“A new model has emerged: co-location. Rather than wait in the transmission queue or depend on grid upgrades, large loads are siting next to generation to bypass delays with grid expansion. It’s raising questions about how the grid is planned, who pays, and where regulatory boundaries lie.”

“Energy efficiency is most likely where the greatest savings can be made while producing a reliable product and guarding public health for water companies of any size.“

The invite-only Energy Evolution Summit, held by the Smart Electric Power Alliance in San Diego, provided an unparalleled opportunity for collaboration, networking, and strategic discussions in an open yet intimate environment.

“Think about the title of the Energy Evolution Summit; what’s evolved now? It’s driven by changes that have evolved due to regulatory perspective, due to economic climate. Issues have become more passionate and urgent, and some have become less urgent, or some are now settled.”

“People need electricity and gas, and we provided it. We need to use lessons learned from other industries. How did they transition from one type of product to another?”

“The biggest focus of my work is transitioning gas utilities to the next 100 years of their relationships with customers and the electric sector. I’m here to participate in the discussion about the evolution toward integrated electric and gas network planning and the future of gas.”

“It’s exciting when I think of the vision of SEPA, how it aligns with what we’re doing as a cooperative in Virginia as we address the growth that we’re seeing that is unprecedented.”

“We need an ecosystem that allows us to rewrite how to design, operate, and plan the grid. I always believe that the impossible can be made possible if you put your mind to it, and I think SEPA can help us do that.”

“The magic of this group is this is one of the few conferences where you see across the industry, as we’ve got co-ops, public power, and IOUs. We’ve also got a variety of companies on the supply side in terms of providing programs, opportunities, and the cool things driving the advanced energy economy.”

Conversations with Southern California Edison's Caroline Choi; Arizona Public Service's recently retired Jeff Guldner; PPL Corp.'s Sal Salet, Electric Power Engineers' Hala Ballouz; NASUCA's David Springe; Environmental Resources Management’s Brian Jones; Rappahannock Electric Co-op's Peter Muhoro; Smart Electric Power Alliance's Sheri Givens; CPS Energy’s Elaina Ball, Angela Rodriguez, and Ana Lozano; Commonwealth Edison's Melissa Washington; and Orlando Utilities Commission's Linda Ferrone.