TACOMA, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Bonneville Power Administration and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, in partnership with the Northwest Power and Conservation Council and utilities throughout the Northwest, are hosting the sixth annual Efficiency Exchange conference.
The regionwide event focuses on promoting innovation, discussing emerging trends and sharing new ideas on how utility energy efficiency programs can collaborate and adapt to a rapidly changing marketplace. This year’s event will be at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center in Tacoma, Washington, on May 15-16, 2018.
“The Pacific Northwest has long distinguished itself with a deeply collaborative approach to energy efficiency development. Efficiency Exchange brings that rich tradition to life. At Efficiency Exchange, peers, experts and industry leaders jointly contribute to education, professional development, comradery and our shared sense of purpose,” says Kim Thompson, BPA’s vice president of Energy Efficiency. “The conference showcases recent accomplishments, explores common challenges and highlights tomorrow’s innovations. It strikes the perfect blend between pragmatic program advice and inspiring futuristic vision.”
This year’s conference kicks off with a welcome from Mayor Victoria Woodards of Tacoma and keynote speaker Val Jensen. As senior vice president, Customer Operations at Commonwealth Edison, Jensen oversees all customer support functions, including Customer Financial Operations, Customer Care Center, Customer Field Operations, Customer Support and Advanced Metering Infrastructure, and has responsibility for coordinating the company’s utility of the future strategy.
The second day of the conference will feature Steve Brown, former chief evangelist and futurist for Intel Corporation. Brown helps organizations understand the major technologies that will shape the future five, 10 or 15 years from now, and determine the strategies they will need to take full advantage of digital transformation.
The event will conclude with several targeted workshops that provide efficiency program managers a hands-on opportunity to address issues they encounter in their day-to-day work in the field.
“Efficiency Exchange is a once-a-year opportunity for the region to come together to hear and share new insights and ideas,” said NEEA’s executive director, Susan E. Stratton. “This regionwide collaboration is an important part of how our alliance addresses and plans for the future of energy efficiency.”
In addition to the workshops and keynotes, energy efficiency experts from around the Northwest will present on a range of topics, such as green load building, electric vehicles, emerging technologies, and driving equity and creativity in energy efficiency programs.
“As in past years, the Council is proud to support the Efficiency Exchange in its efforts to advance energy efficiency as a resource,” said Jim Yost, chair of the Northwest Planning and Conservation Council. “As the largest event for industry professionals, it plays an important role in helping us meet the efficiency goals of our regional power plan.”
Between sessions, attendees can visit the Conduit Lounge and register, post and share information on Conduit, an online community that facilitates collaboration and coordination among energy efficiency professionals in the Northwest.
View the full agenda of the conference at efficiencyexchangenw.com.
About the Bonneville Power Administration
BPA is a not-for-profit federal agency that markets renewable hydropower from federal Columbia River dams, operates three-quarters of the high-voltage transmission lines in the Northwest and funds one of the largest wildlife protection and restoration programs in the nation. BPA and its partners pursue cost-effective energy savings in all sectors of the economy, and together they have saved enough electricity through energy efficiency projects to power four large American cities. www.bpa.gov
About the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) is an alliance of more than 140 utilities and energy efficiency organizations working on behalf of more than 13 million energy consumers. NEEA is dedicated to accelerating both electric and gas energy efficiency, leveraging its regional partnerships to advance the adoption of energy-efficient products, services and practices.
Since 1997, NEEA and its partners have saved enough energy to power more than 900,000 homes each year. As the second-largest resource in the Northwest, energy efficiency can offset most of our new demand for energy, saving money and keeping the Northwest a healthy and vibrant place to live. www.neea.org
About the Northwest Power and Conservation Council
The Northwest Power and Conservation Council is an agency of the four Northwest states of Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Washington. Under the Northwest Power Act of 1980, the Council develops a Northwest Power Plan to assure the region an adequate, efficient, economical and reliable power supply while protecting, mitigating and enhancing fish and wildlife that have been affected by the construction and operation of hydropower dams in the Columbia River Basin. Through the power plan the Council sets strategies and establishes targets for energy efficiency in the region, and through the Regional Technical Forum (rtf.nwcouncil.org) the Council and other Forum partners work to verify that efficiency measures implemented by utilities produce real savings.
