Cliburn and Associates, LLC is a second-generation consultancy founded and led by Jill K. Cliburn. The first was established in Washington, DC in 1989. Initially, it focused on energy-related training, marketing, and communications. Today, from our office in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Cliburn and Associates still offers those services, but has developed highly regarded expertise in utility strategic planning, program design and policy, aimed at various ways to integrate significant amounts of renewable energy into the grid. This includes a focus on community-scale solar and solar plus battery storage or load management, on either side of the meter. We offer a deep understanding of the electric utility industry and the challenges and opportunities surrounding its transition to a high-tech, low-carbon future. As always, we work with utilities, innovators, communities, and stakeholders.
Cliburn and Associates operates as an informal collective, calling upon other top experts to form work teams suited to particular project needs. Her co-authors and team-partners list includes an extraordinary number of nationally known go-to experts. In addition, Jill has ready access to technical research assistance, graphic design, and editorial support. This is an increasingly popular way for consultants to work today, but it has been Jill’s strategy since the beginning. She has collaborated across the US and internationally.
Background
Early in her career, Jill was Illinois’ first State Solar Office Coordinator, working to initiate the state’s fledgling solar business networks, standards, and incentives. Subsequently, she managed Energy Services for a mid-sized municipal electric and water utility in Springfield, Illinois, and she coordinated Energy Services Program efforts for American Public Power Association in Washington, DC. From that post, she spearheaded energy services and renewable energy technical assistance for both public power utilities and electric cooperatives.
As work took her to New Mexico, she was appropriately enchanted and determined to establish a home base there. She continues to serve clients nationwide. Markedly, in 2015 she became Principal Investigator for the Community Solar Value Project, a multi-year effort co-funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and managed by the Bay-area consultancy, Extensible Energy. After the Project's culmination, Cliburn and Associates transitioned her role to increasing field services and client-funded research. Her focus is primarily upon community-scale solar. In the last decade, Jill also helped to bring significantly scaled solar to New Mexico. Her clients have included the Buckman Direct Diversion Project, a city/county water plant, for which she guided early-stage development of the first 1-MW single-axis tracking solar plant in Santa Fe. She has represented clients' in the state policy arena, too, including playing a significant role in setting the state's RPS, establishing state climate program activities, promoting alternative vehicles, and promoting community solar. After hours, Jill enjoys her family and has been a local conservationist, gardener, writer, and supporter of dance/arts organizations.
Jill has a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and has done graduate study in economics at the University of Illinois (Springfield). She has completed continuing education in facilitation, utility marketing, program design, and evaluation. Cliburn and Associates has consulted as a developer and presenter of award-winning trainings and curricula. She also has won awards from the Society of Technical Communicators, for her work on professional journals, training materials, and reports.
Cliburn and Associates operates as an informal collective, calling upon other top experts to form work teams suited to particular project needs. Her co-authors and team-partners list includes an extraordinary number of nationally known go-to experts. In addition, Jill has ready access to technical research assistance, graphic design, and editorial support. This is an increasingly popular way for consultants to work today, but it has been Jill’s strategy since the beginning. She has collaborated across the US and internationally.
Background
Early in her career, Jill was Illinois’ first State Solar Office Coordinator, working to initiate the state’s fledgling solar business networks, standards, and incentives. Subsequently, she managed Energy Services for a mid-sized municipal electric and water utility in Springfield, Illinois, and she coordinated Energy Services Program efforts for American Public Power Association in Washington, DC. From that post, she spearheaded energy services and renewable energy technical assistance for both public power utilities and electric cooperatives.
As work took her to New Mexico, she was appropriately enchanted and determined to establish a home base there. She continues to serve clients nationwide. Markedly, in 2015 she became Principal Investigator for the Community Solar Value Project, a multi-year effort co-funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and managed by the Bay-area consultancy, Extensible Energy. After the Project's culmination, Cliburn and Associates transitioned her role to increasing field services and client-funded research. Her focus is primarily upon community-scale solar. In the last decade, Jill also helped to bring significantly scaled solar to New Mexico. Her clients have included the Buckman Direct Diversion Project, a city/county water plant, for which she guided early-stage development of the first 1-MW single-axis tracking solar plant in Santa Fe. She has represented clients' in the state policy arena, too, including playing a significant role in setting the state's RPS, establishing state climate program activities, promoting alternative vehicles, and promoting community solar. After hours, Jill enjoys her family and has been a local conservationist, gardener, writer, and supporter of dance/arts organizations.
Jill has a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and has done graduate study in economics at the University of Illinois (Springfield). She has completed continuing education in facilitation, utility marketing, program design, and evaluation. Cliburn and Associates has consulted as a developer and presenter of award-winning trainings and curricula. She also has won awards from the Society of Technical Communicators, for her work on professional journals, training materials, and reports.