Advancing Clean Energy in Oregon

 

Advancing Clean Energy in Oregon An Interdisciplinary Project of the University of Oregon’s Environment Initiative

January 6, 2021
10:00 am – 4:00 pm PST

 

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During this one-day event we will explore the future of clean energy in Oregon, featuring an examination of 100% clean electricity requirements established in other states and research updates from the faculty of the University of Oregon.

 

 

 


Agenda 

10:00 AM 

Welcome

Provost and Senior Vice President Patrick Phillips
Oregon State Senator Jeff Golden


10:20 AM 

 


Trends in Clean Energy 

Assistant Professor Greg Dotson, School of Law


10:30 AM 

 


States on the Move to Clean Energy 

Moderated by Oregon State Senator Michael Dembrow

Panelists: 

Corinne M. DiDomenico, Assistant Director, Large‐Scale Renewables Team, New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA). Slides 

Erin Taylor, Energy Planning and Program Bureau Chief, Energy Conservation and Management Division, New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. Slides 

Sarah Vorpahl, Senior Energy Policy Specialist, Washington State Energy Office. Slides 


12:45 PM 


University of Oregon Research Updates

Moderated by Oregon State Representative Karin Power

Panelists: 

Adell Amos, Clayton R. Hess Professor of Law, School of Law, Director of the Environment Initiative, "UO Environment Initiative: Interdisciplinary Work at a Research University."

Shannon W. Boettcher, Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Materials Science Institute "Technical Challenges and Solutions to an Inevitable Clean-Energy Future: How Fast Will We Get there?" Slides 

Anne Brown, Assistant Professor, School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management, “Equity in Clean Transportation.” Slides 

Grant Jacobsen, Associate Professor, School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management, “Economics and Decarbonization.” Slides 

Alison Kwok, Professor, School of Architecture and Environment, “Energy Efficient Buildings and Net Zero Design.” Slides. 

Michael Russo, Professor, Lundquist College of Business, “Management Education for Economic Growth:  Sustainability, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship.” Slides 

Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg, Professor, School of Architecture and Environment, “Electrification and Public Health in Buildings.” Slides 


2:00 PM 


Oregon Possibilities:  A Panel of Key Oregon Stakeholders 

Moderated by Oregon State Senator Jeff Golden

Panelists: 

Scott Bolton, Senior Vice President of External Affairs and Customer Solutions, PacifiCorp

Meredith Connolly, Oregon Director, Climate Solutions

Ranfis Giannettino Villatoro, Oregon State Coordinator, BlueGreen Alliance

Jason Heuser, Public Policy and Government Affairs Program Manager, Eugene Water and Electric Board

Nicole Hughes, Executive Director, Renewable Northwest

Bob Jenks, Executive Director, Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board

Jennifer Joly, Director, Oregon Municipal Electric Utilities Association

Oriana Magnera, Energy, Climate, and Transportation Program Manager, Verde

Sunny Radcliffe, Director, Government Affairs & Environmental Policy, Portland General Electric 


3:45 PM 


Concluding Remarks

Adell Amos, Director of the Environment Initiative

Oregon State Senator Michael Dembrow


Panel 1 Bios ​​​​​​: 

Corinne M. DiDomenico, Assistant Director, Large‐Scale Renewables Team, New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA). Ms. DiDomenico focuses on cross cutting policy development activities that include Clean Energy Standard program design and implementation, programmatic reporting, and oversees the New York Generation Attribute Tracking System. She supports the policy and market development activities, and the design and implementing interventions that accelerate the scale and penetration of large‐scale renewables in New York. Prior to joining NYSERDA, she spent 14 years with National Grid, where she held various positions in Power Engineering, Power Plant Operations, and Energy Procurement, where she lead the strategic execution of a 2,000 MW portfolio of renewable energy. Ms. DiDomenico received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Drexel University and a Master of Business Administration from CUNY Baruch.

Erin Taylor joined the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department Energy Conservation and Management Division, also known as the New Mexico State Energy Office, in December 2019. As the Energy Planning and Program Bureau Chief, Erin manages the State Energy Program and oversees program efforts related to climate sustainability and resilience, grid modernization, alternative fuel and electric vehicles, economic and energy diversification, and energy conservation and renewable energy financial incentives. Erin has over 10 years of experience in project planning and management, with an emphasis on environmental compliance and mine reclamation. She has led reclamation efforts on multiple high priority abandoned mine land sites throughout New Mexico. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Management from University of Denver.

Sarah Vorpahl is a Senior Energy Policy Specialist at the Washington State Energy Office, where she is focuses on distributed energy resources. Sarah graduated with her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Washington in 2017 and then served as the 2017-18 OSA/MRS Science and Engineering Congressional Fellow in the office of Senator Bernie Sanders. She has been with State Energy Office since 2018, Currently Sarah is working to implement Washington’s new clean energy mandate, the Clean Energy Transformation Act, and is serving as the lead on equity and low income issues.