Disaster preparedness expert and author Jeffrey Schlegelmilch will deliver the keynote address for Microgrid 2022: Microgrids as Climate Heroes on June 1 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Schlegelmilch, who serves as director for the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia Climate School, Columbia University, is the author of Rethinking Readiness: A Brief Guide to Twenty-First-Century Megadisasters.
A champion of microgrids as a way to build resilience, Schlegelmilch will discuss federal microgrid funding and how the pandemic has opened up financial resources for hazard mitigation.
Money is flowing to microgrids in part because they are “attractive conceptually,” according to Schlegelmilch, who has advised leaders on preparedness systems and policy at all levels of government.
“I think when it comes to federal money, microgrids are very popular because they’re very discreet. It’s a very specific type of investment. A microgrid has a clear boundary, whereas other types of things are a little squishier around the edges,” he said in an interview with Microgrid Knowledge.
In his talk, he will take a look at where microgrids offer the most benefit as well as the larger social implications of microgrids, be they social, political or legacy influences on social equity.
Schlegelmilch will address the Microgrid 2022 audience at 9 a.m. after Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney kicks off the two-day event, which is expected to draw a record audience.
The content-rich agenda also features:
—Congressman Sean Casten, D-Ill., a former microgrid developer and now co-chair of the New Democrat Coalition’s Climate Change Task Force, who will offer a view from Washington, D.C., in an interview with Elisa Wood, editor-in-chief of Microgrid Knowledge.
—“Megatrends and Microgrids: Macroeconomic Influences on the Microgrid Market.” Financial experts will discuss how inflation, rising interest rates and war affect the economics of microgrids and their financing.
—“Making Microgrids a Building Block of US Infrastructure and Climate Goals.” Representatives from government and industry will provide guidance on funding available through the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure act and other federal climate and energy programs.
In addition, each day participants will have the opportunity to select from a series of focused panel sessions where they can learn about microgrid projects developed for a broad range of industries and settings, including homes, communities, businesses, schools, city services, transportation, institutions and the military.
The event offers ample opportunities for networking, getting questions answered and exploring microgrid technology in the exhibit hall.
Tickets for Microgrid 2022 are selling briskly. The last event held by Microgrid Knowledge sold out in advance, so we encourage you to secure your place quickly.
