Oregon Solar + Storage Conference 2025: Full Schedule

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9:00am PDT

The Business Case for Residential Solar-Plus-Storage

Thursday May 15, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am PDT

A lot has been written and said about the benefits of residential solar-plus-storage, but are these benefits real? Does residential solar-plus-storage really make economic sense, or are the many claimed benefits just a lot of marketing hype? To find out, come to our talk and participate in our discussion of the business case for residential solar-plus-storage.

Speakers

Virgil Beaston

Chief Technology Officer, QPO Energy, Inc.

Virgil Beaston is currently the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of QPO Energy and the former Senior Vice President & CTO of Powin Energy. He has more than 17 years of experience in the battery energy storage industry and is often asked to speak publicly as a subject matter expert... Read More →

Thursday May 15, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am PDT
Windsor AB

Sales / Marketing

11:00am PDT

Timing is Everything: How to Make Dynamic Rates Work for Installers

Thursday May 15, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT

Windsor AB

Discussion of how the introduction of TOU and other more dynamic rates (particularly with residential/small commercial) can be leveraged to improve customer economics, particularly in cases with electrification, storage, load flexibility. Focus will be on the practical application of tools in the field, drawing from experience both in Oregon and elsewhere. The panel will include a diverse set of speakers and cover best practices both for installers and utilities on how to work together better for the good of customers.

A broad audience should find value in this presentation, including installers, program managers, and policy makers. Learning objectives will include: understanding what tools exist to better model dynamic rates, what technologies and/or installation practices best leverage those rates, how utilities/policy makers can improve the design and support of these rates.

Moderators

Josh Keeling

Chief Growth Officer, UtilityAPI

Josh Keeling is the Chief Growth Officer at UtilityAPI. Previously, he served as the Senior Vice President of Product and Market Development when he joined in 2023. Before joining UtilityAPI, he held leadership roles at Generac, LO3 Energy, and Portland General Electric, where he... Read More →

Speakers

Rachel Bryant

Sr. Director of Regulatory & Policy Business Development, GridX

Rachel Bryant is the Senior Director of Regulatory and Policy Business Development at GridX. She is responsible for overseeing regulatory and legislative work and leads GridX's efforts with policy makers, utilities, regulators and legislators. Prior to joining GridX, Rachel worked... Read More →

Erik Holvik

Director of Corporate Development & Strategy, EnergySage

Erik Holvik is the Director of Corporate Development & Strategy at EnergySage where he leads new business ventures and partnerships for EnergySage. Erik has been with EnergySage for over four years working with contractors, manufacturers, software companies, educational institutions... Read More →

Audrey Burkhardt

Manager of Energy Storage & Resilence Solutions, Portland General Electric

Audrey Burkhardt serves as Resilience and Energy Storage Portfolio Manager for Portland General Electric (PGE). Audrey’s team develops and manages customer programs that tackle the twin imperatives of electric sector decarbonization and increased resilience for Oregonians grappling... Read More →

Thursday May 15, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Windsor AB

Policy Focus

1:00pm PDT

Bringing Solar to New Construction Commercial Projects with Energy Trust of Oregon

Thursday May 15, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

Windsor AB

Learn how Energy Trust of Oregon supports the addition of solar to commercial new construction projects early in the design process. We will provide an overview of how Energy Trust interacts with architects, engineers and building owners to incorporate energy efficient design and solar into their projects - and how Energy Trust Solar Trade Allies can get involved.

Speakers

Beth Offensend

Outreach Manager, New Buldings Program, Energy Trust of Oregon

Beth works with K-12 and higher education customers to help them hit their building performance goals. She has worked in sustainability and commercial energy efficiency for over 15 years and previously worked as a writer and editor for architecture and construction related trade publications... Read More →

Thursday May 15, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Windsor AB

Energy Trust Programming

2:30pm PDT

Update on Solar for All Funding

Thursday May 15, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT

Windsor AB

The Oregon Department of Energy, together with partners Energy Trust of Oregon and Bonneville Environmental Foundation, were awarded an $86.6 Million Solar for All Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to support renewable energy adoption for low-income Oregonians. The session provides an update on the development of the program.

Speakers

James Cogle

Incentive Programs Operations Policy Analyst, Oregon Department of Energy

Zach Sippel

Sr. Program Manager, Energy Trust of Oregon

Zach Sippel is a Senior Program Manager at Energy Trust of Oregon where he leads the Solar for All program. His expertise spans construction management and installation across Minnesota, Colorado, and Oregon with projects ranging from custom residential solar pergolas to utility-scale... Read More →

Patrick DePriest

Community Solar Senior Program Manager, Bonneville Environmental Foundation

Patrick joined BEF in Fall 2024 as the Community Solar Senior Program Manager to facilitate community solar project development throughout Oregon's consumer-owned utility territories as part of the federal Solar For All program. Prior to joining BEF, Patrick worked with the State... Read More →

Thursday May 15, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Windsor AB

Policy Focus