Tuesday, May 24
Ballroom A3
Jonathan Bach, Manager of Strategic Partnerships & Ventures at Xcel Energy and member of SECC’s Board of Directors, will open with a discussion of the next steps in engagement with smart energy consumers.
The energy industry is undergoing a once-in-a-lifetime transition, with utilities and governments utilizing a number of strategies to shift to a decarbonized and decentralized energy ecosystem. While consumers in general stand to greatly benefit from this transition, lower-income consumers and communities of color may be adversely impacted if their needs are not adequately addressed by stakeholders. Join us for a discussion on programs and policies that will be necessary to protect these consumers as we move towards a smarter, cleaner energy future.
Produced and presented by platinum sponsor Hoffman Power Consulting
Marci Grossman, Senior Consultant at platinum sponsor Hoffman Power Consulting, will highlight leading practices in crisis communications she has honed in executive roles at Florida Power & Light, Indiana Michigan Power (an AEP utility), Peoples Gas, Green Mountain Energy and others.
Ballroom A4
April Pinkston, PE, Director Transformation and Strategic Administration at Oncor Electric Delivery, will be discussing transformational initiatives at Oncor Electric Delivery that impact customer engagement and deepen the customer relationship.
According to a study published in late 2021, actions from residential customers can have a significant impact on meeting utility decarbonization goals, potentially reducing nearly two times more greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 than clean energy policies alone. During this panel session, speakers will explore strategies to improve customer awareness, engagement and satisfaction with a range of demand-side management programs, including demand response, dynamic pricing, DERs and more. Successful utility programs from across the country will be reviewed in detail.
Ahead of new funding opportunities being made available to utilities as part of the new Build Back Better legislation, see how utilities have been working to improve their operations through new resilience projects and adding renewable energy sources to meet consumer needs. This session will showcase how utilities are using a variety of new tactics to shift load and maximize consumer savings in an effort to make a more resilient and green grid.
SECC’s President & CEO Nathan Shannon will end the day by providing you with information about SECC’s plans for consumer research and education in 2022.
Wednesday, May 25
Ballroom A3
For the fifth 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, Energy Equity, Smart Energy Innovation and Small-and-Medium Business Engagement.
Ballroom A4
Come network with old friends and meet new connections as you mix and mingle with follow attendees and our Best Practices Awards winners.
As car manufacturers continue to drive forward their EV strategies, learn how utilities are working to ensure consumers have an equitable trip down this road. From targeting customers directly to expansive dealer outreach and charging network buildouts, utilities are working towards a smoother trip for current and future EV riders. This session will review some of the most successful strategies from utilities, including EV-specific rate plans, ride-and-drive events, EV network development, innovative education programs and more. We will also discuss key findings from SECC’s new research on beneficial electric transportation to help understand consumer preferences and barriers to EV adoption.
