Agenda

The opening session includes remarks from NASEO’s Board leadership and a review of conference themes.

This legislative outlook session offers insights from a leading Member of the United States House of Representatives on what is ahead for energy appropriations, legislation, and more.

As bipartisan support for an infrastructure bill and a range of energy security and cybersecurity actions has grown over the last few months, NASEO and our partners have been engaged in advancing energy resilience, innovation, and infrastructure across a number of sectors – buildings, grid, fuels, transportation, workforce. This outlook session provides a diverse set of views on paths forward, key elements, and likely outcomes in 2019.

This presentation from the Office of Energy Efficency and Renewable Energy’s newly confirmed Assistant Secretary will provide the latest perspectives on evolving technology research priorities and public-private partnerships, as well as state-federal coordination aimed at reaching our shared goal of American clean energy leadership.

Across the country, grid modernization and utility business model discussions are underway.  State officials, utility representatives, and private energy technology developers are wrestling with complex policy and regulatory decisions and attempting to keep up with rapidly evolving energy efficiency and other clean energy technology opportunities. The profound, long-term transformation of the electric industry is due to such factors as economics, customer expectations, technology advances, and federal, local, and state policies.  This session offers expert views, advice, and the latest examples of progress in this critically important area.

The electricity, oil, and natural gas industries are serving the nation’s energy needs though a complex system of production and distribution.  Over the past decade, these industries have made tremendous progress on enhancing energy emergency response and resilience through two critical coordinating organizations, the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council and the Oil and Natural Gas Subsector Coordinating Council.  Representatives of both industry councils will share their respective roles and priority recommendations for continued energy system reliability and resilience in the face of evolving physical and cyber threats.

Experts presenting in this session will discuss actions that state, local, and private sector leaders are taking, including planning for resilience, examining risk and insurance, and developing bolder energy-related goals and activities.

Newly-elected members of the United States House of Representatives have sought to cast a spotlight on energy and climate issues. This session will explore what may be in store for the 116th Congress as these new leaders take office.

With green bonds, power purchase agreements, and corporate project ownership on the rise, 2018 represented a record-breaking year for clean energy investments. In this session, state, local, and corporate experts will highlight the plethora of policy and market mechanisms that are aiding clean energy procurement across the country, even in times of regulatory and political uncertainty and stalemate.

NASEO and NARUC have partnered to create a new Joint Task Force on Comprehensive Electricity Planning with the support of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity and technical assistance from National Laboratories.  Over the next two years this Task Force will help develop new approaches to better align distribution system planning and resource planning processes.  State Task Force participants will be announced in this session.

Over the past year, NASEO and the U.S. Department of Energy have led an Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC) Working Group in partnership with the Energy Services Coalition and National Association of Energy Services Companies, to develop concise, practical guidance for states and cities on critical ESPC issues such as measurement and verification guidance and key contract terms.  This session presents a set of recommended ESPC guiding principles, e-Project Builder and other important information about new tools for ongoing ESPC program support.

This presentation from the leader of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Electricity provides an outlook on the groundbreaking work underway at DOE’s key grid modernization office.  From energy storage to modeling to state analytical support focused on electric system planning, the Office of Electricity is critical to advancing electric system security, reliability, and affordability.

The advent of lower-cost energy storage options and solar is opening more and more grid optimization and climate-friendly electricity distribution system planning opportunities – from meeting demand to new “black start” power plant options. Across the board, a range of sustainable energy technologies and services are enhancing resilience in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner.  This outlook session looks at the latest use cases and price trends and provides a special preview of the 2019 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook.

Passage of the Farm Bill in late 2018 resulted in the continuation of many rural renewable energy, energy efficiency, and financing programs, as well as new opportunities for states and rural communities. This session looks at the new options and resources from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This session provides insights from leading clean energy technologists and investors that are advancing public-private research and development, commercialization, and deployment approaches to deliver innovation and economic development.

The U.S. Climate Alliance and NASEO recently partnered to create an important guide for state and local governments to address innovative local solar market design through a review of best practices, sample local policy and programs, planning scenarios, and program models.  This session includes an overview presentation followed by a discussion of existing approaches to accelerating state and local solar development priorities.

This “early glimpse” presentation will show the initial findings and emerging trends from the 2019 U.S. Energy Employment Report sponsored by the Energy Futures Initiative and NASEO.

Hear the latest outlook from state energy leaders on energy policy and regulatory trends resulting from the historic fall elections and changing energy markets.  This discussion-oriented session will include significant audience engagement and provide real time news from the states.

Six years ago, NASEO was the first national organization to lead the charge on advancing zero energy ready public facilities, schools, commercial structures, and homes.  The U.S. Department of Energy and private-sector partners have made tremendous progress since that time on pilot efforts and technology solutions.  This session provides the latest news on the tools and examples states and cities are using to build zero energy schools, “Passive House” affordable multifamily housing, and other facilities in order to meet climate and energy goals at little or no cost premium.

This update session provides the latest news from the U.S. Department of Energy on the U.S. State Energy Program and Weatherization Assistance Program, and offers the chance for states to engage with leadership of the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office.

This outlook session led by NASEO’s General Counsel will provide the latest news on Congressional and federal agency priorities, appropriations, regulations, and infrastructure.