The Center on Global Energy Policy and The Earth Institute hosted a forum on Managing Energy Efficiency—Translating Policy into Action in the Real World. One of the greatest challenges facing the world is providing clean, affordable and reliable electricity. While the proliferation of energy efficient products has helped damper the energy consumption per capita in the U.S., global energy consumption continues to increase. Utilities are challenged with meeting our energy needs in a sustainable and environmentally responsible way. Yet every year, much of the energy produced is lost through inefficient processes and technologies, increasing residential and businesses costs and carbon pollution.
While businesses benefit from lower costs and producing their goods more efficiently, it is not always easy for the state program administrators and utilities to get business customers to participate in energy efficiency programs. This event brought together leaders in this space to discuss how they design programs in the Northeast to motivate the business customers and drive energy efficiency in the commercial space. The panelists discussed how energy analytics and intelligent systems are enabling efficiency expansion to new customers and markets. A cocktail reception followed the formal panel.
Moderator: Steven Cohen, Executive Director, The Earth Institute, Columbia University
Panelists:
Ron Araujo, Manager, Conservation & Load Management, Northeast Utilities Service Company;
Frank Evans, Regional Vice President, Northeast, Willdan Energy Solutions;
Richard Kauffman, Chairman of the NYSERDA Board of Directors, Chairman of Energy and Finance for New York