Schneider Electric, a specialist in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, appointed Chris Collins as senior vice president of Digital Buildings for the U.S., effective July 1. Collins, a 32-year veteran of the buildings industry, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to his new role. He has spent the last 22 years at Schneider Electric, most recently serving as Ireland Country President. In his new role, Collins will lead the Digital Buildings segment in the U.S., spearheading the strategy to build more resilient, human-centric, sustainable, and efficient buildings across the country. Collins, who will be based at the company’s Dallas Hub, will report to Aamir Paul, president of North America Operations, and serve on Schneider Electric’s North American leadership team.
The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) announced that Stephanie Genco has joined the organization as its new senior vice president of communications. Stephanie brings nearly 20 years of communications, campaign, and policy experience to ACORE. Most recently at Fortescue, Stephanie led the company’s North American communications around green hydrogen investment. Previously, Stephanie was a senior public affairs consultant, building multi-channel strategic communications campaign focused on educating policymakers at the federal and state level. Her work within the energy industry includes a multi-million-dollar state ballot initiative for renewable energy clients, building an advocacy coalition of domestic solar companies, and leading multi-industry campaigns on federal rulemaking.
NewHydrogen, Inc., the developer of ThermoLoop, a technology that uses water and heat rather than electricity to produce the world’s cheapest green hydrogen, announced the appointment of Eric McFarland as chief technology officer (CTO). As CTO, McFarland will evolve the company’s technology strategy and help accelerate ThermoLoop’s advancement from the laboratory and pilot scale to the commercial marketplace. McFarland will also continue to work with the scientific team at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), led by Dr. Phil Christopher.
T1 Energy Inc. announced the additions of Andy Munro as chief legal officer and Russell Gold as executive vice president of strategic communications, effective May 1st. The appointments add to T1’s energy expertise as it builds a vertically integrated, solar and storage manufacturing and technology leader in the United States. Munro joins T1 from Solarcycle, a specialist in solar panel recycling, technology, and manufacturing. Previously, he served as chief legal and policy officer at Calypso Energy, a U.S. solar cell and module manufacturing and technology company, and general counsel at Qcells North America. Gold joins T1 Energy after a distinguished career as both an author and journalist, most recently for Texas Monthly, which followed a 21-year tenure as an investigative reporter focused on the energy industry for the Wall Street Journal. He is a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and a two-time winner of the Gerlad Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism.
Reunion, a tax credit transfer specialist, welcomed Katherine Westcott as senior analyst, transactions & finance. Katherine was previously with Nexamp, where she supported the development of distributed-scale projects across the country. Her work spanned PPA pricing and negotiations, interconnection research and implementation, and project production and dispatch modeling, with a focus on behind-the-meter and community solar and storage assets.
Job of the week
Manager, Policy, Renewable Energy
National Grid Renewables, hybrid, Bloomington, Minn.
About the job
National Grid Renewables is a full-service renewable energy company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. National Grid Renewables has developed over 2,400 megawatts of wind and solar projects that are either operational or currently under construction throughout the United States. National Grid Renewables has a multi-gigawatt development pipeline of wind and solar projects in various stages of development throughout the United States. National Grid Renewables provides custom solutions for utilities and corporations looking to harness renewable energy for business growth. With deep roots in agriculture, National Grid Renewables prides itself on developing renewable energy projects that are farmer-friendly, community-driven, and beneficial for rural communities.
Responsibilities
- Role is expected to be a leader on the state regulatory, state legislative, and federal legislative activities and stakeholders within their assigned portfolio of states. This includes, but may not be limited to:
- Work with direct manager, fellow team members, and lobbyists to design and execute on a strategic vision for each state within assigned portfolio as it relates to legislative and regulatory policy that results in overall success for the business and its portfolio.
- Work with lobbyists, legislators, trade organizations and other key stakeholders to:
- Draft and pass new legislation that drives value for our business.
- Combat legislation that poses risks to our business.
- Monitor, report on, and lead all necessary/applicable:
- State Public Utilities Commission (or relevant equivalent party) regulatory activities and stakeholders in assigned portfolio of states – excluding project permitting dockets
- State legislative activities and stakeholders in assigned portfolio of states – including meeting with applicable state elected officials and their staff
- Federal activities and stakeholders in assigned portfolio of states in coordination with company’s federal lobbying firm; this may or may not include meeting with federal elected officials and their staff and/or coordinating with our federal lobbyist to schedule said meetings for company executives
- Participate in, present at, and influence external stakeholders during regulatory and legislative meetings and proceedings that shape policy with respect to our business in assigned portfolio of states – excluding project permitting dockets
- To be successful, this role requires superior third-party management skills specific to oversight and collaboration with state lobbyists. This includes:
- Identify, vet, and contract with lobbying firms (and replace/fire when appropriate)
- Hold lobbyists accountable to monitor, report on, and flag legislative activities quickly and with proposed strategic insight, as well as facilitate and cultivate meetings and relationships with key state influencers to effectively advocate for our business
- Represent and actively participate in National Grid Renewables on task forces, trade associations, and advisory committees with policy focus as applicable
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with counterparts at competitors and other key industry businesses to facilitate cohesive, cross-industry approaches when necessary
- To be successful, this role requires significant internal collaboration with team members, including but not limited to: development, permitting, community engagement, finance, investment, procurement and others (including the remaining external affairs team members)
- Assigned state portfolio at time of hire is acknowledged to flex as company strategy adjusts (states will be assigned based on priority, need, and capacity) – current portfolio at time of hire includes: ND, SD, IA, and MO
Qualifications
- 5+ years of experience in an energy-related regulatory and/or legislative environment
- Existing relationships in assigned state portfolio to immediately be effective and influential, with anticipated expansion of said network
- Knowledge with laws and rules relating to electric utility regulation, renewable energy, energy facility permitting and other issues pertaining to electric generation
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong agility skills with an openness and willingness to pivot as necessary
- Lifelong learner
- Minimum education: Bachelor’s Degree with a concentration in policy, business or similar discipline or equivalent work experience.
- Willingness to travel frequently within assigned state portfolio and if remote, to company headquarters in Bloomington once monthly.
Pay Range for the posted level: $100,000 – $145,000.00
Apply here.
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