Greetings!
Welcome to our community of leaders where we are advancing solutions for a more sustainable world.

We are excited that we will soon be opening the nominations for our 5th annual "Four Generations of Leaders in Clean Energy and Sustainable Solutions Awards" -- known as "The Four Gen Awards." Mark your calendar to attend this highly popular Awards program featuring honorees in each of the four generations on Friday, November 30th, from 6:00 -9:00 pm. Stay tuned for more information coming next week! 

We have a number of events on the horizon including our Utilities of the Future event on Thursday, October 4th, from 6:00 - 8:30 pm, at the U.S. Navy Memorial. Our industry experts are from the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the Environmental Defense Fund, and the MIT Energy Initiative. See more information below. (Note venue and slight time change below).

We are delighted to announce that we will be partnering with the Embassy of Canada and the Quebec Government Office on an event which will examine "Transforming Waste to Advance the Circular Economy" on Thursday, October 25th, 9:00 - 11:30 am. See more in our LE Events Section.

Other events happening in DC include National Clean Energy Week (NCEW) from September 24-28th. Leaders in Energy is a participating organization. See more information on NCEW here as well as in our Other Events section.

The DC Department of Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs's Green Building Division has a position open for a Building Code Inspector. Learn more further below in our Green Jobs Corner.

Check out four new blog articles below. Topics include new perspectives on the triple bottom line including a book by author Neil Gaught called "CORE: How a Single Organizing Idea can Change Business for Good." Others include rethinking and recycling textiles; an innovative Italian multi-utility called The Hera Group; and how to green business operations. Learn more below or see them on our blog .
Utilities of the Future - How to Modernize the Grid and Decarbonize Our Energy System
October 4, 2018
Utilities of the Future Educational Forum
(at the U.S. Navy Memorial)
Washington DC on October 4, 2018, 6:00 - 8:30 pm

Leaders in Energy will conduct its "Utilities of the Future" Educational Forum at U.S. Navy Memorial on Thursday, October 4th, 6:00 – 8:30 pm (please note the venue and slight time change from our earlier announcements). Topics include how the electric grid can be a key driver in decarbonizing our energy system as new technologies and policies create pathways to a new paradigm for utilities. Our event partner is Resilient Virginia and our venue will take place at the U.S. Navy Memorial.

Our speakers include industry experts from the Edison Electric Institute, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Energy Initiative. Learn more about them below.

Topics include:
  • grid modernization, electrification, and the future of the electric grid
  • distributed energy resources, including renewable energy, storage, and demand management
  • transactive energy and a participatory grid
  • the potential for decarbonizing the grid
  • disruptive technologies and policies that can facilitate an evolved electric grid
  • setting expectations – optimistic vs realistic scenarios on the pace of change over the next few years

NOTE: Early bird discounts are available through 9/27 as well as job seeker and student rates. Pizza and beverages included with admission. Network with others in the industry and/or who are interested in these topics. You can also learn more about our event here .

Location: 
U.S. Navy Memorial (Note that event venue has been changed, however, the address and Metro Station remain the same)
701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004  (Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter stop on Metro’s Yellow and Green Lines is located directly in front of the EEI building.)

Our Speakers
John Caldwell, Ph.D., Edison Electric Institute
John Caldwell, Ph.D., is the Director of Economics at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI). He has been working with industry consultants and colleagues at EEI in the development of new recommended regulatory policies and business models that will better enable investor-owned utilities to contend with the many imminent and potentially significant changes facing the electricity industry. Dr. Caldwell was a speaker at Leaders in Energy's microgrid event in 2017. 

Dr. Caldwell has worked in the electric and gas utility industry for over twenty-five years, first at the Illinois Power Company (now part of Ameren) as a planning engineer, and then at NiSource, where he was involved in the development of long-term forecast models for energy use and peak demand, the introduction of innovative alternative rate designs, and the design and implementation of financial hedging strategies and risk management systems to support these products. Dr. Caldwell holds a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, an MBA from the University of Illinois at Springfield, an M.S. in mathematics from the University of Iowa, and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Cyril Draffin, MIT Energy Initiative
Cyril Draffin is a project advisor to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Energy Initiative. His expertise includes low-carbon energy including solar, other renewable energy generation, and nuclear; how the electric grid can be a key driver in decarbonizing our energy system; cybersecurity of electric utilities and other energy systems; gas and coal production and carbon capture and utilization; information technology; and strategy. 

Previously he was the director of strategy for Northrop Grumman Corporation with focus on cybersecurity, homeland security, information technology, and defense strategy. Earlier he was vice president of an American Stock Exchange traded venture capital company making investments in information technology; was a director in the U.S. Department of Energy with a focus on solar, biomass, natural gas, coal, and industrial energy usage; and was a nuclear and environmental engineer at the Bechtel Power Corporation. Mr. Draffin has BS and MS degrees in Chemical Engineering from MIT.
Elizabeth Brooke Stein, Environmental Defense Fund
Elizabeth Brooke Stein is an attorney in EDF’s Clean Energy Program, focusing on the development of a low-carbon energy system. She is the lead author of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) a whitepaper titled “Driving Environmental Outcomes Through Utility Reform: Lessons from New York REV,” which is a roadmap for electric utilities seeking to accelerate decarbonization, or the elimination of fossil fuels. It examines the approach New York has taken to transform its 100 year-old electric system from a centralized, one-way grid to a multi-channel network of power and information.

Ms. Stein engages in state and regional proceedings to advocate for the promulgation of technology and practices that improve the flexibility and performance of the electric system, and enable the full deployment of more low-carbon resources, including low-carbon demand response and intermittent renewable resources. Since 2012, Stein and her colleagues in EDF’s New York office have been working to ensure that the post-Sandy transformation of New York’s electric system is built on a foundation of resiliency and sustainability, not just durability. Ms. Stein has a Doctor of Law – JD is from the New York University School of Law and a Bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in Social Studies.
Green Jobs Corner & LE Green Jobs (Talent) Working Group
Leaders in Energy Partnership with Green Jobs Network:  Post a job opening on the US-wide  Green Jobs Network  and receive a $20 discount by using a Leaders in Energy code. This also helps our organization to sustain its work. Learn more  here  and apply code: 
leaders2018.  This unique code is available until December 31, 2018.

  • See more green career job information, job boards, etc. at our Leaders in Energy Career Resources page here.

NOTE: Is your company hiring?  Advertise your positions in our Leaders in Energy Green Jobs Corner. Contact John Gaffigan, Director of Membership and Sponsorship, at jgaffigan@leadersinenergy.org

INDUSTRY HIRING:

  • Position for a Building Code Inspector at the DC Department of Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). Learn more about the position here. Reach out to Bryan Bomer at DCRA at Bryan.Bomer@dc.gov, if you have questions.
Articles on Clean Energy Trends & More!
Check out some of our recent articles below on our blog. Do you want to share your expertise on clean energy and sustainability topics?

If you are interested in submitting an article, contact our LE Director of Communications, Miriam Aczel , at maczel@leadersinenergy.org.
Tips and Tricks for Clean Green Business Operations
 By MIRIAM ACZEL

The power of collective environmental action should not be a surprise when it comes to promoting the transition to a cleaner, greener planet. There are many  simple changes you can make  to embrace a more  sustainable lifestyle . But how can businesses, particularly those first starting out, embrace the same techniques to reduce their carbon footprint, and encourage others to do the same?
Read more here.
Rethink, Reduce, and Reuse: Textile Edition!
By TERESA LOOY

Did you know? If you’re an average North American, you’ll throw out  81 lbs of textile waste  (shoes, sheets, blankets, coats, underwear, clothing, etc) every single year! Our landfills are filling up faster than ever, and consumption is a national pastime, yet fashion is one of the single most polluting industries on Earth. The good news is, there’s lots YOU can do about it!
What is the Triple Bottom Line and Why is it Crucial for Business Success?
 By MIRIAM ACZEL

The ‘ triple bottom line,’  a phrase first coined by John Elkington in 1994, is a concept that expands how a business’s performance is measured to include social and environmental goals to its financial bottom line.

The triple bottom line is therefore used as a measure of a company’s economic performance and valuation, its level of corporate  social responsibility  (CSR), as well as its environmental sustainability standards and impacts.

And it matters: for example, a 2013 study by Cone Communications and Echo Research  showed that 82 percent  of consumers in the United States considered the company’s CSR when deciding where to purchase goods and services.
The HERA Group: from Local Utility to Global Sustainable Development
  By SILVIA ZINETTI

A unique approach that could change the way utilities do business around the world

Today I want to bring to the attention of the reader The Hera Group (Gruppo Hera), an Italian multi-utility that with its unique business strategy respects the environment while creating shared value to its customers.

The company brings innovation on all fronts, from Circular Economy, Utility 4.0, Smart City, to Customer Experience.
Our LE 2018 Calendar - Save the Dates
Utilities of the Future, Thursday, October 4 2018, 6:00 - 8:30 pm, (with Resilient Virginia), at the U.S. Navy Memorial, 701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC. Early bird rates through Thursday, September 27th and discounts available for job seekers and students. Pizza and beverages included with admission. Register here.

Transforming Waste to Advance the Circular Economy , Thursday, October 25, 2018, 9 - 11:30 am. Event hosted by the Embassy of Canada and the Quebec Government Office with Leaders in Energy. Event location: The Embassy of Canada, 501 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001.  Registration information to be forthcoming. 

5th Annual Four Generations Awards and Holiday Event, Friday, November 30, 2018, 6:00-9:00 pm, at the Crystal Condominium Complex, Arlington, VA.
Other Events In the DC Metro Area
and World with LE Partners
LarsEn Energy Branding. "CHARGE 2018 Energy Branding Conference" in Reykjavik, Iceland on September 24-25, 2018. Leaders in Energy members can benefit from a 15% discount to attend this unique energy conference in Iceland, September 24-25 2018. Register   here , and use promo code LEADERS to take advantage of the discount on the registration fee.

National Clean Energy Week Symposium. Wednesday, September 26, 2018 from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM (EDT) National Press Club, 529 14th Street Northwest. 13th Floor 
Washington, DC 20045. Register here .

Maryland Clean Energy Center. "Gearing Up for the Future: Energy Innovation to Advance Grid Efficiency, Resiliency & Security. October 8-10, 2018, The Hotel of the University of Maryland. Register here .

Bethesda Green, 10th Anniversary Gala. Thursday, October 18, 2018. Hosted by the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Register here.  

EcoAction Arlington EcoExtravaganza - Celebrating 40 Years, Friday, October 19, 2018 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EDT at the Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA. Register here .
Learn More About Leaders in Energy
Leaders in Energy is a community of engaged leaders advancing solutions for a sustainable energy system, economy, and world. We are a non-profit organization based in Washington with a worldwide membership.

Our programs connect stakeholders who have valuable knowledge and are passionate about contributing to the development of sustainable and environmentally responsible communities.   For example, we help to connect green job seekers with employers; business suppliers to markets, investors with innovators, and empower individuals to work together with other multi-generational Leaders to make the world a greener, better place. 

Janine Finnell
Executive Director
Leaders in Energy

Questions?
Feel free to contact us at:
info@leadersinenergy.org