Clean Energy EXPO 2023: Toward the Energy System of the Future

The 26th Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forum was held on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. The event was hosted by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), with the Senate Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (REEE) Caucus serving as honorary co-host. It featured six panels, including Toward the Energy System of the Future.

Mandy Mahoney, Director, Building Technologies Office, U.S. Department of Energy

Ralph Cleveland, President and CEO, American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE)

Bill Parsons, Vice President, Federal and State Affairs, American Clean Power (ACP)

Misti Groves, Vice President of Market and Policy Innovation, Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA)

Highlights

2023 Clean Energy EXPO Policy Forum
Panel 1	Where It All Begins: Energy Efficiency Essentials
Panel 2	Clean Energy Opportunities in Rural Communities
Panel 3	Training the Workforce for the 21st Century Clean Energy Economy
Panel 4	Toward the Energy System of the Future
Panel 5	Clean Energy and National Security
Panel 6	Accelerating Sustainable Transportation

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Though great strides have been made towards the wider implementation of clean energy, further adoption is needed to meet national climate goals.
When thinking about energy systems, greater consideration must be given to the workforce, supply chains, customers, and policies.
Building energy systems for the future requires a holistic approach that considers human impacts, the workforce, policies, and equity issues.
Clean energy is reliable energy. With the right policies informing decisions for the future, it can be deployed at a much larger scale.

Mandy Mahoney, Director, Building Technologies Office, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Buildings are at the center of the technological revolution. We use more energy in buildings than anywhere else. It is therefore critical to invest in them and research new building efficiency technologies.
Many inhabited buildings fail to meet safety standards. Solutions that address these concerns must work for all inhabitants.
The Department of Energy (DOE) recently introduced the Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge to address extreme and erratic weather events in higher latitudes.
DOE is investing $225 million in energy codes for buildings and the improvement of building habitability through more than 27 projects across the country.

Lisa Jacobson, President, Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE)

Over the last decade, the energy grid has become cleaner, more diverse, and more energy-efficient. Despite this, energy security, climate change, and international competition remain challenges.
According to the 2023 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, the United States has recently experienced record-breaking years in renewable energy adoption and development.
The United States is not on track to meeting its Paris Agreement commitments, having reduced its emissions by only 15 percent from