44th PLMA Conference

44th PLMA Online Conference Agenda

For Access to the Conference Recordings,
Please Register if You Were Not an Attendee

Allison Hamilton Conference Co-Chair
Allison Hamilton

National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association
Sharyn Barata Conference Co-Chair
Sharyn Barata

Opinion Dynamics

Monday, November 1

12:30 - 2:30 pm
Board of Directors Meeting
This twice-annual business meeting is hosted for the benefit and participation of PLMA Board member practitioners and At-Large Representatives. Eligible participants are listed at www.peakload.org/Leadership.

12:00 - 4:45 pm and 8:00 - 9:00 pm ET | Live Online Meeting

12:00 - 12:45 pm
Member Meet-up
Network with friends, colleagues, and fellow conference attendees across several meeting rooms in 15-minutes blocks, and catch up with the PLMA family.

12:45 - 1:00 pm | Stretch, Refreshment and eMail Break!

General Session 1

Allison Hamilton, NRECA Co-Chair Allison Hamilton
NRECA
Joseph Childs, Eaton Co-Chair Joseph Childs
Eaton

1:00 - 1:45 pm
The Grid-Edge Keeps on Giving: Expanding a Multi-DER Strategy
National Grid and EnergyHub will share results, insights, and recommendations from the ConnectedSolutions Battery program. They'll also introduce their new grid-edge strategies, including solar inverters and EV-OEMs, plus the innovative technologies they are using to run them.

Paul Wassink, National Grid Paul Wassink
Senior Engineer, DER Program Manager
National Grid
Aakriti Gupta, EnergyHub Aakriti Gupta
Senior Product Marketing Manager
EnergyHub

1:45 - 2:00 pm | "Continue the Conversation" and/or Stretch, Refreshment and eMail Break!

2:00 - 2:45 pm
Capacity Saved vs Customer Comfort
ConEd and SCE run two of the U.S.' largest residential thermostat DR programs. Like all utilities, they are challenged to ensure they can concurrently achieve maximum load reduction, keep participation rates high, and acquire cost-effective resources. Partnering with Resideo, they have tested multiple intelligent dispatch strategies and will present their results and recommendations.

Anthony Saucedo, Southern California Edison Anthony Saucedo
Program Advisor
Southern California Edison
Gerrianna Cohen, CECONY Gerrianna Cohen
Specialist, Demand Response
CECONY
Michael Siemann, PhD., Resideo Michael Siemann, PhD.
Engineering Manager
Resideo
Beth Crouchet MS PMP, Resideo Beth Crouchet MS PMP
Product Manager
Resideo

2:45 - 3:00 pm | "Continue the Conversation" and/or Stretch, Refreshment and Email Break!

3:00 - 3:45 pm
Effective EV Load Management: Is It the Car, the Charger or Both?
Pacific Gas and Electric accounts one in five of the U.S.' 1.9 million EVs. The presenters will show how EV load growth and energy supply can be balanced via DR, including strategies for managing load via chargers. Plus, they'll address the policy and technical steps forward necessary to leverage EVs for DR.

David Almeida, Opinion Dynamics David Almeida
Director of Transportation Electrification
Opinion Dynamics
Albert Chiu Albert Chiu
Product Manager
Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Eric Mallia, Geotab Energy Eric Mallia
Vice President
Geotab Energy
John Powers, Extensible Energy John Powers
CEO
Extensible Energy
Lauren Burke, Enel X Lauren Burke
Senior Director, Marketing & Development
Enel X

3:45 - 4:00 pm | "Continue the Conversation" and/or Stretch, Refreshment and Email Break!

4:00 – 5:00 pm
Join Us for a Sponsor Walk About!
Take a few minutes to stop by the Sponsor Booths, view their short videos, and say "Hello!" Plus, you’ll earn points in our “Spin to Win” game!


CLEAResultCLEAResult E SourceE Source EatonEaton ecobeeecobee EFIEFI
 
EnergyHubEnergyHub ItronItron TRC CompaniesTRC Companies UplightUplight Opinion DynamicsOpinion Dynamics

8:00 - 9:00 pm
PLMA Trivia Night!
Take this opportunity to enjoy some fun and comraderie with old friends and new, as we celebrate the completion of Conference Day One!

1:30 - 5:00 pm ET | Live Online Meeting

General Session 2

Andrea Simmonsen, Idaho Power Co-Chair Andrea Simmonsen
Idaho Power
Sharyn Barata, Opinion Dynamics Co-Chair Sharyn Barata
Opinion Dynamics

1:30 - 2:30 pm
Making EV Load Flexibility a Reality
EVs can be the grid's next load management resource but only if managed accurately and intentionally. Vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-building technologies make it possible for EV batteries to provide distributed storage, generation services, and frequency regulation. But are these enough to meet demand? Utilities need to understand the technology baseline to prepare for a future of ubiquitous EVs.

Amy Schmidt, E Source Amy Schmidt
Analyst
E Source
Bryan Jungers, E Source Bryan Jungers
Lead Analyst
E Source

2:30 - 3:00 pm | "Continue the Conversation" and/or Stretch, Refreshment and Email Break!

3:00 - 3:45 pm
FERC 2222: Where Are We One Year Later?
Presenters will participate in a roundtable discussion about the progress (or lack thereof) since FERC's landmark ruling in 2020 that enables DERs to participate in organized markets.

Angela Gordon, TRC Companies Angela Gordon
TRC Companies

3:45 - 4:00 pm | "Continue the Conversation" and/or Stretch, Refreshment and Email Break!

4:00 - 4:45 pm
The Smart Home and Energy Data Management
Many customers are equipping their homes with smart thermostats, appliances, and lighting, but their expectations for these devices is unclear, especially around energy performance. Based on the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative's (SECC's) propriety research, the presenters will examine the benefits and issues tech adopters have experienced so far, plus the concerns of those who have yet to engage.

Nathan Shannon, Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative Nathan Shannon
President & CEO
Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative
Jennifer Szaro, AESP Jennifer Szaro
President & CEO
AESP

4:45 - 5:00 pm | "Continue the Conversation"

11:30 am - 4:45 pm ET | Live Online Meeting

11:30 am - 12:30 pm
What's Coming Up? What's in Development?
Learn what's currently on the "drawing board" from the manufacturers and service providers creating the next generation of energy products and services. In this session, you'll have the opportunity to talk about future plans with these sponsoring vendors, and in recognition of what you've learned, you'll gain additional "Spin to Win" points:

EatonEaton ecobeeecobee ItronItron UplightUplight
Track A — Valuation of Benefits
Troy Eichenberger, Tennessee Valley Authority Co-Chair Troy Eichenberger
Tennessee Valley Authority
Derek Kirchner, TRC CompaniesCo-Chair Derek Kirchner
TRC Companies

12:30 - 1:00 pm
Assessing Cost-Effectiveness: DER Benefit-Cost Analysis Case Studies
The integration of multiple DERs presents new and unique challenges for cost-effectiveness assessments. Building on the 2020 National Standards Practice Manual for DERs Report, the presenters will provide highlights from forthcoming DER benefit-cost analysis (BCA) case studies.

Kate Strickland, SEPA Kate Strickland
Manager, Research & Industry Strategy
SEPA
David Pudleiner, ICF David Pudleiner
Supervisor, Energy Market Analytics
ICF
Track B — Different Approaches
Christine Riker, Energy Solutions Co-Chair Christine Riker
Energy Solutions
Joyce Bodoh, Rappahannock Electric CooperativeCo-Chair Joyce Bodoh
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative

12:30 - 1:00 pm
DR for the Long-Term
NY's Dept. of Public Service mandated its utilities establish long-term DR programs by contracting with aggregators. Con Edison implemented this directive with a peak-shaving and a contingency program. The presenters will examine the initial number of contracts signed and customers enrolled; the value of long-term DR contracts in infrastructure planning; and whether program design can help accelerate battery deployment.

Brian Schaitkin, Con Edison Brian Schaitkin
Senior Specialist in Demand Response
Con Edison
Marlon Argueta, Con Edison Marlon Argueta
Demand Response Program Manager
Con Edison

1:00 - 1:15 pm | "Continue the Conversation" and/or Stretch, Refreshment and Email Break!

Track A — Valuation of Benefits

1:15 - 1:50 pm
Valuing Resilience: Quantifying Benefits for Microgrids and Other Resilience Strategies
Natural disasters and safety power shut-offs drive the need for energy resilience. Utilities, community choice aggregators, and local governments lead the development of resilient infrastructure to ensure critical services and back-up power. The presenters will explore strategies for quantifying the costs and benefits of resilience, and who these benefit most and least.

Andrea Thompson, TRC Companies Moderator Andrea Thompson
Sr. Mgr., Strategy + Organizational Development
TRC Companies
Dr. Andrea Ruotolo Dr. Andrea Ruotolo
Senior Director, Modernization & Innovation
Liberty Utilities
Jim Zoellick Jim Zoellick
Principal Engineer
Schatz Engineer
Erik Anderson Erik Anderson
Strategic Mgr, Renewable Energy + Emerging Technologies
Pacific Power

Track B — Different Approaches

1:15 - 1:45 pm
Non-Wires Solution AMI Application in Rural Oklahoma
The Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) successfully combined analytical expertise with an innovative NWS program design to reduce winter-peak demand and defer a $4M grid infrastructure investment. The presenters will outline the program's use of micro-analysis of AMI data plus customer-specific rebates plus its focus on under-served rural communities.

Kerry Rowland, Public Service Company of Oklahoma Kerry Rowland, CEM
Energy Efficiency Coordinator Principle
Public Service Company of Oklahoma
David Pudleiner, ICF David Pudleiner, CEM
Energy Market Analytics
ICF

1:45 - 2:00 pm | "Continue the Conversation" and/or Stretch, Refreshment and Email Break!

Track C — AI and Grid Services
Ruth Kiselewich, ICF Co-Chair Ruth Kiselewich
ICF
Michael Smith, National Grid Co-Chair Michael Smith
National Grid

2:00 - 2:30 pm
Managing Energy Demand With Real-Time Grid Intelligence and Customer Engagement
As DERs proliferate, the time and location in which energy is used are increasingly important. Join us to learn about behavioral DR (BDR) in the CO-based smart community Sterling Ranch. The presenters will provide use cases for Wireless Real-time Energy Management (WREM), live real-time energy usage data, plus the program design for two BDR programs, both with and without real-time data.

Pritil Gunjan, Guidehouse Pritil Gunjan
Principal Research Analyst
Guidehouse
Ryan Austin, Xcel Energy Ryan Austin
Research & SB Product Developer
Xcel Energy
Adam Wirtshafter, Copper Labs Eric Van Orden
Director of Business Development
Copper Labs
Track D — Utility Pilot Programs
Laurie Duhan, BG&E Co-Chair Laurie Duhan
Baltimore Gas and Electric
Katie Parkinson, APEX Analytics Co-Chair Katie Parkinson
APEX Analytics

2:00 - 2:30 pm
Extending the Benefits of Demand Response to Low Income Customers
Typically, the benefits of a smart-thermostat-driven DR program have favored high income earners with smart thermostats. In contrast, Mississippi Power is launching a pilot that focuses on low-income customers, providing white-glove installation and above-average enrollment benefits, plus a limited two-hour window to ensure maximum comfort. The presenters will share their strategy, obstacles, and lessons learned.

Josh Smith, Mississippi Power Company Josh Smith
Marketing Analyst
Mississippi Power Company
Ryan Gooch, Uplight Ryan Gooch
Customer Success Director
Uplight

2:30 - 2:45 pm | "Continue the Conversation" and/or Stretch, Refreshment and Email Break!

Track C — AI and Grid Services

2:45 - 3:15 pm
Mass Optimization of DERs Using Distribution Pricing with SCE
Southern Cal Edison's transactive energy software, Opus One's GridOS TEMS, will be used for its Electric Access System Enhancement (EASE) project. The presenters will discuss how EASE will optimize the dispatch of solar resources. They will also explore the role of customer-owned DERs in creating cost-effective services for the grid, as well as potential new revenue opportunities for customers.

Andrew Ioan, Southern California Edison Andrew Ioan
Electrical Engineer
Southern California Edison
Mark Hormann, Opus One Solutions Mark Hormann
Vice President
Opus One Solutions

Track D — Utility Pilot Programs

2:45 - 3:20 pm
SnoPUD Launches Flexible, Customer-Centric DER Program
In May 2021, Snohomish County Public Utility District No. 1 (SnoPud) launched a DER program with three pilots to help meet its long-term emission goals through shifting energy usage during peak times. Each pilot drives customers to change usage behaviors and uses innovative technology to keep rates low. The presenters will review the program's structure, engagement tactics, and its roadmap.

Shadea Mitchell, Virtual Peaker Shadea Mitchell
VP of Customer Success
Virtual Peaker
Peter Dauenhauer, PUD 1 of Snohomish County Peter Dauenhauer
Principal Utility Economist
PUD 1 of Snohomish County

3:15 - 3:30 pm | "Continue the Conversation" and/or Stretch, Refreshment and Email Break!

Track C — Customer Feedback

3:30 - 4:00 pm
Show Them the Money: Personalized Feedback Drives Performance
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) wanted to increase savings and improve customer satisfaction in their Summer Savings Plan peak demand response pilot. The initial pay-for-performance pilot was successful but bill credits appeared long after the event, prompting customer confusion. Learn about REC's response: day-after-DR-event personalized video messages.

Sydney Roberts, Apogee Interactive Sydney Roberts
Technology Director
Apogee Interactive
Joyce Bodoh, Rappahannock Electric CooperativeJoyce Bodoh
Director of Energy Solutions & Clean Energy
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative

Track D — Utility Pilot Programs

3:30 - 4:00 pm
Customer Auto-Pilot Energy Management
Sidewalk Labs and London Hydro collaborated to pilot an automated tool for residential energy management in 100 homes. The pilot tool's "autopilot" energy mode, combined with a dynamic rate, encourages load shifting. Community battery and solar shares reduce energy costs and carbon. The presenters will discuss load flexibility, customer engagement, cost savings, and predictable bills.

Charlotte Matthews, Electrification Sidewalk Labs Charlotte Matthews
Senior Director, Affordable Electrification
Sidewalk Labs
Syed Mir, London Hydro Syed Mir
VP Corporate Services & CIO
London Hydro

4:00 - 4:15 pm | "Continue the Conversation" and/or Stretch, Refreshment and Email Break!

4:15 - 4:45 pm
Closing Session: Prize Drawings and Ice Cream Social!
Join PLMA colleagues, presenters, and friends for an ice cream break (bring your favorite flavor!); plus an opportunity to win some pretty awesome prizes, meet PLMA’s new team of Officers, and hear what’s in store for 2022. We'll also say a fond farewell to our outgoing PLMA Chair Michael Brown and outgoing PLMA Secretary Joe Childs. Let's celebrate together once more before next time (#45PLMAdr in Baltimore!)

Richard Barone, TRC Companies Richard Barone
TRC Companies
Judy Knight Judy Knight
PLMA

Utility Load Management Exchange: Fall 2021 Meeting

November 17, 2021

2:30 - 4:30 pm
The mission of the Utility Load Management Exchange (ULME) is to promote load control as a viable option for utility deployments in demand reduction, economic dispatch, and/or T&D reliability. This utilities-only group offers a forum for utility staff members to share information and lessons on program design, marketing, vendor management, benefit-costs and technology deployments. Learn more at www.ulme.org.

View the ULME Agenda and Register Here