Northeast Solar & Storage Forum 2019

Join the region's leading developers, financiers, technology vendors and policymakers for a day of networking, in-depth conversation, and exclusive GTM and Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables analysis.

Speakers

Roger Kranenburg

Vice President, Energy Strategy and Policy, Eversource Energy

Roger Kranenburg joined Eversource in 2017. Roger is responsible for developing the Company’s long-term clean energy and growth strategy and policies along with the transportation electrification and battery storage initiatives.
Prior to joining Eversource, Mr. Kranenburg was with IHS Markit (formerly CERA or Cambridge Energy Research Associates) advising the top electric utilities and power sector owners/operators and suppliers in North America, Europe, and globally on electric power sector transformation, investment and operations. In addition, in his innovation and technology role, he led the application of data analytics to power sector data and information.
Prior to IHS Markit, he was at the Edison Electric Institute where he led strategy, policy development, analysis, and advocacy for the electric utility industry in the areas of energy supply and taxation. At the Edison Electric Institute, he was instrumental in the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the making permanent of the Bush-era tax cuts on dividends.
Earlier in his career, he led the development and deployment of wireless telecommunications infrastructure JVs in multiple European countries at Teligent. Prior to Teligent at Siemens (formerly Ansaldo-Finmeccanica), he led the development and deployment of automation and power electronics systems targeted in the power generation and other heavy-industry sectors. He has done research and published in the areas of high-temperature superconductors, high-performance electric drive systems and high frequency telecommunications.

Amy McDonough

Vice President of New York Project Development, Borrego Solar

Amy McDonough is the Vice President of New York Project Development and works from the company’s regional offices in Manhattan, New York. Amy primarily focuses on developing large-scale comprehensive solar power installations for both private and public-sector customers. Her backgrounds in engineering and environmental permitting enable her to better serve her clients as they navigate the complexities associated with developing larger commercial and government solar installations. Amy has successfully managed the application and permitting processes with regulatory agencies and local permitting authorities including the MA office of Energy & Environmental Affairs (DEP, MEPA, NHSEP, DCR, BWSC, etc.), the Army Corp of Engineers, local conservation commissions, zoning, and planning boards. Before joining Borrego Solar, Amy was an Environmental Scientist for Tighe & Bond, a consulting and engineering firm in New England, where she managed the engineering and permitting effort for the City of Easthampton landfill solar power installation; the first municipal landfill solar ground mount to be interconnected in MA. Amy is a LEED® Accredited Professional, and she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Geology from Miami University, and her Masters of Science in Geology from the University of Vermont.

Chris Stroud

CEO, Monolith Solar

Chris is a seasoned energy and manufacturing executive with more than 20 years’ international experience in various leadership roles, from solar power to making sugar in the Panamanian interior. He has more than 10 years in renewable energy, both wind and solar, and is passionate about the legacy we leave for our grandchildren. Chris has been directly involved in the construction of solar projects in 11 states, as well as ongoing asset management of over 400 solar farms. His passion is continuous improvement and creating cultures of operational athleticism.

He is a mechanical engineer by training, a Florida PE, and is currently finishing his MBA at Clarkson. In his spare time he enjoys hiking, paddling, furniture making, and craft cider, and is a New York State licensed guide. He lives in New York’s Capital region with his three children.

Kathryn Chelminski, Ph.D.

Senior Manager, New Market Development, Solar PV, Ameresco

As the Senior Manager of New Market Development, Kathryn is responsible for monitoring policy and regulatory changes, helping to facilitate new market development and keeping Ameresco competitive in ever-changing state solar markets. Prior to joining Ameresco, she was a doctoral research fellow focused on energy and technology policy at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center and at the University of Cambridge, and has held research positions at the United Nations Environment Program and the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation. Kathryn holds a PhD in International Relations/Political Science from the Graduate Institute, Geneva, for which her research focused on removing financial and regulatory barriers to renewable energy development.

Rudy Wynter

President & COO, Wholesale Networks and US Capital Delivery, National Grid

Rudolph Wynter oversees businesses with an asset base of $4.5 billion, including one of the largest electric transmission networks in the northeast. He is leading the transformation of that network into a highly intelligent, resilient system that will meet customers’ long-term needs and enable the clean energy future.

He also oversees the company’s regulated energy storage assets and opportunities, including the development of New England’s first large-scale battery energy storage system on the island of Nantucket. Mr. Wynter also is responsible for the company’s generation fleet, which provides 4,000 megawatts of electricity to more than a million Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) customers. He oversees National Grid’s energy procurement activities, including a portfolio of natural gas and power supply agreements that total $5 billion annually. As customers and policymakers increasingly want electricity from lower-carbon energy sources, his team will play a critical role in that transition, while ensuring that energy supplies continue to be reliable and affordable for all customers. Previously Mr. Wynter was senior vice president of US Shared Services, and during his more than 25-year tenure at National Grid and its legacy companies has held positions of responsibility in Customer Operations, Strategic Planning, Engineering, and Operations.

He is a member of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Gas Association, and the Edison Electric Institute.

Mr. Wynter serves on the boards of Ascendant Group Limited, and the Brooklyn Historical Society.

He earned his Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from Pratt Institute, an MBA from Fordham University, and has completed an executive development program at Harvard University.

Hannah Muller

Director of Public Policy, Clearway

Hannah is Director of Public Policy at Clearway Energy, one of the nation’s largest owner-operators of renewable energy projects including solar and wind, and the leading provider of community solar. Hannah serves as Chair of the Board of the Coalition for Community Solar Access, the national trade association for community solar. She was previously Vice President of Policy & Regulatory Affairs at Clean Energy Collective, the company that pioneered the concept of community solar in 2009. Prior to entering the private sector, Hannah spent 3 years at the advocacy group Vote Solar, where she led campaigns to advance solar in the southeast and to expand community solar nationwide. Hannah also spent 4 years at the U.S. Department of Energy solar office, where she managed the Solar America Cities program to jumpstart solar growth in 25 major U.S. Cities. Hannah holds degrees in Environmental Policy and Political Economy from UC Santa Barbara and Clark University. She is based in upstate New York.

John Nordeman

President, Safari Energy

John brings extensive financial experience as well as deep expertise in the clean tech sector to Safari Energy. In 2003, John joined Eagle Capital Partners, a premier, value-oriented investment fund serving endowments, family offices and high net worth individuals. At Eagle, John played a key role analyzing and investing in bankruptcy re-emergences, spin-offs and other special situation investments. In addition he helped grow fund assets from $100 million to over $1 billion. Previously, John was an equity analyst with Merrill Lynch. John provides leading solutions in solar project finance to Safari Energy’s portfolio of public and private real estate clients, and oversees the company’s client development efforts. John holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University and an M.B.A. from Columbia University.

Heather Curlee

Of Counsel, Energy & Infrastructure, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Heather Curlee is Of Counsel in the energy and infrastructure practice and specializes in developing and implementing regulatory approaches for the deployment of clean energy policies before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Department of Energy (DOE), and state regulatory commissions across the country. Heather provides strategic business advice to entities seeking to interconnect with and participate in the wholesale markets operated by PJM, MISO, NYISO, ISO-NE, SPP, and CAISO and negotiates power purchase agreements with off-takers in both physical and virtual arrangements. She regularly assists clean energy market participants that are developing solar, wind, and storage assets in securing regulatory approval to transact at market-based rates pursuant to Section 205 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), authorization to consummate transactions in accordance with Section 203 of the FPA, and maintaining compliance with the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005 (PUHCA). Her practice focuses on providing cost-effective solutions to novel challenges, while also maintaining compliance with the applicable portions of the FPA and the rules and regulations issued by FERC and state commissions.

In addition to her regulatory work, where necessary, Heather also appears before federal courts to remove barriers to entry for new market entrants seeking access to competitive electricity markets.

Heather is a frequent speaker on emerging energy topics, including the regulatory challenges inherent in implementing clean energy policies and transitioning to the utility of the future.

VIEW ALLsee full list

Agenda Themes

2019 Policy Developments Impacting Solar & Storage Across the Northeast
Reflections on SMART – Assessing the Viability of Solar and Solar-plus-Storage Projects
Maximizing Revenue Streams for VDER Values
Integrating DERs into Wholesale Markets – Outlining Revenue Stream Models
Capitalizing on Up-and-Coming Northeastern Community Solar Markets
Perspectives from Top C&I Developers
Solar-and-Storage (and other DERs) as the Key to Resilience

view full agenda