Sharing Visions for a Clean Energy Future
It’s spring and Acadia Center staff is on the move participating in policy events, talking to community members, and providing information to diverse stakeholder groups about how to build a clean energy future that will lower energy costs and emissions and empower consumers. Many of the presentations feature Acadia Center’s EnergyVision and UtilityVision. Here are some recaps and previews:
April 30/New England Local Energy Network
Bill Dornbos (Connecticut Office Director & Senior Attorney) presented Acadia Center’s EnergyVision and focused on policy considerations for accelerating community energy work in the region. The webinar explored full electrification of transportation and buildings as a path to reaching aggressive greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets, ways to build a modern power grid by empowering the energy consumer as called for in UtilityVision, and the importance of local energy as a grid resource. The presentation also highlighted local energy projects around the region and Acadia Center’s recent work on the value of solar PV.
May 1/Massachusetts Transportation Summit, Worcester, MA
Staff attorney, Mark LeBel, spoke on the panel entitled “Full State Ahead: 12 Leaders Share Their Vision for Transportation” at the Massachusetts Transportation Summit hosted by Transportation for Massachusetts in Worcester. He presented on EnergyVision, which charts a pathway to 80% greenhouse gas emissions reductions by 2050. In particular, Mark described the critical role of electric vehicles powered by renewables in transforming transportation and building a clean energy system.
May 6/The Financial Benefits of Sustainability – an Evening of Humor and Insight, Sustainable Wellesley, MA
As part of a panel of financial and sustainability experts, Amy Boyd, Senior Attorney, presented to a group organized by Sustainable Wellesley on the economic benefits of energy efficiency and a clean energy system. Amy shared her knowledge of Massachusetts’ statewide energy efficiency programs, which are nationally recognized for their performance and benefits delivered to consumers and businesses. As part of this educational roundtable, Amy demonstrated the value of energy efficiency as a sustainable business practice and as a key component of the vision for a clean energy future (EnergyVision) and for the framework of a consumer-friendly energy system (UtilityVision).
And Coming Up:
May 14/ Leadership South Coast Panel Discussion on Sustainable Energy Solutions, Fall River, MA
Abigail Anthony, Director, Grid Modernization and Rhode Island Director, will talk about the potential for consumer-friendly, clean distributed energy resources to replace the need for expensive, capital-intensive energy infrastructure, and the benefits of geographically targeted energy efficiency in the South Coast region of Massachusetts. Other panelists will include State Representative Haddad (5th Bristol District) and Pauline Rodrigues from the Somerset Citizen’s Transition Committee.
May 14/ People’s Power & Light Annual Meeting, Providence, RI
Abigail Anthony will provide Acadia Center’s perspective on major energy legislation currently under consideration in Rhode Island, including the creation of the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank and the renewal of the state’s Least Cost Procurement policy for energy efficiency. Abigail will also provide recommendations for issues that advocates and stakeholders should prepare to advance in next year’s legislative session in Rhode Island.
June 9/New England Conference of Public Utility Commissioners (NECPUC) Annual Meeting, Newport, RI
Abigail Anthony will participate in a panel on the Integrated Grid with a representative from Eversource at this year’s annual meeting of utility regulators. These two panelists will provide unique perspectives on the grid of the future, including the role and functionality of the distribution utility. Abigail will discuss the utility business model and regulatory model reforms recommended in UtilityVision. Eversource will be in the midst of developing its 10-Year Grid Modernization Plan for Massachusetts.