Clean Energy Calendar

US public school buildings play a critical role serving both students and community members. However, more than 40 percent of school districts need significant updates or replacements to their heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Fortunately, advances in technology and new financial resources mean that school leaders have an opportunity to pursue more efficient and effective HVAC equipment.

RMI and UndauntedK12’s new report HVAC Choices for Student Health and Learning: What Policymakers, School Leaders, and Advocates Need to Know makes the case for adopting all-electric, high-performance HVAC systems in new and existing schools. These modern systems — most often featuring electric heat pump technology as a centerpiece — will best support student health, comfort, and learning, while lowering energy costs and minimizing climate pollution.

This webinar is meant for a broad K-12 audience. Attendees will hear from five expert speakers: the report authors, Emma Hines (RMI) and Sara Ross (UndauntedK12); Dr. Erika Eitland (Perkins&Will); Julia Casagrande (NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice); and Brian Turner (CMTA). Together they will share an overview of the report and present on 1) the research connecting HVAC systems to student health, learning, and equity; 2) the nation’s largest school electrification effort in NYC; and 3) using Inflation Reduction Act funds for HVAC investments.

This event will take place via Zoom. Register here.

Tompkins Cortland Community College is sponsoring a Community Job and Internship Fair on Wednesday, March 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the BorgWarner Morse TEC Field House on the College’s main campus in Dryden. The fair is open to all community members and regional students.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with recruiters and representatives from dozens of local organizations and learn about part-time and full-time jobs, seasonal employment, and internship opportunities. For people looking for jobs, this fair will be a chance to connect with employers, grow networks, and apply for open positions. Even if people are not actively seeking new employments, this fair is a terrific opportunity to learn more about the employers in the region and the types of careers available.

Organizers advise attendees to bring printed copies of their resumes and to come prepared in business casual attire. Resume assistance is available at local Workforce NY Career Centers.

The Job and Internship Fair is sponsored by Tompkins Cortland Community College, AES Corporation, New Yorkers for Clean Energy, and Tioga Downs.

Attending organizations include:

• 4-H Primitive Pursuits
• AES Corporation
• Areti Construction
• BlocPower
• BorgWarner
• Brewery Ardennes
• CAPCO
• Cargill Inc.
• Catholic Charities of Cortland County
• Cayuga Health System
• Cayuga Medical Associates
• Cayuga Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
• CFCU Community Credit Union
• CFE, Inc.
• CIrcare
• CNY SNAP
• Cornell University
• Corning Credit Union
• Coughlin & Gerhart
• Crown Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
• Downtown Ithaca Alliance
• Express Employment Professionals
• George Junior Republic UFSD
• Greek Peak Mountain Resort
• Guthrie Cortland Medical Center
• HCA
• High End Processing, LLC
• Intertek
• Ithaca City School District
• Ithaca College
• Ithaca Marriott Downtown on the Commons
• Lakeview Health Services
• Longview
• New York Public Interest Research Group
• New Yorkers for Clean Power
• North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters
• NYS OCFS
• Racker
• Schuler-Haas Electric Corp
• Serendipity Catering
• Stafkings Personnel Systems
• TCAT, Inc
• The Guthrie Clinic
• The Raymond Corporation
• Tioga Downs
• Tompkins County
• Town of Ithaca
• Transonic Systems, Inc
• Van Noble Farm
• Visions Federal Credit Union
• Warren Real Estate

Join RMI for a webinar to learn about the Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment Program (EIR), a federal loan program established to support the shift to cleaner energy and revitalize communities. The program offers a unique opportunity to invest in renewable energy sooner rather than later and drive long-term community economic development beyond the energy sector.

Through the EIR, utilities can access low-cost loans to save money on financing and invest in clean energy. The program also offers the ability to pay off retiring energy infrastructure, lowering long-term energy costs for customers. The EIR can also be used to remediate environmental damage, which would improve the health outcomes of local communities and provide even more employment opportunities.

The EIR offers a win-win scenario that can lower customer energy bills while allowing utilities to reinvest in clean energy and transmission upgrades. Register now to learn more about the potential of the EIR to revitalize communities.

Presenter:
Jeremy Richardson, RMI

This event will take place via Zoom. An email confirmation will be sent containing the Zoom link to join. Register here.

Healthy Trees provide essential ecosystem services like clean air and water, fertile soil, plentiful habitat, and increased biodiversity. However, 1/3 of all tree species are endangered, posing a threat to global health.

There is a fantastic lineup of speakers, hands-on activities, and real-world tips to protect our tree canopy. With everything from nature-inspired yoga to mindfulness, a delicious brunch from Ladle of Love, and 50+ exhibitor. Regardless of experience or age, we invite everyone to take Climate Action NOW and embrace the Power of Trees!

See the full list of speakers, agenda, and ticket rates here.

Register here.

Born out of electric industry restructuring, the Restructuring Roundtable has been meeting four to six times per year since 1995 to discuss current topics related to revolutionary changes in the electric power industry in Massachusetts and throughout New England. Attendance at the Roundtable meetings averages over 200, with attendees representing a broad cross-section of regional stakeholders.

The art of rate design requires attention to behavioral considerations as well as to economics. What will it take for customers to respond to time-varying rates, and how do we design rates that support the electrification of both buildings and vehicles? Presenters will speak to approaches that make rates simpler for customers to understand and provide tools for them to respond. They will also discuss how active demand can address some of the reliability, as well as affordability concerns, especially for customers with high energy burdens.

Rate Design for Electrification and Activating Demand:

• Dr. Sue Tierney, Senior Advisor, Analysis Group
• Travis Kavulla, Vice President for Regulatory Affairs, NRG
• Melissa Whited, Senior Principal , Synapse Energy Economics
• Harvey Michaels, Lecturer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Ensuring Electricity Affordability (on the way to Decarbonization):

• Marissa Gillett, Chair, Connecticut Public Utilities Reguatory Authority
• Oliver Sellers-Garcia, Green New Deal Director, City of Boston
• Mary Wambui-Ekop, Affordable Housing Asset Manager, Planning Office for Urban Affairs, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
• Meg Lusardi, Vice President, Power Options

Hybrid and in-person options are available for this event. Register here.

Visit NYSERDA at a home show near you!

Ask us how you can maximize your energy savings, and learn more about:

• The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): A federal act signed into law in 2022 that will help most Americans reduce the cost of clean energy technologies through tax credits and programs
• The importance of weatherization, air sealing, and insulation
• The many benefits of driving an Electric Vehicle (EV) and information about EV chargers
• Heat Pumps: The cleaner, safer, and healthier way to heat and cool your home
• How to get started with a free home energy assessment through NYSERDA

Learn more about the Rochester Home & Garden Show here.

Are you interested in a career in clean energy, but not quite sure what type of job you can get in the field or how to find one? Clean energy is an interdisciplinary field involving consulting, sales, research, engineering, advocacy, and more. NEST and their panel of clean energy professionals will be giving our top recommendations for landing a clean energy career.

The panelists include:

• Keanna Julien (Program Associate – NYCHA Energy and Sustainability)
• Joshua Barber (Senior Analyst – National Grid)
• Ryan Madden (Sustainability Organizer – Long Island Progressive Coalition)
• Eleanore Colton (Sustainability Coordinator – Salas O’Brien).

Join for discussion and insight on:

• Growth and importance of clean energy careers
• Major fields of clean energy employment
• Job search tips & resources
• Q&A with clean energy professionals

Register for the webinar here.

Join RMI’s Sam Mardell and Jeremy Richardson in an open discussion about upcoming USDA funding opportunities for rural electric infrastructure. Qualified projects include efficiency improvements for generation and transmission assets, and clean energy investments. Pending RMI analysis will help electric co-ops assess the impacts on member costs and emissions reductions.

This 60-minute virtual meeting provides an opportunity to raise questions and dive into the funding qualification process — giving your organization and communities the advantage in preparing project applications.

This event will take place via Zoom. An email confirmation will be sent containing the Zoom link to join. Register here.

Thought leaders and changemakers from the world of international climate finance and policy will be coming together to discuss the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG). The discussion will include reflection on the process so far and how best to shape the process going forward, gaps identified in the recent TED5 talks, and priorities ahead of COP28 and the first Global Stocktake. An analysis of the overall structure of the NCQG will be presented as part of a series on informing the goal.

This event will take place via Zoom. An email confirmation will be sent containing the Zoom link to join. Register here.