REM 2013 > 2011 Conference > Agenda / Presentations

2011 Conference >
Agenda / Presentations

Download the Conference Program [19MB PDF]
TUESDAY – November 15
8:00am – 5:30pm	New Energy Capital Summit (NECS) NECS is dedicated to bringing renewable energy public and private financing together with the businesses, utilities, government and regulatory agencies in order to identify key resources in moving alternative energy initiatives into the forefront of the energy marketplace for consumers and businesses alike. Please note, this conference and its fees are separate from the REM Conference.
6:00pm – 8:00pm	Opening Reception – Sponsored by NextEra Energy Resources
7:00pm – 9:00pm	Green-e Governance Board Dinner [closed]
WEDNESDAY – November 16
8:00am – 9:15am	Pre-Conference Workshop: Renewable Energy 101 An introduction to renewable energy, renewable energy certificates (RECs), and creating credible markets. Perfect for newcomers to the industry or participants that are looking for a refresher. Please note that separate registration is required. • Session Moderator: Rachael Terada, Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) • Matt Clouse, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) • Jenny Heeter, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
9:30am – 10:00am	Opening Session Keynote
10:00am – 11:00am	Power Table Top executives and major players discuss creating a new community and redefining the renewable energy marketplace. • Session Moderator: Jennifer Martin, CRS • Blaine Collison, US EPA • Dian Grueneich, Morrison Foerster • Bill Layne, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) • Dr. Paul R. MacGregor, Nexant • Bob Valair, Staples
11:00am – 11:15am	Networking Break
11:15am – 12:15pm	Making the Business Case for Green Power Why green power makes sense for businesses. What messages work to move the decision to purchase into the right hands. • Session Moderator: Michel Di Capua, Bloomberg New Energy Finance • Cindy Drucker, SC Johnson • Ellen Feeney, WhiteWave Foods Co. • Jeff Mendelsohn, New Leaf Paper Fundamentals of Successful Utility Green Pricing Programs How to build a successful utility green pricing program. Learn the basics from two utilities in NREL's Top 10 Utility Green Pricing Programs. • Andrea Hart, City of Palo Alto • Rhonda Rasmussen, Pacificorp
12:15pm – 1:45pm	Green Power Leadership Awards Banquet and Luncheon Hosted by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US Department of Energy (DOE), and the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS). A celebration of leading green power purchasers, green power suppliers, and organizations and individuals for advancing green power markets.
2:00pm – 3:00pm	Case Studies in Community Power Case studies Community Choice Aggregation and other innovative approaches to community-based renewables. Cities and counties are breaking off from their utilities in order to form community power companies that can source a greener mix of electricity, while keeping more money locally for clean energy. • Session Moderator: Danielle Murray, SF Environment • Alden Hathaway, Sterling Planet • Clay Koplin, Cordova Electric Cooperative • Shawn Marshall, Marin Energy Authority • Charles Sheehan, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission On-site Renewables versus RECs Is it an either/or question or is the answer a mixture of both? This panel will present case studies from companies that have chosen to install renewable energy on-site as well as purchasing RECs. An exploration as to why the decision to use both means is discussed as well as messaging and customer perceptions. • Session Moderator: Kathy Loftus, Whole Foods • Robert Boller, Jackson Family Wines • Marty Sedler, Intel
3:00pm – 3:15pm	Networking Break
3:15pm – 4:15pm	State of the Markets An inside look at the state of voluntary renewable energy markets and state renewable portfolio standards. Projections of where these markets are headed. • Session Moderator: Karl Rábago, Austin Energy • Lori Bird, NREL • Ryan Wiser, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)
4:15pm – 4:30pm	Networking Break
4:30pm – 5:30pm	Purchaser Recognition Programs Learn about existing and upcoming recognition programs such as Green-e Marketplace, EPA's Green Power Partnership, Windmade, and B Corporation. • Session Moderator: Dermot Hikisch, B Corporation • Robyn Beavers, Vestas • Blaine Collison, U.S. EPA • Brendan Cook, CRS Financial Reforms and Regulation of REC Markets Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Discussions on definitions of financial and non-financial commodities, implications on the market. • Session Moderator: Steve Mickelsen, 3Degrees • Philip Tendler, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman • Jeremy Weinstein, Law Offices of Jeremy D. Weinstein MTCE Credit Disclaimer: The Center for Resource Solutions certifies that an application is pending for approval for 1 MCLE credit hour by the State Bar of California.
6:00pm – 8:00pm	Green Power Leadership Awards Reception Sponsored by the Renewable Energy Markets Association (REMA).
THURSDAY – November 17
8:15am – 9:15am	Coffee with Green-e Energy We invite all Green-e Energy participants and companies interested in the program to mix and mingle with one another and Green-e staff. Curious as to what all the fun will be? Stop by if you're interested in learning more about the Green-e Energy program.
9:15am – 10:15am	Green Marketing: Social Media Using social media to generate more sales. What works and what doesn't in the renewable energy industry. • Thomas Dinkel, SunReports • Sherren Harter, Green Mountain Energy Company • Kathryn West, Sterling Planet Green Marketing: Customer Trends and Profiles An overview of today's green power customers. Trends on consumer perceptions of renewable energy and climate change. • Gwynne Rogers, NMI Voluntary and Compliance Renewable Energy Markets An overview of market trends, drivers, barriers, and impacts. Case studies on solar RECs (SRECs) in the Mid-Atlantic, compliance markets in the Midwest, and the national voluntary market for renewable energy. • Session Moderator: Jomo Thorne, PG&E • Lori Bird, NREL • Ryan Cook, Clear Energy • Rachael Terada, CRS
10:15am – 11:00am	Networking Break & Electric Vehicle Display
11:00am – 12:00pm	The Nexus between Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Renewable Energy How is the current generation of EV manufacturers and charging stations taking advantage of the availability of renewable energy to provide drivers with an emissions-free driving experience? Opportunities for utilities and REC marketers. • Session Moderator: Max Baumhefner, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) • Sherren Harter, Green Mountain Energy Company • Klaus Heller, BMW Technology Office USA • Karl Rábago, Austin Energy Fundamentals of Markets and Trading An overview of REC markets, trading, contracts, and legal issues. Best practices and effective negotiation techniques. Learn how to build a relationship, close a deal and leave both parties happy. Contract with confidence. • Erin Eckenrod, EDP Renewables North America (Horizon Wind Energy) • Andrew Kolchins, Evolution Markets
12:00pm – 1:30pm	Lunch Introduction to Green-e Marketplace Lunch Join us for lunch as we provide an introduction to our Green-e Marketplace program which provides forward-thinking organizations with the nationally recognized Green-e logo they can use to communicate their commitment to renewable energy to their customers, businesses and shareholders.
1:30pm – 2:30pm	It Ain't About Awareness: Marketing Renewable Energy to Mainstream Consumers Ask any American this: "If you were President of the United States for a day and you could only support one form of energy what would you support?" Their number one answer by far would be solar. Test out lots of different green claims, from "not tested on animals" to "all natural ingredients" to "made with renewable energy," and you'll find in some categories "made with renewable energy" comes out on top. But confusion abounds, and cost and performance are very real problems in terms of leveraging renewables for marketing good. Suzanne Shelton, CEO of one of the country's leading ad agencies at moving mainstream consumers to make sustainable choices, will share insights from her firm's quarterly polling of Americans, lay out the challenges and opportunities to mainstreaming the industry and give specific recommendations on how to market and message renewable energy claims to mainstream Americans and get results. • Suzanne Shelton, Shelton Group
2:30pm – 3:00pm	Networking Break
3:00pm – 4:00pm	International Voluntary Renewable Energy Buyers How to maintain voluntary renewable energy purchase integrity in different markets. • Session Moderator: Franziska Sinner, CRS • Jared Braslawsky, RECS International • Richard Crowther, The Coca-Cola Company • Claes Hedenström, Vattenfall AB/RECS International Utility Green Pricing Programs: Exceeding Your Customers' Expectations Case studies on using inbound communications such as call centers and websites to maintain and grow utility green pricing programs. • Session Moderator: Wade Hughes, SMUD • Stasia Brownell, 3Degrees • Chris Drake, Avista • Tyler O'Farrell, Puget Sound Energy
4:00pm – 4:15pm	Networking Break
4:15pm – 5:15pm	GHG Accounting and Voluntary Renewable Energy Purchases Facilitated discussion on policies about how renewable energy, RECs, and carbon offsets are treated in greenhouse gas (GHG) Inventory Systems. How to leverage GHG accounting requirements for REC sales. • Session Moderator: Matt Clouse, U.S. EPA • Peggy Foran, The Climate Registry • Ian McGowan, 3Degrees • Mary Sotos, WRI LEED and Green Building: Buildings and Renewable Energy Updates to LEED's green power point and green building market growth opportunities. • Session Moderator: Bob Maddox, Sterling Planet • Veronica Harris, Community Energy • Megan White, Webcor Builders In Search of Sign-ups: How Utilities and Electric Service Providers Drive New Sales with New and Old Media Increasing sales for renewable electricity through contests and comprehensive marketing campaigns, including radio, print, direct mail, road signs and more. Refining your pitch to consumers. • Session Moderator: Dennis Mullan, DTE Energy • Geoff Bastian, 3Degrees • Heather Mulligan, Puget Sound Energy • Gary Skulnik, Clean Currents
FRIDAY – November 18
8:30am – 9:30am	California Markets for Carbon and Renewables California is leading the country with AB32 and an aggressive RPS. A facilitated roundtable discussion about markets for carbon and renewables in California. • Session Moderator: Dan Kalafatas, 3Degrees • Gary Gero, Climate Action Reserve • California Air Resources Board (invited) • California Energy Commission (invited)
9:30am – 9:45am	Networking Break
9:45am – 10:45am	Green Marketing: Design Principles Graphic design and marketing. Hear from design professionals on crafting marketing materials for different types of customers. • Session Moderator: Jeff Swenerton, CRS • Brian Dougherty, Celery Design Collaborative An Update on Biomass Eligibility in Renewable Energy Markets New studies on the carbon impact of biomass generation and changes to state RPS eligibility present an uncertain outlook for biomass as a fuel source. The role of sustainability, life cycle analysis, carbon balancing and new technologies in waste-to-energy generation. • Session Moderator: Megan Decker, Renewable Northwest Project • Matt Gedney, Unicoi Energy Services • Fred Isleib, Nexant Utility Roundtable: Lessons Learned Discussion with a panel of experts about different situations utilities face. Procurement issues and lessons learned. Using specific renewable resources for both RPS and voluntary programs. Renewables for ratepayers versus green pricing programs. • Session Moderator: Ed Holt, Ed Holt & Associates • Joyce Kinnear, City of Palo Alto Utilities • Steve Mudd, Xcel Energy • Larry Owens, Silicon Valley Power • Jenny Wright, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
10:45am – 11:00am	Networking Break
11:00am – 12:00pm	Scaling Up Solar Case studies on aggregation and solar communities, and a look at next generation procurement models. • Session Moderator: Blair Swezey, SunPower • Adam Boucher, Adam Capital • Meg Denney, Community Energy • Ben Foster, Optony • Joy Hughes, Solar Gardens Institute FTC Green Guides: Marketing Claims and Legal Issues The future of marketing renewable energy, carbon offsets and consumer products under the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Green Guides. Whether you are a generator, seller or purchaser, the FTC Green Guides will impact your business. • Session Moderator: Robin Quarrier, CRS • Jay Carlis, Community Energy / REMA • Sarah Smith, Green Mountain Energy Company MTCE Credit Disclaimer: The Center for Resource Solutions certifies that an application is pending for approval for 1 MCLE credit hour by the State Bar of California.
1:30pm – 4:00pm	Post-Conference: Executive Session [closed]
1:30pm – 4:30pm	Post-Conference: Environmental Epicenter Tour [offsite] There's no better place to get an exciting first-hand look at pioneering innovators in sustainability than San Francisco, the nation's environmental epicenter. On this engaging and entertaining adventure through the hub of one of the nation's greenest metropolitan areas, guests will travel buy trolley to the Oceanside Wastewater Treatment Plant and take a hard hat tour of the facilities including the biogas power generators. We’ll then hop back on the trolley and travel to the Sunset Reservoir, a solar array smack dab in an urban neighborhood! The tour will continue with visits to other San Francisco landmarks including the Golden Gate Bridge.
Agenda and panel lineup is subject to change.