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This episode is made in partnership with Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions. In this season of Beyond the Meter, we’re taking a closer look at the meaningful impact renewable energy projects have on the world around us. In this episode, host John Failla is joined by Darrell Booker, Corporate Affairs Specialist leading the Nonprofit Tech Acceleration Program for Black and African American Communities (NTA) at Microsoft Philanthropies, Cheryl Comer, Senior Strategic Account Manager - Duke Energy, and Tracy Woods, VP, Operations - American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE), to talk about their collaborative efforts on the recently created Diversity In Clean Energy (DiCE) initiative. DiCE, a program to advance equity in clean energy, is an initiative sponsored by Duke Energy’s Strategic Account Management Program. Listen in to learn more about the progress being made to promote diversity in the energy industry. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... AABE’s current activities and work [07:37] Microsoft’s Nonprofit Tech Acceleration Program [16:26] Duke Energy’s Diversity in Clean Energy (DiCE) Program and NTA for Black and African American Communities at Microsoft Philanthropies [20:39] The benefit of effective collaboration [25:26] The roles of the organizations in DiCE [36:46] The potential of the new DiCE | AABE platform [44:17] Making America stronger through diversity [51:54] The American Association of Blacks in Energy For nearly 45 years, the American Association of Blacks in Energy (ABBE) has focused on energy policy and the impact of those policies on communities of color. They work on policies and professional development to ensure that their members can be cultural ambassadors in the communities where they live and work. AABE receives many calls from employers seeking diverse talent. To serve this need, they provide scholarships and programs for high school and middle school students interested in careers in the energy field, job postings through their newly revamped Career Center, and numerous programs like Black Energy Awareness Month. The Diversity in Clean Energy (DiCE) Initiative  DiCE is a program sponsored by Duke Energy to drive visibility and open doors of opportunity for diverse suppliers in the clean energy field. At Duke Energy, DE&I (diversity, equity, and inclusion) is a business imperative inspiring how they work with employees, customers and their communities. They’re taking intentional action for the good of both the community and business. The idea for DiCE was sparked by a request from T-Mobile via their Energy and Sustainability Program Manager, Amy Bond, who asked Cheryl what Duke Energy was doing to identify, train, track and utilize diverse suppliers. This question inspired Cheryl to open the conversation to her other strategic accounts, as she knew they would all benefit from this conversation around diversity, equity, inclusion, and how that relates to clean energy. Through these discussions, she realized that there was ample opportunity, interest and need for the resources supported by the DiCE initiative. Collaboration in the energy industry The energy industry is in the midst of a massive transformation. As one of the largest utilities in the United States, Duke Energy has an obligation to provide reliable, affordable, and increasingly cleaner energy to customers and communities. One of the most efficient ways to initiate change is by cross-industry leaders coming together, pooling resources, and solving complex problems.  While many corporations realize that they want to work with diverse suppliers, they don’t know where to start. The ultimate goal of the DiCE | AABE platform is to facilitate the inclusion of diverse suppliers into mainstream corporate supply chains and to eliminate systemic barriers. Everyone in this collaboration has something different to bring to the table: Duke Energy has the means, AABE has the connections, and Micr

In this episode of Beyond the Meter, host John Failla is joined by Terri Dalmer, Vice President of Solar Business Development at CleanChoice Energy, and Owen Grant, Business Development Manager at Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions. They discuss the broad impact community solar can have on businesses and diverse communities nationwide. You won’t want to miss the insights and reflections they have to share from their over 30 years of experience. This episode is made in partnership with Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... Growth of community solar [03:52] Massachusetts’ Rowtier project [08:27] Duke Energy and CleanChoice [11:28] Requirements unique to Massachusetts [13:29] What involved Duke Energy in solar? [15:35] The benefits of community solar projects [19:25] The future of community solar [24:23] What is community solar? Community solar consists of facilities that produce less than five megawatts of electrical capacity. It allows residents, small businesses, and other organizations, such as municipalities, to receive credit on their electricity bills for the power produced by these solar arrays. It differs from residential solar in that it is an off-site project with no financial investment from a consumer and serves multiple levels of subscriber offtake.  The impressive growth of solar is due to the diligent policy work at the state level, where legislation is being supported to expand the renewable market. The dynamics of state programs are a significant influence on solar’s success. Currently, about 19 states and DC have a wide variety of programs. Some of the newest markets coming on board currently are Virginia, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania. Solar is a dynamic and growing market that offers a lot of opportunities. Community solar projects in Massachusetts Massachusetts provides an excellent opportunity to work on ground-mount, front-of-meter projects. A nice feature of the Massachusetts program is that these projects can be operated either as community solar or by directly selling electricity to utility companies. Duke Energy found this quite an attractive project, deciding that the community solar route made more sense financially. That’s how Duke came to work with CleanChoice as a subscription management company to bring in small customers. Duke Energy and CleanChoice Duke Energy is a best-in- class company, so they needed a best-in-class collaborator to help with their community solar pilot project. They’ve been pleased with the relationship with CleanChoice and their ability to help Duke Energy navigate the ins and outs of the community solar program’s SMART (Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target) element as well as the utility coordination. Together they’ve created a model project that other companies should consider. One of the values of Duke Energy is serving its communities. With community solar, the benefits are kept local. It’s an opportunity for both the small and large customers in a community to participate in the project. Having a large anchor tenant allows the project to open up to customers that might not otherwise be qualified to participate in a solar project. The local element of these projects provides a kind of equity of access to renewables as part of the energy transition. Resources & People Mentioned Solar Energy Industries Association: SEIA Alternative On-Bill Credit FAQ April 2019 Connect With Our Guests Terri Dalmer - Vice President of Solar Business Development at CleanChoice Energy Terri Dalmer is Vice President of Solar Business Development at CleanChoice Energy, responsible for overseeing a community solar management services portfolio as well evaluating market expansion opportunities and partnerships with solar as it relates to both management services and project development. Ms. Dalmer has over 20 years of experience in the energy and commodities fields with sales roles at Morgan Stanley and Con

This episode is made in partnership with Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions.  In this season of Beyond the Meter, we’re taking a closer look at the meaningful impact renewable energy projects have on the world around us. Industry guests discuss how their cleaner energy transitions are driving change, both within their organization and the larger community. Our guest for this episode is Diana Kotler, Executive Director at Anaheim Transportation Network. Host John Failla and Diana discuss one of the hottest topics in the industry: fleet electrification. Diana has extraordinary insights and experience on the topic that we’re excited to share. Listen in to learn more. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... The drivers for Anaheim Transportation Network [04:00] The community and social benefits of electrification [10:01] Anaheim’s transportation fleet [13:57] Community reactions to electric transportation [15:50] The infrastructure needed for electrification [18:06] The benefit of microgrids [25:52] Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions’s role in Anaheim [28:45] Obstacles in expansion [31:12] The finances of electrification [39:01] Early motivation for electrification Diana is from Southern California, which is known to have the worst air quality in the nation. To ensure that the air remains liveable and breathable, the City of Anaheim had to find alternatives to fossil fuels. They looked to electrification in order to improve air quality and ensure that their developments would allow the city to continue to depend on tourism and convention business. This combined approach created the opportunity to generate local revenues and taxes, which, in turn, provide services to the community. Interestingly, while the electrification effort in Anaheim started with a focus on air quality and health benefits, most organizations today are getting involved because of the need to decarbonize operations. While they did discuss fossil fuels and reduced carbon footprint, those were just peripheral discussions at the time. Diane says it doesn’t matter so much where the emphasis is placed, as long as the work provides a better environment for future generations.  Community impact Anaheim is on its way to becoming the largest operator of electric buses in Southern California. The city is also beginning to integrate some twelve-passenger electric vans into the fleet for on-demand services that don’t require as much capacity as a bus. They also have 10 slow-speed smaller vehicles that operate in neighborhoods connecting schools, libraries, and eateries downtown. Altogether the city serves about 10 million passengers annually. The service for the smaller vehicles is called FRAN: Free Rides Around the Neighborhood. It is based in the Colony district of the city, which is rooted in tradition and history. When FRAN was introduced in the neighborhood, it was an immediate success. As FRAN began to go deeper into the neighborhoods, people started asking when it could serve this park or that area. People were fighting to have FRAN serve their community. While capacity declined due to the pandemic, service is slowly but surely being reinstated. Overcoming challenges in electrification The technical expertise and guidance of Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions has been immeasurably valuable to the City of Anaheim. DESS had the in-depth experience connecting a public sector participant with private capital that the city didn’t have the reach to achieve. Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions supports operations and ensures that the infrastructure is robust. The partnership of Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions and the City of Anaheim means that the Anaheim Transportation Network operates not only today but also twenty years into the future. As more vehicles are added to Anaheim’s fleet, infrastructure needs to adapt. For example, if the city were to switch to another bus manufacturer, the charging technology and chargers wou

This episode is made in partnership with Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions.  Municipalities across the U.S. experience any number of challenges when building infrastructure projects and energy solutions, but one of the biggest is building with future needs in mind. The issues of resilience and sustainability are front and center in this undertaking, and the guests on this episode are on the front lines of the fight. Join John Failla of Smart Energy Decisions as he hosts a conversation about resilience and sustainability, with his guests Ann Kloose, City of Fresno Manager of Sustainability; Whit Remer, City of Tampa Sustainability and Resilience Officer; and Michael Kilpatrick, Key Segment Manager for State and Local Governments at Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... Ann’s past experience and role in the City of Fresno [1:54] Whit’s past experience and role with the City of Tampa [3:23] Michael’s past experience and role with Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions [5:16] How does resiliency play into an overall sustainability plan? [6:19] What is happening in municipalities across the U.S. [9:51] How infrastructure can be designed in adaptable and user-friendly ways [16:55] The biggest challenges in building future-ready projects [26:54] Unifying stakeholders around common goals [31:21] Specific projects happening in Fresno and Tampa [33:56] Trends being seen across the United States [40:49] How social equity figures into resiliency [43:33] How do Resiliency and Sustainability work together? In Whit Remer’s view, resiliency is the top-line of any sustainability plan. It requires looking at the shocks and stressors that affect the community being served. He says the acronym, E.S.G. — the Environmental, Social, and Governance measurement of energy solutions — is a helpful way to remember what resiliency is all about. Sustainability comes into the picture when the Environmental area is considered. How can we take care of the water, land, and air in a community? A good resiliency plan should include sustainability initiatives to ensure that the provision of energy for the community is not damaging the area, and in fact, is helping to improve the community. There’s a “Resiliency Movement” happening in municipalities across the U.S. Michael Kilpatrick has the opportunity to see and hear what a variety of communities across the U.S. are doing to increase both the resiliency and sustainability of their energy solutions. He says that in the past, the two were often not tied together. But things are changing now, due to the impacts of COVID and a growing realization that sustainability and resilience support each other. This new approach is benefiting communities across the nation. Community-wide, resiliency is simply defined as improving the quality of life across the entire population. As an example, the design of streets has an amazing impact on a community. Do they include protected bike lanes? Are they complete and well maintained? Are they aesthetically pleasing? Do they include walking trails or sidewalks as part of their design? These factors and many others create vibrant, connected neighborhoods that provide access to businesses, community features, and public services conveniently and easily. The biggest challenges when building future-ready projects It’s impossible to predict the future, but municipalities have been attempting to wisely forecast future needs when planning infrastructure and improvements. But working to meet future needs doesn’t happen without challenges. Communities around the nation are finding common roadblocks such as… Communicating effectively about budgetary and timeline needs for large scale projects such as solar arrays Many governments still operate in “siloed” ways, with each department competing with the others for budget, resources, etc., when the real need is for cooperation and coordination between

Environmental, Social, and Governance factors (ESG's) refer to a set of standards that socially conscious investors use to screen potential investments. ESG's are increasing in importance and many companies are looking to ESGs to guide sustainability decisions and to prove their sustainability commitment to customers and stakeholders.  Join us for this episode as Cari Boyce, Katherine Neebe, and Doug Esamann join host John Failla to discuss the steps Duke Energy has taken in the adoption and implementation of ESGs in moving toward its sustainability goals. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... Introducing this episode’s guests and their experience with renewable energy [2:01] Why Katherine chose to move from Walmart to join Duke Energy [5:30] What is ESG investing and why is it of such importance these days? [10:01] Duke’s 20-year history in sustainability planning and its current goals [18:20] To what degree are ESG goals a business imperative for energy companies? [29:39] The role energy storage and emerging tech will play in Duke’s ESG picture [42:16] Collaboration is key in the energy transition [50:01] The role of investment in moving forward in a greener, cleaner way [53:13] A closer look at the role of ESG in corporate responsibility ESG refers to how a company performs in these three key areas: Environmental criteria: how does the company perform in terms of its ecological and environmental responsibility to the community? Social criteria: how does the company manage relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and the communities where it operates? Governance: how does a company’s leadership, executive pay, audits, internal controls, and shareholder rights operate? Companies that navigate trends in the ESG space tend to outperform companies that ignore those trends. For that reason, ESG's should be a core consideration to a company’s strategy and fundamental to the way the company does business. Sustainability has been a core value at Duke Energy for 20 years Duke Energy, being a major electricity provider, sees itself as a major contributor to the well-being and fulfillment of the people who live in the communities it serves. As a result, the team at Duke has learned to listen to stakeholders, customers, and investors to know what’s important to everyone. The company also pays close attention to the environmental needs and impact of any projects it is involved with. When it comes to ESG goals, Duke’s emphasis tends to be more on environmental aspects since it is a company that impacts the environment directly by virtue of what it supplies. But the social and governance aspects are just as important. The challenges are many; among them are the pressures to “green” their energy supply while doing it in ways that are affordable for customers. The Duke team is committed to continuing the search for the right balance and proper perspective to make it possible to do both. It’s imperative for companies like Duke to focus on ESG goals As the demand for ESG consideration increases from investors and customers alike, Duke Energy is proving themselves to be a leader in the field. Emerging energy technologies like solar and wind are options customers want to have as energy options, and Duke is providing them. As proof of its commitment in these areas, to-date, Duke has retired more coal-based power plants than any other industry player and by 2030 Duke will no longer be producing energy via coal within the Carolinas. In Indiana (which is considered “coal country”) it will only be 10 to 15 years before coal-based energy production is no more for Duke. As a result of these commitments, the carbon intensity Duke is serving to its customers is some of the lowest in the country. Though many who are driving the renewable energy transition want Duke and other energy suppliers to make this transition more quickly, it’s an issue where goals have to be pursued

We’ve all heard of the new electric vehicles that Tesla and other manufacturers are producing, but when you look at electric vehicles from a broader fleet perspective, the possibilities for reducing carbon emissions long-term are exciting! The Smart Energy Decisions team believes this issue of fleet and public transportation conversion to be a key component in moving the energy transition forward, so this conversation was especially interesting to us.   Our guests on this episode are Catherine Kummer, Climate Advisor for the American Cities Climate Challenge to the City of Charlotte, NC, and Michael Luhrs, Vice President of Market Strategy and Solutions for Duke Energy. Speaking from their unique positions, each of them provides a wonderful perspective on the issues driving the move toward fleet and public transportation electrification, how it’s being accomplished on the ground, how the issue impacts corporations, and what role utilities like Duke are playing in making the transition possible. It’s exciting to hear what’s happening and what is projected to happen in the years to come. Don’t miss this enlightening and encouraging conversation.   You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...   Catherine Kummer’s background in renewable energy and transportation [1:44] Michael Luhrs’ work with clean energy and energy efficiency at Duke Energy [2:39] What is driving interest in electric vehicle pilot programs in cities? [3:42] The key drivers of corporate initiatives to create electrified fleets [11:06] Why utilities are embracing the move toward electrification of vehicles [13:47] Reasons cities and businesses believe electrification of vehicles is essential [17:57] Why the total cost of ownership makes the Electric Vehicle (EV) transition a total win [22:28] The role utilities need to play in the EV transition [33:21] Barriers to making the EV switch and how to overcome them [43:55] Looking 3 to 5 years into the future when it comes to vehicle electrification [49:50]   Charlotte, NC is leading the charge in electrifying its fleets   When asked what is fueling the drive behind the electrification of municipality fleets and public transportation, Catherine says that, quite honestly, it’s the cities themselves. As the Climate Advisor for the City of Charlotte, NC she has a front-row seat to the initiatives that the City Hall and City Council are taking in this important step toward the smart energy transition.    The city of Charlotte has implemented an aggressive public education campaign surrounding its clean energy goals, which include community outreach and engagement via many platforms. The city has also put into place two new policies that support electrification goals. These come directly from their Strategic Energy Action plan and aim to entirely electrify the city's fleet by 2030. Currently, as part of that plan, they are working toward the addition of 27 electric vehicles to their light-duty fleet, at an investment of over $740,000, which would make 42 total electric vehicles for the city. The city is also ensuring that the charging infrastructure required is part of that expansion. It’s cities like Charlotte that are leading the way nationwide.   Corporate & utility drivers toward electrification of vehicles   When it comes to why corporations are moving toward the electrification of their vehicles, Michael puts it best when he says it's about sustainability and efficiency — or being clean and cost-effective. Duke Energy has recognized that its constituents are taking on the mantle of the renewable energy transition. With that, corporations are adapting to provide the value to their customers that they want and need. A significant benefit can also be derived from the cost savings involved when implementing electric vehicles. Maintenance, fuel expenditures, noise and emissions pollution, and more go into these savings.    Utilities see the fundamental shi

Institutes of higher education are large consumers of energy. From the lights and heat that are needed to keep students and faculty comfortable enough to learn effectively, to the equipment, technology, and staff required to keep things running, the expense is enormous. But for those same reasons, these institutions have a tremendous opportunity to push forward the move toward sustainable energy solutions, which will result in a cleaner environment and better future, and cost savings for them. Today, three guests from the realm of higher education join John for a frank conversation about the overall challenges faced by institutions of higher learning when it comes to renewable energy. Join John and his guests, Bill Guerrero of Ithaca College, Dennis Elliot of Cal Poly, and Wayne Johnson of Duke Energy for this enlightening conversation.   You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... The experience and background of our guests, leaders in Higher Education [0:55] A big-picture view: Energy management and sustainability in Higher Education [7:24] Some of the most productive investments in energy efficiency [16:38] The role of resiliency in energy solutions for Higher Education [24:12] How to pay for the improvements needed [32:56] Master Plans enable colleges & universities to plan toward sustainable energy There are vast differences in the way institutes of higher education make decisions and implement them when it comes to the capital improvements required to move toward sustainable and energy-efficient solutions for their campuses. The predominant way these institutions move the needle is through the inclusion of sustainability initiatives within the university or college’s Master Plan. These plans are revisited and revamped often because the situation on school campuses is changing all the time. New needs arise and circumstances demand new approaches. It’s a perfect opportunity to move their energy usage toward sustainable solutions. This conversation highlights the approach two leaders in higher education have taken when it comes to renewable energy improvements on campus. Cal Poly and Ithaca College have both focused on integrating sustainable energy improvements into their Master Planning process, with one of those schools even creating an independent energy Master Plan due to the increased importance of the issue. The issue of resiliency is of paramount importance for higher education The wildfires that have raged across California in 2020 illustrate one of the many reasons colleges and universities need to build resiliency into their energy procurement solutions. Cal Poly discovered that their energy solution was inadequate as a result of the fires. The institution relied on a sole provider and delivery mechanism that was endangered by the wildfires. The impact of a power loss is massive to facilities, educational systems, remote learning, and more. To address these issues, many opportunities exist to ensure power is not disrupted and education continues. Regional transmission systems with various substations are one solution, as are generators use in a synchronized fashion. On-site batteries can be used to implement load-shifting during peak energy consumption hours, and larger schools are looking into microgrids, co-generation, and combined heat and power sources.   The most effective ways to fund energy improvements The COVID pandemic of 2020 has shown all of us that the economic conditions we enjoy one day may be in jeopardy the next. It’s an example of how various crises can shift the focus of an organization or institution to new areas, and environmental sustainability goals could be a regrettable casualty when this occurs. Add to that, the fact that many colleges face serious asset replacement issues shortly. 80% of schools surveyed say they plan on funding those capital improvements through increased enrollment, but because of the pandemic, full enrollment is not expected to

While many people know Kroger as the nation’s largest traditional food retailer, few know that they are effectively the fifth largest consumer packaged goods manufacturer in the nation and have more than 2800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names. In this episode, we learn that Kroger is committed to protecting people and the planet by advancing positive change in their company and communities and realizing that they could have multiple environmental and social impacts through their own operations, through the supply chain, and in other areas. Zero Hunger, Zero Waste is what Kroger named their social impact plan to end hunger in their communities and to eliminate waste in their company by 2025. This plan was launched in September of 2017 and was inspired by their purpose to feed the human spirit. They are always looking to the future and have recently announced their new, and very ambitious, 2030 ESG Goals. Joining Smart Decisions Founder John Failla for this closer look are Kroger’s Lisa Zwack, Head of Sustainability, and Denis George, Category Manager – Energy.    You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [1:58] A brief scope & scale of Kroger and Lisa & Denis’ roles and responsibilities [5:00] Drivers and commitments related to Kroger’s sustainability and energy management [8:30] Drivers behind Kroger’s energy programs [10:50] Safety and quality are paramount [12:30] The role that investor interest has played [20:45] More about Kroger’s approach to Climate Impact [25:08] Two key ideas for  getting store-level associates to buy into the idea of saving energy [29:17] the La Habra Baking Project [34:01] What role, both internally and externally, do you see relationships playing in pursuit of your ESG goals? [41:45] What is unique about Kroger’s relationship with Duke Energy? [43:57] Talk about the future and where things are headed Stakeholder/Investor Engagement Stakeholder engagement is a great way for Kroger to learn what their key internal and external stakeholders think about what they are doing and what they think Kroger should be doing moving forward. Kroger engages with its stakeholders through its materiality assessment early in the year. It is a great focused opportunity to get input from their various stakeholders, investors, NGOs, and any number of people outside of the company as well as inside the company. Kroger wants to hear what is most important to their leaders as well. Investors are a key audience. There is increased investor interest in how companies are managing climate risk and climate impact and how they are reducing energy usage and moving to more renewables and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Kroger is generally always trying to increase and improve the amount of transparency that they use when they talk to their stakeholders as they know that they are trying to get more decision-useful information for their purposes of making investments in different companies. Kroger prides itself on being very in tune with what investors are looking for and being responsive to that. They also took part in a qualitative climate risk assessment late last year. Kroger assesses and manages risk as a company overall, but this assessment was a great foray into the more dedicated climate risk assessment process, which is something else investors are looking for companies to do.  Historically Driven by Expense Savings Twenty-some years ago, when Denis started with the company, they were more “Zero Energy, Zero Waste” before they were “Zero Hunger, Zero Waste.” Denis states that if they can fulfill their mission to their customers by using less energy, that is just a smart way to operate a business. They learned long ago that through energy efficiency they could achieve that very quickly and very uniformly. They have also found that one can achieve cost reduction in many other ways - through contract negotiations, better rates from utilities, items o

Most of us live day to day in our city of choice without giving much thought to the infrastructure and services that living in the city provides. But when a natural disaster or outage happens, we immediately recognize that vitally important things were going on behind the scenes that we benefit from directly. This episode highlights the steps the city of Greensboro, NC has taken to begin its “Smart City” initiative, which includes a number of renewable energy approaches. You’ll enjoy hearing from three officials from the city of Greensboro and how their varied roles provide unique looks at the challenges of becoming a Smart City. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... The guests on this episode and their role in energy & renewables [0:58] How Greensboro started its “Smart City” journey [4:48] The overview of Greensboro’s energy management evolution [9:01] Greensboro’s actions compared to other municipalities [12:59] The consequences associated with power outages for cities [18:08] How does resiliency intersect with renewable energy sources? [26:25] Greensboro’s kiosk program: why it was created and what it’s accomplished [28:43] How Duke and other energy suppliers can partner toward renewables [33:46] Prioritizing investments in smart city and renewable energy projects [35:41] Are energy-as-a-service programs helpful for municipalities? [40:10] Emerging priorities for cities and the communities they serve [47:17] The Smart City journey the City of Greensboro is on The city of Greensboro, North Carolina started its journey to becoming a Smart City when neighboring cities began working on fiber installations. Greensboro’s leadership began investigating its own options for fiber installations since high-speed data connections are foundational to the technology needed to implement Smart City approaches. From there, many additional developments have come about. In their current approach, the city’s leaders are continuing to ask, “How can we leverage the Smart Cities approach for growth and economic development?” Some of the initiatives they’ve implemented so far are the city’s smart connected corridor, which includes informational kiosks visitors can use to find out about the city, locate destinations, and connect with public transportation. Find out more by listening to this conversation!  Why resiliency is vital for municipalities like Greensboro The situation in Greensboro mirrors the reality of many municipalities around the nation. For Greensboro, 30 out of 80 facilities are emergency-related, so when the power for the city experiences a disruption, there’s not only a dollar impact, it can also create a logistics nightmare. A tornado a few years ago made it abundantly clear that resiliency for the city’s power grid was of the utmost importance. Greensboro’s CIO, Jane Nickels says that if the data center goes down, everything in the city shuts down, and it would take days to get the data center back up. For that reason one of the resiliency measures they are adopting is a migration of everything possible to the cloud. As well, all projects — Smart City related or not — have resiliency in mind. From the creation of “battery buses” to the use of solar power to charge them, the city is well on the way to making its power needs resilient. How Greensboro pursues financing through partnerships  City budgets are not known for being lavish and the budget in Greensboro is no exception. The city had no budget at all set aside for Smart City initiatives when the idea came to the forefront, so those leading the charge had to look for partners. When they keep their ears open to what’s going on in the city and do the legwork of discovering what projects are slated by other companies, they can often find ways to attach a Smart City initiative to that project. These are collaborations that enable them to leverage Smart City ideas into the projects other organiza

Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy were each crisis situations in their own right and one of the sectors impacted that brought the issue of power resilience to the forefront was healthcare. It’s easy to see how life and death are on the line when power outages or disruptions impact a care facility. Join host, John Failla as he speaks with Eric Bennett of Duke Energy and Matt Stiene of Novant Healthcare as they discuss the current state of resiliency in healthcare systems, the challenges faced in becoming more resilient, and what the future may hold. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... The role and responsibilities of today’s guests [1:12] Resiliency is an important consideration for the healthcare sector [3:05] How does compliance impact the application of resilient measures? [7:27] The unique challenges to adopting new technologies in light of regulations [10:16] Utilizing partnerships to move redundant systems and projects forward [19:11] Energy management budgets and the challenges organizations face [21:47] Guidelines Novant uses to consider financing renewable energy structures [28:35] The greatest challenges in resiliency management going forward [31:33] What’s next for Novant and the healthcare industry in terms of energy? [36:45] Healthcare resilience can easily be an issue of life and death Life support and medical systems of all kinds that are typical to health systems require power to operate. Those in charge of running healthcare facilities and those responsible for their construction have to think through how to provide that power in an uninterrupted fashion so that patient care is not compromised. Matt Stiene shares how Novant Healthcare is committed to multiple sources of power for its facilities, with secondary systems many times taking the form of backup generators that can power entire facilities for long periods if needed. But even so, the desire to move toward sustainable sources of energy is becoming a greater consideration. Listen to hear how Novant is addressing these challenges and how the healthcare sector is doing at addressing the energy challenges it faces.  The application of microgrids promises great potential for healthcare The latest statistics reveal that the healthcare industry is the 5th largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world. With the amount of power required for the average healthcare facility, that shouldn’t be a surprising figure. But given that healthcare should be focused on overall health, including how health is impacted by the environment, those figures are dominant on the radar of many senior leaders in the healthcare sector.  Microgrid solutions, built on-sight as power backups are one option being pursued. Two of Novant’s facilities only have one primary service available either in terms of the source the power comes from or in the means of delivery the provider employs. An on-sight battery storage facility is one microgrid option the organization is pursuing in those situations. Matt admits that due to the limitations of how battery systems work, it’s not a long-term fix but could allow for uninterrupted operations for a significant time while getting the facility’s primary power systems back online. How do renewables fit into the resiliency picture? Healthcare organizations are taking a closer look at renewable energy these days. That’s because leaders in the industry see it as their responsibility to contribute to the overall health of those in their communities, not just to the acute or responsive care that’s typically provided in a healthcare facility. For Novant, the mission of “Improving the health of our communities one person at a time” is taken very seriously and sustainability figures into that. He says that the internal pressure to move toward sustainable sources of energy is growing and also says that the communities they serve are expressing growing concern about the issue as well.  But the metri

Lower emissions are one of the many goals being set by corporations across the country to reduce their carbon footprint and exercise corporate responsibility. Naturally, every company has its own unique set of hurdles to overcome in setting and attaining such goals. In this conversation Amy Bond, Energy and Sustainability Program Manager at Sprint explains how Sprint started looking into what it could do to procure energy from renewable sources back in 2008, but nothing fit their situation at that time. Fast forward to 2018 and it’s an entirely different story. Join Smart Energy Decisions Founder, John Failla as he speaks to Amy about Sprint’s journey. Joining the conversation is Scott Macmurdo, Business Development Director at Duke Energy, Sprint’s partner in its recent Virtual Power Purchase Agreement. Outline of This Episode [0:33] John’s introduction of this conversation from the 2019 Renewable Energy Sourcing Forum [1:20] Amy Bond’s big announcement: Sprint’s first PPA with Duke Energy Renewables [4:20] The beginning of Sprint’s journey, the SED conference in Austin, TX [6:20] Starting on the journey with no overarching climate goals [8:09] Internal and practical obstacles faced in getting the deal done [12:36] Explaining the opportunity across departments [15:17] Key things corporate buyers should be thinking about [21:13] How the CEO was enlisted as an ally early in the process Sprint’s first Power Purchase Agreement in partnership with Duke Energy Renewables At the recent 2019 Renewable Energy Sourcing Forum, Amy shared the culmination of Sprint’s journey for the first time. It’s a 12 year Virtual Power Purchase Agreement that Duke Energy has put together. Duke will build and operate a 182-megawatt wind farm in West Texas and Sprint will purchase 95% of the output from the facility for use in its facilities. Amy says that amount us almost 30% of Sprint’s entire energy consumption. But please understand, Sprint did not come to this place overnight. Their journey toward sustainability goals that made sense for them as a company was begun in 2008. Ten years later, it’s finally coming to fruition.  Ten years of trying, iterating, and striving to come to renewable energy success Sprint first launched its environmental goals in 2008 and hoped to meet them by 2017. One of those goals was to acquire 10% of the company’s energy from alternative sources by 2017. Those goals were not met. The first option the company considered was the purchase of hydrogen fuel cell racks in 2008. The project proved to be impractical from a cost perspective.  The first VPPA Sprint ever considered came in 2014, but again the economics didn’t make sense at the time. But Amy says that the unexpected by-product that came from those efforts was that an internal renewable energy team was assembled, so when 2018 came around all of those team members were still with the company and were still interested in working toward a way to reduce emissions as a company. This gave them a jump start on moving projects forward once the costs were more aligned with their goals and needs. Sprint had no overarching climate goals - but engaged with renewable energy anyway The goals Sprint generated back in 2008 were never realized. When Amy came to see that the practical and financial limitations previously experienced were no longer the case, she began pitching the idea to key stakeholders right away. Through months of discussion and hard work, the team cooperated with Duke Energy Renewables to put a plan in place that everyone involved could sign off on. Notice something important - Sprint had no renewable energy goals in place at the time but the company was able to move forward anyway. Don’t let any perceived lack in your renewable energy policy or goals hold you back from moving to reduce emissions for your company. You can do it! Key things for corporate buyers to be thinking about When looking at a potential VPPA deal,

More and more companies are making corporate sustainability pledges - and it’s a good thing. Corporations are some of the largest consumers of energy in the world. When these companies take steps to reduce their carbon footprint by procuring their energy from renewable sources, they have a significant impact on the overall environmental issues our world is facing.  This conversation inspires hope because it illustrates how a communication industry giant is leading the way in the sustainability movement. That company is AT&T. Guests on this episode are Shannon Carroll, Director of Global Environmental Sustainability at AT&T, and Scott Macmurdo, Business Development Director at Duke Energy Renewables. Their companies recently partnered on a renewable energy project that illustrates the kind of steps that can and should be taken by companies large and small. You will enjoy this conversation. Outline of This Episode [1:01] The background of each guest in the sustainability arena [8:09] The role corporate sustainability goals have in driving asset sourcing [12:37] The involvement of the C-suite in sustainability pledges [17:18] Who are the main stakeholders in the AT&T pledge toward sustainability? [21:36] AT&T’s journey in renewable energy sourcing [27:26] The anatomy of a renewable energy purchase [34:40] The challenges that had to be overcome in the recent Duke / AT&T deal [40:15] What’s the future of renewable energy hold? The AT&T 10X Goal for environmental responsibility and sustainability When it comes to corporate sustainability pledges, AT&T has set the bar pretty high. Not only are they committed to lowering their own operational carbon footprint as much as possible they are also committed to enabling their customers to reduce their carbon footprint as well. That’s where the 10X Goal for Environmentally Responsibility and Sustainability comes in. The AT&T pledge is this: We’ve set a goal to enable carbon savings 10 times the footprint of our operations by 2025. We’re calling this our 10x Carbon Reduction Goal, or more simply, our “10x” Goal. To meet the goal, we’re making our network more efficient and we’re working with our customers to deploy technology that can help reduce GHG emissions, save water, and more. AT&T is also teaming up with companies to measure the GHG emissions reduction of specific products. The AT&T energy team worked with experienced third party consultants in the renewable energy space to come up with the strategy and then put it into place officially. Listen to this discussion to learn how they made it happen. The fastest and most significant way to reduce your company’s carbon footprint In recent years we’ve seen record rates of sustainability goals by corporations. Not coincidentally, we’ve also begun to see record levels of corporate renewable energy procurement. Simply put, companies are taking the initiative to sidestep traditional forms of carbon-based energy to use renewable energy instead. Undoubtedly, this is the best way to dramatically draw-down on a company's CO2 footprint in the least amount of time. As explained by the guests on this episode, there are a handful of things companies could do to be true to their commitment to corporate sustainability. Some of the solutions are: Moving toward energy efficiency The build-out of renewable energy sources of their own Changing gas-powered fleet vehicles to electric While good and needed steps, in most cases, these are not the way to create a significant change in a short amount of time. Then how are they doing it? Through large-scale renewable energy procurements. Think of it as the largest “ROE” - return on effort. Limited resources demand the biggest bang for the buck - which is accomplished through switching energy sourcing to large scale solar or wind projects. Goal alignment and good communication drive corporate sustainability efforts As the AT&T team began to make efforts to reduce the com