On June 16, MEEA hosted its annual Meeting of the Membership in Rosemont, Illinois just a few miles outside of Chicago. This event was another opportunity for MEEA's members, board and staff to come together to see old friends, make new connections and discuss what’s new in the field of energy efficiency. New board members were elected, and the latest Annual Report was unveiled. It was also a great venue for MEEA to get feedback on what we can do to add value to and improve the member experience.
Introduction
Members were welcomed with a reception on the evening of June 15 followed by an after event sponsored by members CLEAResult, LEDVANCE, ICF and Lockheed Martin. After breakfast the next morning MEEA Board Chair, Jim Jerozal, officially opened the meeting and welcomed all who were able to attend on MEEA’s behalf. After introductions, current board officers and those rolling off the board were recognized for their work and dedication, and the results of the board election were made official.
Board Elections
The following candidates were on the board slate for election or re-election for the 2018-2019 year:
- Valerie Brader - Michigan Agency for Energy*
- Anne Carter - Alliant Energy*
- Adam Cooper - Edison Foundation Institute for Electric Innovation*
- Shaun Dentice - CLEAResult*
- Jeff Erickson - Navigant
- Brian File - Kansas City Power and Light
- Keith Martin - Ameren Illinois
- Michaela Martin – ICF*
- Megan Meadows - Ohio Development Services Agency Office of Energy and Redevelopment
- Mary Schlaefer - Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation*
- Scott Steiner - Lockheed Martin
* Organization standing for re-election
All proposed candidates were approved, and we’re pleased to have their leadership and guidance for the 2018-2019 fiscal year ahead. New board terms begin July 1, 2017. You can see MEEA’s full board list here.
MEEA Updates
MEEA committee chairs and MEEA staff gave updates on recent activities and accomplishments of the different sections of the organization- Governance, Programs, Membership & Events, Policy and Finance. To see a recap of MEEA’s successes in 2016, please see our Annual Report.
Keynote – ICC Chairman Brien Sheahan
Illinois Commerce Commission Chairman Brien Sheahan spoke about the state of the energy efficiency industry and the importance of adapting to the quickly changing energy landscape. He emphasized that energy efficiency remains a priority for Governor Rauner and the ICC and pointed to the passing of the Future Energy Jobs Act at the end of 2016 as evidence that Illinois is taking a leading role when it comes to clean energy.
Panel: “Market Transformation: Unlocking the Potential of Future Programs in the Midwest”
The first panel of the day, moderated by Will Baker of MEEA, introduced the concept of market transformation and discussed the state of market transformation programs today and potential for the future. In addition, panelists discussed coordinating program activity across utility territories and state lines and presented potential next steps for creating an evaluation framework to properly attribute energy savings. Chad Bulman of CB&I presented on current market transformation efforts in Wisconsin and Focus on Energy’s work with the Retail Products Platform. Hammad Chaudhry of Nicor Gas spoke about what impact new legislation in Illinois will have on market transformation and how market transformation programs differ from traditional energy efficiency programs. Lastly, Randy Gunn of Navigant discussed Navigant’s evaluation of ComEd’s BILD Midstream Lighting program and implications for evaluating regional market transformation programs.
Panel: “Policy Trends in the Midwest for 2017 and Beyond”
The afternoon panel discussed policies that will define the energy efficiency industry going forward, which federal and state regulatory debates will either advance or challenge energy efficiency in the Midwest and provided an overview of key issues that will impact us in 2017. MEEA’s Executive Director, Stacey Paradis, presented on the potential impacts the Trump administration’s policies could have on the industry and covered key pieces of energy legislation that recently passed and legislation currently being developed. Janine Migden-Ostrander from The Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP) talked about rate designs, current regulatory trends toward straight fixed/variable rate design and discussed utility activity taking place in each of MEEA’s 13 states. Acting as both moderator and panelist, Adam Cooper from the Institute for Electric Innovation discussed how data and new technologies are influencing customers and energy providers and how that is contributing to a more reliable grid and a smarter energy infrastructure overall.
Conclusion
Despite challenges that were encountered during this past year, it was encouraging to witness the enthusiasm on display at this year’s Annual Meeting for the work MEEA and our members continue to support. MEEA continues to thrive because of the vital network of great individuals and organizations contributing to a shared mission of advancing energy efficiency for sustainable economic development and environmental stewardship. Your support is much appreciated and we look forward to continued collaboration with all our members.