Staff | March 4, 2022
The 2022 Midwest Energy Solutions Conference brought numerous conversations on a variety of topics in and out of the sessions. A trending topic for many attendees was workforce development. The energy industry is no stranger to these discussions, as it becomes increasingly present in state policies like Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and on a federal level through funding allocated by the Biden-Harris Administration.
During MES, attendees were able to attend a workshop focused on workforce development strategies with a strong trio of table facilitators. MEEA Board President Kristol Simms from Ameren Illinois led one of the tables. As Ameren Illinois’ Sr. Director of Energy Efficiency and Regulatory Policy Implementation, Simms…
Learn more ›Staff | March 3, 2022
During the 2022 Midwest Energy Solutions Conference, MEEA welcomed 11 students from across the Midwest to join more than 400 industry professionals in Chicago. The scholarship, generously sponsored by ComEd, covered registration, hotel and travel costs for each student to attend the conference. The scholarship was open to college, graduate and trade students from our 13-state footprint.
This year’s recipients, Ayush Chobe (University of Illinois at Chicago), Dorian Cyubahiro (Bradley University), Giulianna Giordano (Calvin University), Ken Hultquist (University of Illinois at Chicago), Ritvik Jain (University of Michigan), Fahman Khan (Bradley University), Rishi Madethatt (University of Michigan), Saarah Maxon (University of Michigan),…
Learn more ›Staff | February 22, 2022
The Midwest is leading the way in efforts to advance Building Performance Standards. With the launch of the Biden-Harris Administration’s new Building Performance Standards Coalition, eight of the 33 state and local governments that signed on to make buildings healthier, more efficient and more affordable hail from our region. The coalition aligns with President Biden’s goals to retrofit four million buildings and two million homes in his first term, and we are proud to see Midwestern cities at the forefront of these plans. The jurisdictions in the overall coalition represent nearly 20% of the total building square footage in the United States.
A Building Performance Standard (BPS) is a policy that sets performance requirements for…
Learn more ›Staff | January 18, 2022
The Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance is excited to announce the winners of the 18th annual Inspiring Efficiency Awards. Each year, we honor leaders and innovators in the energy efficiency industry across five categories: Leadership, Education, Impact, Innovation and Marketing. MEEA is proud to highlight and uplift the groundbreaking achievements in our industry as we move forward and continue to advance energy efficiency throughout the Midwest. It is our pleasure to recognize so many impactful individuals, organizations and programs. This year’s winners are:
Education: DTE Energy and Consumers Energy New Home Construction Programs
Education: Focus on Energy
Impact: Consumers Energy
Impact: Peoples Gas Public Sector Energy…
Learn more ›Staff | October 4, 2021
Over the past 15 years, utility-run energy efficiency programming has produced significant energy savings, customer cost savings and a host of system-wide and societal benefits throughout the Midwest. Unfortunately, these benefits are not fully understood or recognized by many state legislators and other policymakers. As a result, MEEA and other energy efficiency industry experts must recurringly defend EE policies from those who misunderstand how efficiency is funded, its value and impact for utility customers and its widespread benefits within individual states and throughout the region. Over the last few years, there have been a number of Midwestern states passing policies that reduce and impede energy efficiency programs which then act…
Learn more ›Staff | September 23, 2021
The Inspiring Efficiency Leadership Award is presented to individuals or organizations who are strong leaders for energy efficiency in their city, state, region or community. 2021 brought many great applicants, but there were two that went above and beyond.
Today we are highlighting Andy Johnson and the Winneshiek Energy District, one of the two 2021 Inspiring Efficiency Leadership Award Winners. Andy Johnson has been a leader in clean energy efforts for communities across the Midwest. From his hometown in Decorah, Iowa where he first planted the seeds of the Energy District movement and founded the Winneshiek Energy District, to cities across the Midwest, Johnson has been pushing for the clean energy movement for over a decade. His work…
Learn more ›Staff | September 21, 2021
Each year, the Inspiring Efficiency Leadership Award is presented to the organization or individual who has served as a strong leader in support of energy efficiency in their city, state, region, company or community. In 2021, there were two recipients of the Inspiring Efficiency Leadership Awards.
Today we are highlighting the Ohio Environmental Council for their outstanding leadership in advocating, convening, organizing and facilitating the Ohio state energy table. This collection of stakeholders advocates for legislation that incorporates energy efficiency for consumers and ratepayers. OEC continues to unify stakeholders and spread knowledge on the value of energy efficiency, specifically in the political context of Ohio. Through…
Learn more ›Staff | September 17, 2021
After nearly three years of policy development and a year of debate and negotiation, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (SB 2408) and Governor Pritzker signed it into law on September 15. This nearly 1,000-page bill sets Illinois on a pathway toward power sector decarbonization by 2045, creates equitable clean energy workforce development pathways and expands state commitments to energy efficiency, renewable energy and electric vehicles. Implementation will require coordination amongst several state agencies, the Illinois Commerce Commission, utilities and the entire statewide energy sector – businesses, experts and advocates.
This legislation will usher…
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