2016 Energy Efficiency Finance Forum

Achieving Deep Energy Efficiency

The 2016 ACEEE Energy Efficiency Finance Forum was held May 22 – 24, 2016 at the Newport Marriott in Newport, Rhode Island.

Energy efficiency has taken on a new level of importance both domestically and internationally. Efficiency has long been a key element in utility resource planning, business competitiveness, and household energy budgets. Now it is slated to play a central role in meeting domestic targets under the Clean Power Plan and international agreements to reduce carbon emissions, both formalized in the last few months. 

Efficiency is widely recognized as a lowest-cost pathway to meet these goals, but in order to bring it to the scale necessary, global investment in efficiency will need to exceed $10 trillion over the next 20 years. The efficiency revolution will be impossible without effective financing options.

For nearly a decade, the Energy Efficiency Finance Forum has brought together practitioners, researchers, energy producers, and consumers to explore innovative models for deploying capital in efficiency markets. Finance Forum participants have a great opportunity to learn about which models are working and why.

Participants Included: Clean-tech and energy efficiency investors; financiers; real estate professionals; CDFIs and other mission-driven lenders; entrepreneurs; utility staff; local, state, and federal agency personnel; energy service company personnel; policymakers; NGOs; energy efficiency program planners, operators, and evaluators; and marketing experts.

Monday Plenary Keynote Speaker

Rhode Island General Treasurer Seth Magaziner

In his first year as Treasurer, Magaziner championed successful legislation establishing new green infrastructure programs at the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank to put tradesmen and women back to work on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

Lunch Keynote Speaker

Secretary Matthew A. Beaton, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Secretary Matthew A. Beaton oversees the Commonwealth’s six environmental, natural resource and energy regulatory agencies: the Departments of Environmental Protection, Public Utilities, Energy Resources, Conservation & Recreation, Agricultural Resources and Fish & Game. He also serves as Chairman of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, the Energy Facilities Siting Board, and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.

Tuesday Plenary Keynote Speaker

Judith Greenwald, Deputy Director for Climate, Environment, and Energy Efficiency, Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis and Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Climate Change, Department of Energy

As the Deputy Director for Climate, Environment, and Energy Efficiency in the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, Judith Greenwald oversees technical, economic and policy analysis related to climate mitigation and resilience, environmental protection, and energy efficiency. Ms. Greenwald has over 30 years of experience working on energy and environmental policy.