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Flexing and refocusing on new energy solutions

1/16/2019

 
Have you ever had a life experience that put your priorities in order? That is, of course a personal question, which does not immediately bring to mind the transformation of the utility industry and the successful integration of solar plus storage into the grid. Yet, my long history of working in this field has given me the strange authority to say that yes, making progress in these technical areas and on the policies that support them are priorities for me and for this firm. But as a woman in energy for all of this time, I have sometimes flexed to accommodate other top priorities, too.

Last year, in 2018, I spent some of my time as a caregiver for an aging parent, and I spent another chunk of my time as an energy professional at the top of my game. Well, not constantly at the top–keeping up this website was one task that fell off the tray. But I was fortunate to have ongoing clients and colleagues who helped Cliburn and Associates to keep building our reputation for a passion for the work, plus compassion for the people behind the scene, and a view (though sometimes a bit distant) of the rich quality of life that drives us.

As we enter 2019, the focus of our work is even clearer. Cliburn and Associates has long noted that the utility transformation is largely "a people problem." Today's energy integration challenges require working across departments and disciplines, and sometimes working earnestly with stakeholders who have widely varying views. We have technical expertise and economics expertise–but technical and economic solutions also have organizational, political and ultimately human dimensions. It is quite a puzzle, to solve 21st-Century energy challenges! But that is why it has always been my good fortune to spend a a large–and well-focused–chunk of time working toward new energy solutions.

By the way, we just posted a new blog to the Community Solar Value Project website, which is where some of Cliburn and Associates' most recent work may be found. That blog is on a theme related to communications–specifically applying lessons from the latest JD Power Utility Outlook to the opportunities that utilities can unleash when they embark upon a well-designed, high-value community solar program.

    Author

    Jill Cliburn is founder and leader of Cliburn and Associates, LLC. Here, she shares her views on the radical redesign of our energy system, which is at once brilliantly underway and continuously thwarted.

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