Demand Response & Load Management for Utilities

January 16-17, 2024 | Online :: Central Time

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“EUCI events are a great way to connect with top industry experts.” – Director, Gulf Coast Energy Network

“EUCI delivers relevant content and provides an excellent forum for networking and benchmarking with others in the utility space.” – Senior Specialist, Con Edison

The Demand Response & Load Management for Utilities conference aims to provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted landscape of demand response, utility operations, and energy management. This comprehensive event brings together industry experts, policymakers, researchers, and utility professionals to delve into the dynamic landscape of energy management and its intersections with policy, technology, and innovation. The conference aims to drive forward the adoption of efficient demand response strategies in the rapidly evolving energy sector.

Join us at the conference to connect with thought leaders, gain valuable insights, and contribute to shaping the future of energy management and demand response.

Learning Outcomes

• Interpret the challenges and limitations in integrating Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) into wholesale energy markets
• Explore the potential of DERs for system organization and regulatory compliance
• Gain insights into Tri-State G&T’s efforts to construct a Cooperative Energy Ecosystem of the future with existing tools
• Clarify the often-confusing concepts of Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS) and Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), examining their value, synergy, challenges, and future considerations within the utility industry
• Become acquainted with the VPPs, an initiative housed within RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute), and its mission to advance VPPs
• Review how innovative partnerships between technology companies like Google and traditional energy providers can lead to novel solutions for addressing energy challenges, particularly in underserved communities
• Identify specific strategies, successful implementations, and potential challenges in harnessing the power of DR and DER to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Assess sustainability efforts in the context of the DR and Load Management
• Extract practical tools and techniques to mitigate load fluctuations, time-shift energy production, and enhance grid stability in regions experiencing significant variations in energy demand and supply
• Appraise different innovative approaches to customer targeting, segmentation, and pay-for-performance programs to significantly enhance utility and CCA (Community Choice Aggregation) outcomes
• Identify design considerations and solutions for charging programs in CCA
• Assess the relationship between EVs and the grid, their implications for grid operations, and the broader implications for energy management and sustainability

Tuesday, January 16, 2024 : Central Time

 

9:00 – 9:45 a.m. :: Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Integration: An Overview of Obstacles and Opportunities with a Focus on Demand Response

In September 2020, FERC issued Order 2222 requiring regional transmission organizations (RTO) and independent system operators (ISO) to allow Distributed Energy Resources (DER) to participate in wholesale energy markets.  Supporters of Order 2222 argue that DERs have the potential to become a key tool for balancing utility-scale wind and solar renewable resources, electric vehicles, and electrification needed to decarbonize the bulk electric system and will ultimately save consumers money.  Despite the hype, DERs are not the revolutionary change to the bulk electric system and the panacea to consumers that proponents of DERs are promising.

 This session will examine the obstacles and impediments to the adoption of DERs into wholesale energy markets and why at the end of the day, DERs act, from an RTO/ISO perspective, like Demand Response.

Eli Massey, Senior Advisor, Policy Studies, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO)

9:45 – 10:45 a.m. :: Case Study:  Building the Smart Grid Bridge Between Supply Demand

The grid of the future will require sustainably more sophistication and flexibility. The typical view of the utility industry is from the supply side; however, the demand side is evolving rapidly, and can provide flexibility and resources.  As utility companies grapple with resource adequacy and maintaining reliability and affordability, end-use consumers are more engaged than ever. The demand side of the utility is an untapped growth opportunity, can improve system organization, and assist in meeting regulatory requirements.

In this session, Tri-State Generation and Transmission will share how it’s working with their membership to build the Cooperative Energy Ecosystem of the future, using the tools that exist today.

Reginal (Reg) Rudolf, Chief Energy Innovations Officer, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association

10:45 – 11:00 a.m. :: Morning Break

11:00 a.m.  – 12:00 p.m. :: Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS) and Virtual Power  Plants (VPPs) – The Path to the Future

 DERMS and VPPs, like the term AI, are often broadly used in the industry and a frequent source of confusion based on the myriad of use cases and drivers for utilities and vendors to pursue. While the industry has begun to coalesce around some general terms for various DERMS architectures, the relationship between a DERMS and Virtual Power Plants is not always clear.

This presentation will explore the value, synergy, and challenges associated with implementing DERMS and virtual power plants including considerations for future challenges these systems are likely to face.

Michael McMaster, Technology Assessment Engineer, DERMS Program Lead, APS

12:00 – 1:00 p.m. :: Lunch Break

1:00 – 2:30 p.m. :: Virtual Power Plant (VPP) Case Studies

The DOE defines virtual power plants as “aggregations of DERs that can balance electrical loads and provide utility-scale and utility-grade grid services like a traditional power plant”. This definition is intentionally broad and inclusive of a wide variety of customer programs and tariffs. 

As part of its work to advance VPPs, Virtual Power Plant Partnership (VP3), an initiative housed within RMI, has compiled a set of mini-case studies which summarize leading VPP programs offered by US utilities including Duke Energy, Green Mountain Power, Hawaiian Electric, Holy Cross Energy, and others. In this session, we will review the design and structure of some of the leading programs and explore emerging best practice for VPP program design and operation. 

Kevin Brehm, Manager, Carbon-Free Electricity, RMI

This segment presents real-world case studies that explore the innovative partnerships between Google Nest and Utilities, including Consumers Energy, Arizona Public Service (APS), Salt River Project (SRP), and Tucson Electric Power (TEP), among others. Focusing on demand response and load management, these case studies shed light on groundbreaking initiatives that have the potential to reshape energy access and affordability, including new approaches to engage lower-income communities. We will delve into the strategic collaboration between a tech giant and energy providers to implement demand response programs tailored to the unique challenges faced by underserved populations.

Vince Faherty, Head of Energy Marketplace Partnerships, Google Nest

2:30 – 2:45 p.m. :: Afternoon Break

2:45 – 3:45 p.m. :: Tools & Techniques to Manage Load Fluctuation on the Grid

Some parts of the country and the world are seeing Duck Curves where energy loads fluctuate so greatly that there are great differences in peak and off-peak energy demands. These fluctuations, if not addressed with future planning, can result in even greater fluctuations where energy supply greatly outpaces demand during certain periods of the day. If no mitigating action is taken you can have load shedding to reduce renewable generation or excess energy conditions to prevent grid disruption and potential blackouts.

This session talks about simple ways to even out the load fluctuations, time-shift energy production and provide more grid stability.

Greggory Kresge, Senior Manager, Utility Engagement and Transportation Electrification, World Resources Institute (WRI)

3:45 – 5:00 p.m. :: PANEL: Demand Response/DER role in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions 

This panel is a dynamic session that delves into the specific strategies, successes, and potential pitfalls in utilizing DR and DER technologies to make a meaningful impact on our planet’s carbon footprint.

Kevin Brehm, Manager, Carbon-Free Electricity, RMI

Anja Gilbert, Lead Policy Developer, California Independent System Operator (CAISO)

Vince Faherty, Head of Energy Marketplace, Google

Greggory Kresge, Senior Manager, Utility Engagement and Transportation Electrification, World Resources Institute (WRI)

Wednesday, January 17, 2024 : Central Time

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. :: Case Study: Enhancing Demand Side Management: Innovations in Customer Targeting, Segmentation, and Pay-for-Performance Programs

This session will cover a case study on customer targeting and segmentation and share a sophisticated method to calculate the realized benefits for the utilities/CCAs clients.

Calpine Energy Solutions ingests utility data on behalf of their CCA clients, and partner with Recurve Analytics to better understand customer consumption patterns and load drivers. That allows Calpine’s CCA clients to conduct customer segmentation and targeting for specific customers programs, and substantially increase program cost-effectiveness. Calpine and Recurve also deployed a market-based platform for energy efficiency and demand side management to their CCA clients, which allows them to engage with multiple vendors at the same time and only pay for measured and realized performances. In a complex and fast-moving industry, taking a price driven approach avoids picking up specific aggregators and incentivizing the wrong technologies; it instead fosters current and future innovations by enabling communities to value demand flexibility based off their very specific local challenges and objectives.

Julien Gattaciecca, Director of Community Choice Aggregation Market Development, Calpine Energy 

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:45 – 11:45 a.m. :: Electric Vehicles and Demand Response

In today’s world, the intersection of electric vehicles and demand response represents a crucial nexus for optimizing energy consumption, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and shaping the future of sustainable transportation and energy grids. This session is dedicated to exploring the symbiotic relationship between EVs and RD, shedding light on their potential to revolutionize the way we approach energy management and load balancing.

 Allison Hamilton, Director, Markets and Rates, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)

11:45 a.m. :: Conference Adjourns

• Kevin Brehm, Manager, Carbon-Free Electricity, RMI

• Vince Faherty, Head of Energy Marketplace Partnerships, Google Nest

• Julien Gattaciecca, Director of Community Choice Aggregation Market Development, Calpine Energy 

• Anja Gilbert, Lead Policy Developer, California Independent System Operator (CAISO)

• Allison Hamilton, Director, Markets and Rates, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)

• Greggory Kresge, Senior Manager, Utility Engagement and Transportation Electrification, World Resources Institute (WRI)

• Eli Massey, Senior Advisor, Policy Studies,  Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO)

• Michael McMaster, Technology Assessment Engineer, DERMS Program Lead, APS

• Reginal (Reg) Rudolf, Chief Energy Innovations Officer, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association

We will be using Microsoft Teams to facilitate your participation in the upcoming event. You do not need to have an existing Teams account in order to participate in the broadcast – the course will play in your browser and you will have the option of using a microphone to speak with the room and ask questions, or type any questions in via the chat window and our on-site representative will relay your question to the instructor.

• Microsoft recommends downloading and installing the Teams app if possible. You may also use the Edge browser or Chrome.
• You will receive a separate email with a unique link to a personalized landing page which will include links to join all sessions of this event.
• If you are using a microphone, please ensure that it is muted until such time as you need to ask a question.
• The remote meeting connection will be open approximately 30 minutes before the start of the course. We encourage you to connect as early as possible in case you experience any unforeseen problems.

Please Note: This event is being conducted entirely online. All attendees will connect and attend from their computer, one connection per purchase. For details please see our FAQ

If you are unable to attend at the scheduled date and time, we make recordings available to all attendees for 7 days after the event

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Demand Response & Load Management for Utilities

January 16-17, 2024 | Online

Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before December 15, 2023 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800

Credits

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.9 CEUs for this event

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must log in and be in attendance for the entirety of the conference to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Instructional Methods

Case studies, PowerPoint presentations, panel discussion, Q&A

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Upon successful completion of this event, program participants interested in receiving CPE credits will receive a certificate of completion.

Course CPE Credits: 10.5
There is no prerequisite for this Course.
Program field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
Advanced Preparation: None

EUCI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its web site: www.nasbaregistry.org

 

Who Should Attend

• Utilities
• Grid Operators
• Demand Response Managers
• Energy Market Analysts
• Smart Grid Planners
• Distribution Companies
• Energy Consultants, working with demand respond strategies
• Technology Providers offering technologies such as smart meters, energy management systems, demand response software and any other solutions to support the efficiency of the grid
• Renewable Energy Developers
• IoT experts