Transcript 0:00 [upbeat music] We are at a place with energy that we need to start thinking more creatively. 0:06 We need to open up our hearts and minds to work with those we never thought we would or we haven't thought about it but we need to think about it. We need to ask more questions. 0:17 We need to discover more innovative solutions and the best way to do this is working with others who have a spirit for inquisitiveness. 0:30 [upbeat music] Welcome to The Peggy Smedley Show, your voice for our connected world, with your host, Peggy Smedley. 0:46 Hello, listeners, and welcome to today's edition of The Peggy Smedley Show. I'm your host, Peggy Smedley. Today on the show I'm talking all about clean energy. 0:55 As we all know, we need new paradigms and projects to reduce carbon emissions. 1:00 If we do, it will likely create jobs, cut energy costs and improve the environment all at the same time, if you can believe that, and that's our goal. 1:10 So today I'd like to talk all about what is currently happening with the clean energy planning and deployment and give my thoughts about how technology will enter into the equation. 1:22 So stick around for the entire first segment. We've got a lot to talk about today. But before we get to that, as always, I'm interviewing some wonderful guests. 1:31 I will be talking to John Helvestine, the assistant professor at George Washington University and then I'm gonna wrap up the show with Peter Martin, the industrial performance consultant. 1:44 So he's gonna be back and we've got more to talk about. So let's get started. If we're going to talk about clean energy today, we need to start by talking about some of the recent news that's been out. 1:56 At the end of August, the Biden/Harris administration announced through the US Department of Energy, as we all know the DOE, that it is expanding state cleaning energy programs and accepting applications. 2:11 So for more than 40 years the US DOE State Energy Program has provided funding and technical assistance so to speak to states, US territories and even the District of Columbia. 2:26 Now state energy offices use state energy program funds also known as SEP funds to develop state plans. 2:36 Now if we look at this, the objective is basically to advance energy solutions through regional networks, state strategic energy planning, executive orders, legislative and local ordinance and management of local retrofits and even land use plans. 2:55 So there's a lot there. We wanna unpack all of that. So you might remember President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that was passed last November. 3:07 One component of it was to enable states to develop and implement a variety of clean energy programs and even projects. 3:17 Now we're beginning to see some of that come to fruition now, so it's really exciting when we talk about all of this. The State Energy Program is expanding formula grants to nearly 10 times of recent funding levels. 3:33 So there's a lot going on and it's happening all over. So this will allow states to ramp up their clean energy planning and deployment efforts. 3:43 So for this segment I'd like to kinda talk a little bit more about what is actually this means for everybody and to kinda understand it. So this funding can be used for a broad range of activities and projects. 3:58 So let's discuss a few of those now and give a few examples. So one example might be the installation of renewable energy systems and clean energy infrastructure. Now this is much needed and we can think about it. 4:14 We need it right now and I know most of you would agree with that. Another example could be innovative clean energy technology demonstration projects. 4:24 Now this can be a vast kind of many different types of projects when we think about it. We can also see energy efficiency upgrades or even what we might see as clean energy financing programs. 4:37 Now I love this example, critical planning for energy and workforce development programs. All of this kind of presents a huge opportunity to energy infrastructure in this country and the sky is the limit. 4:53 I always like to say that because it leaves us open for new and innovative ideas. I'm always eager to see what different states come up with, creative ideas. 5:04 It opens up new and innovative ideas for us to really reimagine what we can do. So in the past Maryland built solar canopies and electric vehicle charging stations in parking lots. 5:18 Over in Kentucky funds have helped repurpose mine lands as sites for solar energy generation. So how cool is that? 5:27 I mean just think about what they're doing and how creative different states are becoming in using these funds. So what opportunities would you like to see in your own state? 5:38 I think these are the things we have to talk about. The bottom line is there is now a huge opportunity for states to tap into this funding to do something really cool as I like to say for the environment. 5:54 What is it we want to do to improve our ecosystem? 5:58 We know we've talked about it so many times that we have to improve the environment in our ecosystem since the Industrial Revolution and now it's time to put this money to work.But there are a few things that have changed as a result of this announcement. 6:15 The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law further expands the scope of the SEP-supported activities by adding new elements states should include in their state energy conservation plans. 6:29 Now, these new elements include a requirement covering transmission and distribution planning. Now, that's important to know. 6:37 And optional activities focused on the promotion of demand response technology and transportation efficiency and electricity. So just take a moment and think about the opportunity that this presents. 6:55 Candidly, it won't be an easy feat to deliver such large projects quickly. Nothing happens overnight, and we have to really evaluate how we're going to deliver on what we're talking about here. 7:07 So we'll need to leverage technology if we want to deliver such projects in a timely manner. Timely is needed to make any of this happen. 7:18 So to address this, the DOE will also leverage funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to develop and deliver targeted technical assistance in states to help facilitate and amplify the impact of their SEP funding. 7:38 So this technical assistance strategy allows states to opt in to cohort-based assistance built around the initial set of key topics aligned with state and Biden-Harris administration priorities. 7:54 So we're talking about putting a lot of different things together. I always like to say it's a puzzle that we're trying to put all these pieces together. 8:02 So such priorities include transmission and distribution planning, system-wide planning for grid expansion. We're talking about modernization, clean energy technology integration. 8:16 So there's a lot there as we're unpacking all of this. State energy security plans, because we've got to make the security right and make it work. 8:24 Community energy planning, and of course, clean energy manufacturing planning. We've got to talk about manufacturing and making sure this all comes together. 8:34 So through these topic-based cohorts, states will invest portions of their SEP funding in related programs and projects. 8:43 They'll also receive hands-on technical assistance from DOE, including modeling and analytics support, peer convenings, and network opportunities. And there's a whole host of other things. 8:56 I mean, the list goes on and on and on. When you read all this, you see how complicated it is. That's why you need different people to help you sort through all this. 9:03 But it really opens the door to say how really cool all of this. And I use the word cool so much because it opens us up for, again, innovation and really imagining cutting-edge technologies that can really help. 9:16 So these cohorts will begin in 2023, and topics may change based on state input. 9:23 So we need each of the states to really talk about what they need, what they want, how they're going to leverage it, what they're going to do. So here's my kind of opinion for today. 9:33 And I know I've been talking a lot about my thoughts on this. 9:36 But candidly, if we can get these projects off the ground, the benefits will be significant to our businesses, to our families, to the environment, to our communities. We need to revitalize our communities. 9:51 And if this is the way we do it, and we get the young and the old to work together as mentors to think about this, we're really revitalizing a lot of different things. 10:00 So we've kind of reached the point where we have no other option for our environment. And this includes sparking communities to work together, states to work together. 10:12 And we've got to do it locally to think more statewide focused. And then we think of that global idea that we keep talking about. But we'll see the other benefits as well. We'll see new jobs and economic development. 10:26 And I think that's important. We've got to get more jobs going. We've got to see that people need to realize that they can come in and create new opportunities. And we've got to get people working. 10:37 And this economic development part of it is critical. We'll experience reduced energy costs and reduced pollution, right? 10:44 As we continue to see all this, we've got to figure out how all of this comes together, how it works together in sync, in tandem. And all in all, we'll be seeing all improvements. 10:55 When we talk about economic development, new jobs, you know, reducing energy costs, reducing pollution, it's all great improvements. So naturally, it comes at a cost. 11:07 And in terms of both time and money, in order to expedite it and to streamline it, we must turn to technology. We know that technology is the critical factor, but we've got to look at how is the ROI on this. 11:21 Everything now, technology is great, but we've got to look at the ROI. What's the return on investment to make all this happen? We need new innovation in our energy infrastructure today. So I think here's my tip. 11:34 Have a curious mind. That's what I want you to think. Be curious about this or collaborate with those who do. You know, I'm inviting all of you to work with me. Let's collaborate. Let's think about this. 11:47 We are at a place with energy that we need to start thinking more creatively. 11:52 We need to open up our hearts and minds to work with those we never thought we would or we haven't thought about it, but we need to think about it. We need to ask more questions. 12:03 We need to discover more innovative solutions. And the best way to do this is working with others who have a spirit for inquisitiveness.Think about that inquisitiveness. 12:17 We need to think about these cohorts, and this is what we need to do. We need to recognize problems that exist in our world and find solutions, but we need to do it together. The good news is, is there is now funding. 12:32 I mean, think about that. There's funding available to states to do something truly innovative. Now, I wanna raise this question. What steps will you take to make a difference in your own community? Who will you invite? 12:46 Don't let people just wait till they come to you. You've gotta invite them, encourage them, and then show them there's a return for their investment, their time. Offer them some incentive to be a part of this. 13:00 That's part of the challenge. There's now the money. Encourage people to use their mind, their inquisitiveness, and there's a return on their investment for doing this. And maybe that's part of the opportunity here. 13:11 The money's there. The sky is the limit for all of us, so that means you can reach for anything. 13:18 And we know that we're in a very tough economic time, but the government is putting forth some money for us to be able to do this, so that means you can reach for anything. We can do anything. All right. 13:29 Well, I guess I'm out of time. 13:30 As always, if you have thoughts with me that you'd like to talk about today, please send me a tweet to continue this discussion on social media at Connected World, or post something on LinkedIn. 13:41 I always have a post, and I wanna hear your thoughts. Let's engage. All right, listeners. That's all the time we have for this first segment, but stick around. We've got some great discussions today. 13:50 Please check out our website at connectedworld.com or our show website at thepeggySmedleyShow.com. Make sure to share and subscribe to our episodes each week. 14:00 And don't forget, we're gonna be right back after this commercial break. As always, this is The Peggy Smedley Show, your voice for our connected world. And remember, with great technology comes great responsibility. 14:10 We'll be right back after this commercial break. [upbeat music]
