41^st PLMA Conference Call for Presentations

PLMA seeks general, breakout, and pre-event session presentation proposals for the 41^st PLMA Conference set for April 20-22, 2020 in Scottsdale, Ariz. 

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR PRESENTATION

The Call for Presentations is open November 14, 2019 through January 9, 2020

This PLMA conference will focus on sharing knowledge among market practitioners, technology firms, and utilities/retailers active in the distributed energy resource marketplace. About 250 industry professionals are expected to attend. To learn more about the event, click here.

PLMA is searching for exceptional perspectives that explore best practices and cutting-edge issues affecting professionals who develop, implement, and evaluate distributed energy resource initiatives. All industry professionals may submit proposals, but special consideration will be given to PLMA member organization submissions. We highly value proposals that include participation of utilities, end consumers, and market participants. Please, no sales pitches.

Presentations of any length or style will be considered, but preference will be given to 30- to 60-minute case study presentations (with up to 1/3 of time reserved for audience discussion) from utility/retailer program staff that leverage trade ally relations. 

All topics and presenters will be considered with preference given to those with a specific, actionable tie to demand response issues. Sessions related to special topics are encouraged:

• DER Integration/Innovation/Adoption
• Customer Engagement
• Connected Devices
• Women in Demand Management
• Global Load Management
• Pricing 
• Strategic Load Growth

Additional topics suggested by past conference attendees include:

• C&I Program Design
• Marketing approaches for specific events
• Automated communication protocols and strategies
• Advanced Rate Design
• International DR Markets 
• Natural gas DR and strategies to collaborate with electric programs
• Water and DR strategies
• Thermal and battery storage as a DR resource
• Bundling DR with Storage, Renewables, and Electric Vehicle Charging Based on Customer Segmenting
• Integration, competition, overlap, advantages/disadvantages of behavioral DR, EVs, and storage
• Customer-focused utility case studies and perspectives of end-use customers (residential or Commercial and Industrial)
• Valuation, value stacking, cost-effectiveness, business models, and funding strategies of DR and DER programs
• iDSM and other cross-departmental integration examples with DR initiatives
• User experiences with DERMS systems 
• DR Market experiences, including pay for performance and modeled vs. actual data
• Starting and Scaling programs for full deployment
• Reverse DR, DERS strategy development, strategic lead growth initiatives (i.e. valley filling vs. peak clipping)
• Managing over-generation with demand response
• How utilities select and implement technologies
• Evolving utility/vendor business relationship strategies
• Targeted/locational programs to relieve distribution/transmission constraints
• Solutions for winter peaking utilities
• Non-wires alternative/solution project planning and results
• Program planning with an equity lens (race, social justice, environmental justice)

All industry professionals may submit proposals, but special consideration will be given to PLMA member organization submissions. The Conference Planning Group is comprised of PLMA member representatives. They will review and score each submission based on the topic's industry relevance as well as the presenter's engaging, interactive approach.

Please complete the session proposal below to provide:

• Presentation title and one-paragraph description as it might appear in the agenda (about 150 words)
• Presenter(s) name, title, organization as it might appear in the agenda and contact information for all presenters. Your submission is your assurance that proposed co-presenters have been notified of their inclusion.
• Brief explanation of why the session will be thought-provoking and compelling for our core audience of distributed energy resource practitioners.

The presentation proposal submission deadline is January 9, 2020 so that proposal acceptance decisions may be made by the Conference Planning Group January 20, 2020. If your submission is selected, the presenters identified in your submission will receive an invitation to present including a discounted registration code. All presenters must register for the conference to confirm their acceptance to speak, and thereby agree to follow the PLMA Presenter Policy. Presenters are responsible for their own registration cost, travel and hotel expenses. All presenters must comply with the PLMA Presenter Policy and Code of Conduct.

CLICK HERE TO Submit Your Presentation