Workshops
Sunday
Committee on Consumers and the Public Interest presents:
Poverty Simulation: What Roles Do and Can Regulators Play?
9:45-11:59 a.m. • Grand Ballroom 6
This unique event is an activity in which participants have the opportunity to experience some of the challenges facing low-income consumers and other vulnerable populations. Participants will be assigned the role of a "family member" and encounter obstacles as they go about their day trying to pay bills and deal with routine responsibilities. Participants must fully participate in the full two-hour simulation for results to be accurate.
Objectives of this poverty simulation include:
- Exploring factors impacting consumer decisions related to utility payments
- Increasing understanding about the numerous challenges and dueling priorities facing low-income consumers and vulnerable populations
- Identifying specific ways Commissions, utilities, and consumer advocates can collaborate to address these challenges as they relate to the affordability of utilities
Participants must be registered for the Summer Policy Summit and must commit to the full 2-hour session.
Committee on Critical Infrastructure presents:
Black Sky Exercise
12:30-5:00 p.m. • Grand Ballroom 5
Extreme, multi-regional “Black Sky” hazards—from severe weather to rapidly escalating cyber attacks—have the potential to disrupt essential lifeline services that put our Nation’s citizens in peril. Interdependencies of critical infrastructures and their supply chains magnify the disruptive effects. Exceptional levels of cross-sector collaboration are necessary to build resilience to these hazards.
This Black Sky Exercise is intended to introduce participants to the scale and scope of coordination and collaboration required across federal, state, and local governments, relief agencies, and private sector organizations to plan for and recover from large-scale, multi-sector, disruptions. The focus will be on the role of state public utility commissions before, during, and after a Black Sky event.
EIS Council, a world-recognized leader in Black Sky resilience planning, communications, and training, will facilitate discussion and interaction by participants to produce insights and lessons learned.
Participants must be registered for the Summer Policy Summit and must commit to the full 4.5-hour session.
Participants will be placed in teams and notified of pre-work assignments prior to arriving in Indianapolis.
Tuesday
Committee on Gas presents:
Renewable Natural Gas Working Lab
1:30 - 5:00 p.m. • Grand Ballroom 3 & 4
Under the auspices of the NARUC/DOE Natural Gas Infrastructure Modernization Partnership (NGIMP), the Committee on Gas will be hosting a Renewable Natural Gas Workshop. The Workshop will explore Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), pipeline-quality gas that is fully interchangeable with conventional or fossil natural gas. This educational Workshop will include an introduction to RNG, how it is made, where it can be used, and the market outlook, case studies of RNG projects, and discussion on different regulatory, policy and technology considerations and approaches necessary when developing RNG projects and transporting RNG to end-use customers.
This activity is open to all registered NARUC meeting attendees. Contact Kiera Zitelman, NARUC Senior Manager, at kzitelman@naruc.org for more information.
|
1:30 - 1:45 |
Introductory Remarks and Orientation to RNG Hon. Julie Brown, Florida Dan LeFevers, Director, State & Consumer Programs, Gas Technology Institute |
| 1:45 - 2:30 |
Understanding Real World Deployment of RNG through Case Studies As the RNG market continues to grow, this panel will explore the technical capability of renewable natural gas to meet market demand and will examine the potential role that RNG can play in meeting sustainability and emissions targets. The following panelists will discuss the growing market for RNG beyond just the transportation market and into direct use thermal applications. They will explore market decisions, various motivations to peruse RNG projects, RNG as a climate policy compliance tool, how buyers and sellers connect, and other questions. Moderator: Hon. Paul Kjellander, Idaho Panelists: Ryan Childress, Manager, Business Development, Dominion Energy Blaine Collison, Senior Vice President, David Gardiner and Associates Brian Jones, Senior Vice President, M.J. Bradley & Associates Emily O'Connell, Director, Energy Markets Policy, American Gas Association Jeff Stander, Senior Project Developer, Ameresco |
| 2:45 - 3:45 |
Connecting the Dots between Supply and Demand: Integrating RNG into a Safe, Reliable, and Efficient Pipeline Network Growing interest in RNG has led to questions for state regulators on how our current pipeline infrastructure may be affected by increasing RNG concentrations. Interconnecting RNG to the network requires coordination between project developers, utilities, and state regulators. This panel will explore issues related to RNG interconnection, including gas quality, integration, safety, and the efficient delivery of RNG to end users. Moderators: Hon. D. Ethan Kimbrel, Illinois Hon. Dianne Solomon, New Jersey Panelists: Jay Hopper, Vice President of Business Development, Aria Energy Stuart Nachmias, Vice President, Energy Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Con Edison Jamie Ormond, Public Utilities Regulatory Analyst, Renewable Natural Gas, California Public Utilities Commission (invited) Kristine Wiley, R&D Director, Gas Technology Institute |
| 4:00 - 5:00 |
Bringing the Renewable Heat: How Renewable Natural Gas Market Dynamics Are “Burning Up” Preconceived Notions of Traditional Regulatory Structures and Planning Joint panel with the Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment and the Committee on Water The speed at which RNG markets continue to move make it increasingly difficult to match with traditional notions of integrated resource planning, procurement, and cost effectiveness analytical frameworks. Not to mention, legislatures are warming up to the idea of renewable thermal portfolio standards, incentives, and carbon reduction strategies that continue to drive these markets into unchartered territory. This panel of experts will discuss how regulators can approach these market developments to ensure that their states are prepared to take advantage of this rapidly developing resource. Panelists will discuss strategies and tools that allow customers to take advantage of RNG offerings, including the developing voluntary and compliance markets. Moderators: Hon. Megan Decker, Oregon Hon. Mary-Anna Holden, New Jersey Panelists: Ben Gerber, Executive Director, Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System, Inc. Zach Kravitz, Director, Rates & regulatory Affairs, NW Natural Tanya Peacock, Public Policy and Planning Manager, Southern California Gas Company McKenzie Schwartz, Analyst, Gas Utility of the Future, National Grid |