, clean coal, coal gasification, energy efficiency and demand response assets. Mark also participates in research programs at the Illinois Institute of Technology and Argonne National Lab. 

Susan L. Satter, Chief, Public Utilities Bureau, Office of the Illinois Attorney General

Susan L. Satter has extensive experience representing the People of the State of Illinois and residential consumers in state and federal administrative, judicial, and legislative proceedings involving telecommunications, energy, and water services.  She is currently Chief of the Public Utilities Bureau in Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office.  She joined the Public Utilities Bureau in 2001.  Before that she represented the Citizens Utility Board starting in 1990.  Among the issues she has addressed are rates and prices, energy regulation and competition, telecommunications regulation and competition, cost of capital, infrastructure investment, and corporate reorganizations.

Anthony Star, Director, Illinois Power Agency (IPA)

Anthony Star has been the Director of the Illinois Power Agency since 2013. He oversees the procurement of electricity for Illinois default service customers and the implementation of the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard. He previously served as a Policy Advisor to two Chairmen of the Illinois Commerce Commission and worked for a Chicago-area non-profit on energy and sustainability. Anthony holds a BA in History and an MA in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago.

We will be using Microsoft Teams to facilitate your participation in the upcoming event. You do not need to have an existing Teams account in order to participate in the broadcast – the course will play in your browser and you will have the option of using a microphone to speak with the room and ask questions, or type any questions in via the chat window and our on-site representative will relay your question to the instructor.

• IMPORTANT NOTE: After November 30 you will not be able to join a Teams meeting using Internet Explorer 11. Microsoft recommends downloading and installing the Teams app if possible. You may also use the Edge browser or Chrome.
• You will receive a meeting invitation will include a link to join the meeting.
• Separate meeting invitations will be sent for the morning and afternoon sessions of the course.
  • You will need to join the appropriate meeting at the appropriate time.
• If you are using a microphone, please ensure that it is muted until such time as you need to ask a question.
• The remote meeting connection will be open approximately 30 minutes before the start of the course. We encourage you to connect as early as possible in case you experience any unforeseen problems.

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Illinois Energy Online

March 16, 2021 | Online

Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before February 09, 2021 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800