*All times in Eastern time zone
Lincoln Wood, Electrification Policy Manager at Southern Company and SECC’s current Board Chair, will open with a discussion of the next steps in engagement with smart energy consumers.
Hear results from SECC’s annual State of the Consumer research. SECC’s President & CEO Nathan Shannon, NB Power’s Customer Engagement Specialist Norma McCarthy and Barbara Leary, Principal of Barbara Leary Consulting, will respond to the findings and discuss how to use these insights to effectively drive consumer engagement.
In this keynote address, we will hear from Annmarie Reynolds, Vice President, Chief Customer Officer, The AES Corporation, on innovative ways to engage and serve energy consumers in 2021.
With a record number of consumers behind on their energy bills, there is an immediate need to find successful ways to get them back on track. Energy burdens across the country have grown over the past year and standard assistance programs have not been able to meet the needs of many consumers. This panel will discuss innovative assistance and efficiency programs to help consumers better manage their energy bills and usage.
SECC’s research shows a growing interest in clean energy from consumers. With a new administration focusing more on the environment, what changes will the energy industry see in 2021? Will consumers’ desire for sustainability rise and how will that have an impact on their view on energy? Panelists will discuss the potential policies to come and what to expect around decarbonization, beneficial electrification and the impacts of renewable energy goals set by energy providers and all levels of government.
*All times in Eastern time zone
Black and People of Color (POC) consumers are disproportionately affected by higher energy burdens and negative environmental impacts. At the same time, lower-income Black and POC consumers are generally more knowledgeable about and interested in smart energy technologies than lower-income White consumers. They also tend to be more concerned with the environmental impacts of energy. Panelists will share their observations of SECC’s research into racial disparities among lower-income energy consumers and will explore strategies that stakeholders can use to better serve lower-income Black and POC households.
Join us for a lightning round with our sponsors and connect with other attendees through our networking lounge.
Transitioning to a clean energy economy will require every consumer to consciously re-evaluate their personal energy consumption and make changes. No customer should be left behind in terms of access to new technologies and resources. Utilities are in a unique position to help customers understand their current impact on the environment, and then motivate, challenge and guide those customers to take the next step. Smart meters are already collecting a tremendous amount of valuable customer information, and through AI, utilities can transform this usage data into actionable insights that provide customers a beacon to achieve their net-zero goals.
For the fourth annual Best Practices Awards, SECC will recognize leadership from electricity providers in today’s increasingly customer-centric energy ecosystem by honoring best practices of electricity providers across six categories: Consumer Education, Consumer Engagement, Culture Transformation, Smart Energy Innovation, Underserved Markets and Small-and-Medium Business Engagement.
The market for EVs is changing fast and so are the offerings from utilities, cities and other stakeholders. This panel will explore advancements in electric vehicles, including reduced charging times, improved infrastructure, increased range, battery storage and greater availability of models. We will also discuss overcoming barriers to adoption and increasing awareness of the benefits to electrifying transportation.
To close the symposium, President & CEO Nathan Shannon will share the consumer research and education that is planned for the remainder of 2021.
