Track Lead: Dr. Holmes Hummel, Clean Energy Works

Energy Efficiency Financing For All

Session A: 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. (Room 106)

Do you want to bring energy efficiency and renewable energy to everyone in your community without high costs or debt? Do you want to open the clean energy economy for all? Find out more about inclusive financing (also called Pay As You Save®) and how to implement it in your community.  Inclusive financing allows an utility to invest in energy efficiency upgrades that generate immediate net savings for customers.  It's an improvement to on-bill financing that eliminates upfront costs for cost-effective clean energy without a consumer debt obligation. With utilities in five states already showing compelling results, is it time to bring inclusive financing to New England?

Presenter: Dr. Holmes Hummel, Founder of Clean Energy Works

Getting to Carbon Neutral: A Look at Smith College’s Plans to be Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2030

Session A: 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. (Room 105)

Smith College's Director of Sustainability will provide a preview to SCAMP 2.0 -- the college's Sustainability and Climate Action Management Plan. He will discuss lessons learned from the College's first plan released in 2010 and how these are informing the latest approach.

Presenter: Dano Weisbord, Director of Sustainability, Smith College

Innovative Grassroots Strategies: Lessons From the Ground

Session B: 1:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. (Room 106)

In this session, you will hear from community organizers working on successful grassroots initiatives in New England, from weatherizing high energy cost remote homes to bringing garden education programs to security prisons. Our panelists will share key lessons learned from their programs and participants will leave with knowledge on how to bring these successful organizing strategies (or even the program itseld) to their community.

Facilitator: Ally Philip, New England Grassroots Environment Fund

Presenters: Brooks Winner, Island Institute; Vera Bowen, Garden Time; Worcester Roots

State-Level Programs that Drive Renewable Investment in Communities

Session B: 1:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. (Room 105)

Massachusetts has been a national leader in renewable energy over the past decade and one principal keys to that success has been progressive policy that drives market development and innovation. In this workshop, you’ll learn quickly how we’ve gotten to where we are today and current market and policy issues being addressed.  We will introduce the new UMass Clean Energy Extension and the mission and resource the extension brings to the state, and dive into a conversation around policies like carbon pricing and other collective action that communities can pursue to move towards 100% renewable energy for 100% of MA residents. 

Presenters: Dwayne Breger, Director of UMass Clean Energy Extension; River Strong, Market Development & Outreach, UMass Clean Energy Extension; Andrew Gordon, Legislative Coordinator, Better Future Project

Getting A Grant: Lessons From Funders

Session C: 2:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Room 106)

This interactive workshop will focus on "The 5 Fundamentals of Grant Seeking." We will dedicate time to 'making meaning' of your ask and looking at at what money can fix and what it can't. Participants will leave with a better understanding for how to pitch a project, honing in on key elements of the work and how that connects to making a clear ask.

Presenters: Bart Westdjik,  New England Grassroots Environment Fund; Eric Phelps, RAINMAKER Consulting

State of Local Energy in New England - Policy Panel

Session C: 2:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Room 105)

Learn about the current policy landscape that impacts and supports the clean energy environment that we all work within. We’ll provide an overview of some of the different policies and incentives in New England states and discuss what we can learn from the policies in our neighbor states, and where there are similarities and opportunities to collaborate across the region.

Facilitator: Carol Oldham, Massachusetts Climate Action Network

Presenters:  Joel Wool, Clean Water Action; Melissa Everett, Clean Water Action; Brooks Winner, Island Institute