June 19 – 21, 2017 | Arlington, VA
The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) held the annual Governors’ Energy Advisors’ Policy Institute on June 20 – 21, 2017, in Arlington, VA. This meeting brought together governors’ energy policy advisors, other state officials, and national experts to share knowledge, network with their peers, and learn about need-to-know energy policy topics under the theme of “A New Era of Energy Policy.”
On Monday, June 19th, one day prior to the Policy Institute, the NGA Center hosted a preliminary half-day Seminar for New Governors’ Energy Advisors. The audience for this event is governors’ energy advisors that have been in their role for less than a year. The seminar provided new governors’ energy advisors with the chance to share priorities for the coming year and hear advice from current and former energy advisors. New advisors also received a briefing on technical assistance available to states from NGA and federal agencies.
The Policy Institute included engaging presentations from leading experts, federal representatives, and state policy makers, as well as ample opportunities for peer discussion and networking. The meeting addressed a diverse mix of topics, including the following:
- What are the latest trends in nationwide and regional energy markets?
- How are states modernizing their power sector?
- What are opportunities for energy infrastructure development?
- What are new policy innovations for distributed energy resources and efficiency?
- How are traditional generation fuels such as fossil and nuclear part of a new era?
- How can states advance innovative energy technologies and deployment strategies?
- How can states address energy resiliency and cybersecurity?
- What’s the latest on federal energy policy?
Agenda
Day 1: June 19, 2017
Seminar for New Governors’ Energy Advisors
Introductions & The Role of a Governor’s Energy Advisor
Presenter:
- Sue Gander, division director, Environment, Energy & Transportation Division, NGA Center
Keys to Success
Moderator:
- Andrew Kambour, program director, Environment, Energy & Transportation Division, NGA Center
Speakers:
- Laura Nelson, governor’s energy advisor and executive director, Utah Governor’s Office of Energy Development
- Kristy Manning, director, Missouri Division of Energy
- Alice Perry, senior policy advisor, Mississippi Office of Governor Phil Bryant
Federal Technical Assistance for States
Moderator:
- Jessica Rackley, senior policy analyst, Environment, Energy & Transportation Division, NGA Center
Speakers:
- Jenah Zweig, supervisor, Policy & Technical Assistance, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs (OWIP), U.S. Department of Energy
- Caitlin Callaghan, chemical engineer, Office of Electricity, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
- Kate Marks, office director for state, local and tribal policy analysis, Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis (EPSA), U. S. Department of Energy
Day 2: June 20, 2017
Annual Governors’ Advisors’ Energy Policy Institute
Welcome and Introduction: State Roundtable on Key Energy Priorities
Moderator:
- Sue Gander, division director, Environment, Energy & Transportation Division, NGA Center
Energy Market Trends
Moderator:
- Andrew Kambour, program director, Environment, Energy & Transportation Division, NGA Center
Speakers:
- Howard Gruenspecht, acting administrator and deputy administrator, U.S. Energy Information Administration
Power Sector Modernization
Moderator:
- Aliza Wasserman, program director, Environment, Energy & Transportation Division, NGA Center
Speakers:
- Julia Hamm, CEO, Smart Electric Power Association
- Macky McCleary, administrator, Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers
- Lisa Schwartz, program manager, Electricity Markets & Policy Group, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Lunch & Keynote: Smart States and the Role of Data in Energy Transformation
Introduction:
- Sue Gander, division director, Environment, Energy & Transportation Division, NGA Center
Speaker:
- Philip Bane, managing director, Smart Cities Council
Energy Policy Trends: New Frontiers in Energy Efficiency
Moderator:
- Dan Lauf, senior policy analyst, Environment, Energy & Transportation Division, NGA Center
Speakers:
- Emma Cimino, senior policy and government affairs associate, Office of Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy
- Maggie Molina, program director, American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE)
- Rodney Sobin, senior program director, National Association of State Energy Officials
“Meet the Feds”
Moderator:
- Jessica Rackley, senior policy analyst, Environment, Energy & Transportation Division, NGA Center
Speakers:
- Dr. Kathleen Hogan, deputy assistant secretary for energy efficiency, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
- Steven Wellner, chief of staff, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
- Caitlin Callaghan, chemical engineer, Office of Electricity, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Day 3: June 21, 2017
Updates from the Field of Energy Resiliency
Moderator:
- Andrew Kambour, program director, Environment, Energy & Transportation Division, NGA Center
Speakers:
- Puesh Kumar, director, Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration, U.S. Department of Energy
- Taryn Finnessey, senior climate change specialist, State of Colorado
Investments in Electric Vehicles
Moderator:
- Sue Gander, division director, Environment, Energy & Transportation Division, NGA Center
Speakers:
- Angie Dykema, director, Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy
- Melissa Lavinson, vice president, Federal Affairs & Policy and Chief Sustainability Officer, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
- Bert Hunter, executive vice president and chief investment officer, Connecticut Green Bank
Hot Topic Breakout Sessions
Speakers:
- Carbon Capture and Enhanced Oil Recovery: Brad Crabtree, vice president, Fossil Energy, Great Plains Institute
- Regulatory Opportunities to Advance Energy Storage: Mari Hernandez, regulatory program manager, Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC)
- Policy Considerations for Existing Nuclear Power Plants: Andrew Kambour, program director, Environment, Energy & Transportation Division, NGA Center
Lunch & Keynote: Cybersecurity and the Electric Power Grid
Speakers:
- Stephen Swick, director, Cyber Intel & Defense, American Electric Power
Energy Infrastructure Trends
Moderator:
- Andrew Kambour, program director, Environment, Energy & Transportation Division, NGA Center
Speakers:
- Alex Schaefer, legislative director, Natural Resources Committee, Office of Government Relations, NGA
- Jim Hoecker, senior counsel, Husch Blackwell LLP and Counsel to WIRES
- Steve Tillman, senior strategist, U.S. Government Affairs, Enbridge
