Southeast Clean Power Summit 2020

February 25-26, 2020 | Raleigh, NC ::

0220-southeast-clean-power

While fossil fuels are still the dominant energy source in the U.S., recent renewable energy advances point to a distinctive shift in the energy system. Projections indicate that wind, solar and storage can meet 80 percent of America’s energy needs by 2050. Utilities in the Southeast (SE) region are responding to rising customer demand for clean power by capturing this economic opportunity in a solar resource second only to the sun in the desert Southwest.

In recent years, changes in power generation in the SE region have led to reductions in carbon emissions from electric utilities.  Utilities, states, and cities are taking the climate crisis seriously and have begun to set goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Clean energy in the SE depends on partnerships between states and utilities: states and utilities each play a role in determining the power supply. Battery energy storage, EV’s and community solar are also emerging in the region.

EUCI’s 9th annual Southeast Clean Power Summit is essential for providing vital information regarding the future of the regions clean power supply and infrastructure. The conference features utilities, project developers and industry experts discussing the most current information and what it’s likely to mean for stakeholders.

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Learning Outcomes

• Discuss renewable energy policy updates in the Southeast
• Explain the risky economics of the new natural gas infrastructure and why clean energy costs less
• Discuss the clean energy plan for North Carolina
• Hear a regulatory perspective on clean energy in the southeast
• Identify the ways in which solar development is having a meaningful impact on the SE region
• Discuss the largest single offshore wind project in the nation
• Discuss green tariffs and communicating renewable energy credits to customers
• Discuss key issues for energy storage contracts
• Explain whether battery storage is considered a qualified facility or not

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 1.0 CEUs for this conference.

 

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must sign in/out each day and be in attendance for the entirety of the course to be eligible for continuing education credit. 

Instructional Methods

Case Studies, PowerPoint presentations, case studies and panel discussions will be used in program

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

7:45 – 8:15 a.m. :: Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:15 – 8:30 a.m. :: Announcements

8:30 – 9:15 a.m. :: Solar, Renewable Energy Policy and Rate Design Update for the Southeast

Solar and renewable energy policies and rate design changes are being considered across the country, and especially in the Southeast. This segment will discuss recent changes to solar policy, renewable energy updates and rate design, including:

• Net energy metering
• Value of solar
• Energy storage policy
• Grid modernization
• Fixed and demand charges
• Community solar
• Third-party financing in southeastern states
  • How financing fits into the national picture
• What is on the horizon

Autumn Proudlove, Senior Manager of Policy Research, North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center

9:15 – 10:00 a.m. :: North Carolina’s Clean Energy Plan

In October 2018, Governor Cooper issued an executive order on climate change, Executive Order No. 80.  The order set the goal of reducing statewide GHG emissions to 40% below 2005 levels by 2025, among others.  To accomplish its goals, it directed cabinet agencies to develop several plans, including a Clean Energy Plan (CEP) to be developed by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).  After a substantial stakeholder development process including six workshops facilitated by RAP and RMI, DEQ submitted the final plan to the governor on September 27, 2019.  The plan sets a goal of reducing GHG emissions from the electric power sector to 70% below 2005 levels by 2030 and attaining carbon neutrality by 2050, and it recommends dozens of actions to get there, including studying and then implementing major carbon-reduction policies and convening a stakeholder process to realign utilities’ incentives.  This presentation will highlight important recommendations in the CEP and give an update on progress since October 2019.

Nick Jimenez, Associate Attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center

10:00 – 10:15 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:15 – 11:00 a.m. :: The Risky Economics of New Natural Gas Infrastructure

Over the past two decades, the US electricity industry has invested heavily in natural gas infrastructure. In public announcements, the industry plans over $100B in future gas investments. However, rapidly falling solar, wind, and storage costs offer new, economic options. At Rocky Mountain Institute, we recently compared the economics for new gas generation with optimized combinations of wind, solar, storage, efficiency, and demand response. We find that these clean energy portfolios (CEPs) can provide the same grid services as a new gas plant, and usually at lower cost. Further, we find that even if new gas plants are built, continued cost declines are likely to make future CEPs less expensive than even the operating and fuel costs of combined cycle system. The analysis is consistent with recent utility decisions in North Carolina, Indiana, Michigan, Colorado, California and other states. In this presentation, Chaz Teplin will share RMI’s analysis and invite a conversation about the role of gas-fired generation in the coming years.

Chaz Teplin, PhD – Electricity Practice, Rocky Mountain Institute

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. :: Commissioners Perspective on Clean Power in the Southeast

This regulatory session will take a comprehensive look at the SE. Each Commissioner will provide a brief regulatory overview on clean power issues in their respective states. This session will also include an opportunity for attendees to ask questions of the Commissioners regarding the future demand for renewable resources.

Moderator:

Ashley Wald, Partner, Holland & Hart LLP

Panelists:

ToNola D. Brown-Bland, Commissioner, North Carolina Utilities Commission

Dr. Talina R. Mathews, Commissioner, Kentucky Public Service Commission

Tricia Pridemore, Commissioner, Georgia Public Service Commission

12:15 – 1:15 p.m. :: Group Luncheon

1:15 – 5:00 p.m. :: Utility/Electric Providers Perspectives

1:15 – 1:45 p.m. :: Dominion Energy’s Offshore Wind Project

Dominion Energy’s dedication to a clean environment continues to be reflected in renewable energy initiatives such as our Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project (CVOW). It will be only the second offshore wind project in the nation and the first owned by an electric utility company as well as the largest single offshore wind project in the nation. This presentation will provide updates on the CVOW project as well as shed some light on Dominions solar initiatives.

G.T. Hollett, Director of Generation Projects, Dominion Energy

1:45 – 2:15 p.m. :: Entergy Arkansas’s Solar and Green Tariff Initiatives

Entergy Arkansas continues to find new ways to address climate issues and to partner with customers to meet their energy and sustainability goals. Entergy is the largest solar provider in Arkansas and has announced plans to build its third large-scale solar project, which would be the state’s largest utility-owned solar facility. In addition, Entergy is working with APX on a green tariff program that enables the company to offer attractive renewable energy services with greater flexibility and lower transaction costs to customers. This presentation will discuss Entergy’s aggressive solar strategy in Arkansas as well as it’s flexible green tariff program.

Kurt Castleberry, Director, Resource Planning and Market Operations, Entergy

2:15 – 2:45 p.m. :: The Continued Expansion of Duke Energy’s Renewable Portfolio

Duke Energy is one of the nation’s leading renewable energy companies and has invested more than $6 billion in renewable energy. The company operates more than 20 wind facilities and 60 solar facilities in over 20 states around the nation. In North Carolina, Duke Energy has played a big role in helping the state become number 2 in the country for the total amount of solar capacity, and is implementing a number of programs that bring more renewable access for North Carolina customer. In this session, learn how the company plans to continue to advance its renewable energy portfolio in North Carolina for the benefit of its customers.

Maura Farver, Strategy and Policy Director, Duke Energy

2:45 – 3:15 p.m. :: Afternoon Break

3:45 – 4:15 p.m. :: Clean Energy Technology for Co-ops in the Southeast

Electric co-ops have a history of innovation and being consumer focused. Co-ops in the southeast are developing a variety of clean energy technologies, ranging from solar and battery storage to biogas digesters. This presentation will discuss how these clean energy programs have provided added consumer value and resiliency to their systems.

Jan Ahlen, Director Energy Solutions, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)

3:45 – 4:15 p.m. :: Public Engagement/Outreach for Solar Projects at Tampa Electric

This presentation will address public engagement/outreach techniques for renewable energy projects and share some lessons learned from Tampa Electric’s construction of multiple solar projects in the 74.5 MW range.

• During Land Development
• During Permitting
• During Construction
• Post Construction

Arlee Jones PgMP®, EVMP®, Project Manager II – ED Project Management, Tampa Electric

4:15 – 5:00 p.m. :: Utility/Electric Providers Panel Discussion: Session Recap

This first day closing panel discussion will allow symposium attendees to ask specific questions of the utility session presenters for discussion regarding their perspectives on renewable energy

G.T. Hollett, Director of Generation Projects, Dominion Energy

Kurt Castleberry, Director, Resource Planning and Market Operations, Entergy

Maura Farver, Strategy and Policy Director, Duke Energy

Jan Ahlen, Director Energy Solutions, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)

Arlee Jones PgMP®, EVMP®, Project Manager II – ED Project Management, Tampa Electric

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. :: Networking Reception

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

7:45 – 8:15 a.m. :: Continental Breakfast

8:15 – 8:45 a.m. :: Key Issues and Terms for Energy Storage Project Contracts

The focus of this presentation is on the key issues and contract provisions that need to be considered when negotiating a stand-alone storage project or an integrated storage + renewable energy facility, including product being bought/sold, operational control, technical considerations, guarantees, and the ability to finance.

Ashley Wald, Partner, Holland & Hart LLP

8:45 – 9:30 a.m. :: Battery Storage and Qualified Facilities (QF’s) in the Southeast

Georgia hosts the third-highest capacity of qualifying facilities allowed under PURPA and the capacity in the southeast region and has seen steady increases in new over the last few years. Energy storage continues to make great strides, but is energy storage a qualified facility? Neither PURPA nor FERC’s regulations explicitly mention energy storage as an energy resource type that can make a facility eligible for QF status. However, in the 1990 case Luz Development and Finance Corp., FERC clarified that a storage facility is eligible for QF status if its primary energy source is one of those contemplated by the statute (biomass, renewable resources, geothermal resources or any combination thereof), but FERC has not yet considered how to treat paired storage projects. The addition of batteries violates generation sizing requirements under PURPA. This presentation will provide added guidance to address the broader scenario of battery storage-plus-renewable projects seeking QF status.

Peter Richardson, Partner, Richardson Adams PLLC

9:30 – 10:00 a.m. :: The 2019 Legislative Session and Clean Energy

The 2019 North Carolina Long Legislative Session proved to be successful for clean energy in the state. Legislation that sought to increase EV fees (Senate Bill 446) and ban wind energy (Senate Bill 377) were stopped, and proactive success was achieved with the omnibus House Bill 329, which allows for the retail resale of electricity for EV charging stations. The session’s primary point of contention as it relates to energy was Senate Bill 559, which included storm damage securitization and Duke Energy’s controversial request for multi-year rate plans and return on equity banding. In this presentation, learn how a diverse group of legislators, customers and advocates were successful in removing the controversial provisions, marking a significant victory for the broad coalition.

Ben Stockdale, Government Affairs Associate, NC Sustainable Energy Association

10:00 – 10:15 a.m. :: Load Bus and leave for Tour of FREEDM Systems Center

10:30 – 11:30 a.m. :: FREEDM Systems Center Tour

The Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management (FREEDM) Systems Center at NC State University conducts research in Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Power Systems, Electric Transportation, and Renewable Energy. Our simulation labs include hardware in the loop (HIL) testbeds for evaluating controllers and software connected to simulated utility grids. Our 1MW, 15kV high bay lab houses solid state transformers, electric vehicle fast chargers, and motor dynos. Come hear an overview from Ken Dulaney the Director of Industry and Innovation and see how FREEDM is leading the electrification revolution through new technology development and hear an overview

Ken Dulaney, PE, Director of Industry and Innovation, FREEDM Systems Center

12:00 p.m. :: Arrive back at Hotel and Conference Adjourns

• Jan Ahlen, Director Energy Solutions, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)
• ToNola D. Brown-Bland, Commissioner, North Carolina Utilities Commission
• Kurt Castleberry, Director, Resource Planning and Market Operations, Entergy
• Ken Dulaney, PE, Director of Industry and Innovation, FREEDM Systems Center
• Maura Farver, Strategy and Policy Director, Duke Energy
• G.T. Hollett, Director of Generation Projects, Dominion Energy
• Nick Jimenez, Associate Attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center
• Arlee Jones PgMP®, EVMP®, Project Manager II – ED Project Management, Tampa Electric
• Dr. Talina R. Mathews, Commissioner, Kentucky Public Service Commission
• Tricia Pridemore, Commissioner, Georgia Public Service Commission
• Autumn Proudlove, Senior Manager of Policy Research, North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center
• Peter Richardson, Partner, Richardson Adams PLLC
• Ben Stockdale, Government Affairs Associate, NC Sustainable Energy Association
• Chaz Teplin, PhD – Electricity Practice, Rocky Mountain Institute
• Ashley Wald, Partner, Holland & Hart LLP

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Southeast Clean Power Summit 2020

February 25-26, 2020 | Raleigh, NC

Buy 4 in-person seats and only pay for 3! For this event every fourth in-person attendee is free!

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