Events Archive

CalPlug Workshop #19 and 10th Anniversary

Monday, October 18, 2021

CalPlug’s 19th workshop and 10th Anniversary Celebration was held in CalIt2’s own Auditorium. Discussion during the event centered around Climate Resiliency, Lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and inclusivity.

Speakers:

G.P. Li, Calit2 and CalPlug Research Center; Doug Johnson, Consumer Technology Association; Kim Trenbath, National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL; Benjamin Park, Enevate; Matthias Kurwing, Enrvee; Amy Lebar, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL); Ammi Amarnath, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI); John Woosley, Center for Sustainable Energy; Li Zhao, CalPlug Research Center; Jay Seidel, Fullerton Drone Lab

  • 9:30 am | Check-in/on-site registration
  • 10 am | Welcome G.P. Li, Director of CalPlug
  • 10:10 am | Opening remarks from CalPlug Advisory Board co-chairs
    • Doug Johnson, Vice President, Consumer Technology Association (CTA)
    • Kim Trenbath, Innovation Lead, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
  • 10:30 am | KEYNOTE: Benjamin Park, Founder & CTO, Enevate: Solving Difficult Problems Together to Help Mitigate Climate Change
  • 11 am | Matthias Kurwing, CEO, Enervee: People Power: Massively Scaling Energy Efficiency
  • 11:30 am | Amy Lebar, Researcher, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): Automatic Type and Location Identification System
  • Noon | LUNCH
  • 1 pm | Ammi Amarnath, Senior Technical Executive, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI): Industrial Load Flexibility – An Opportunity for Decabonization in California
  • 1:30 pm | John Woolsey, Principal Engineer, Center for Sustainable Energy CHP TAP: Combine Heat & Power – Resiliency and Reliability
  • 2 pm | Li Zhao, Technical Director of CalPlug: Plug and Process Loads: Roles and Opportunities in energy Resiliency
  • 2:30 pm | Jay Seidel, Professor, Fullerton Drone Lab at Fullerton College: Drones for Efficient Energy and Infrastructure Inspection
  • 3 pm | PANEL: Climate Resiliency Solutions
  • 3:45 pm | Break
  • 4 pm | DEMO: Drone
  • 4:30 pm | Wrap up – G.P. Li
  • 4:45 pm: | Networking Reception

CalPlug Workshop #18

Monday, October 18, 2021

CalPlug’s 18th was hosted on Webinar, and discussed the processes of Optimizing Energy Efficiency in Spaces, office commercial and in the home.

Speakers: G.P. Li, Calit2/CalPlug Research center; Li Zhao, CalPlug Research Center; John Anderson, OhmConnect; Mary Ann Piette, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory; Paul Campbell, Facil AI; Michael Myer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Kurt Gokbudak, Schneider Electric

9:00 am – 12:05 pm

  • 9:00 – 9:05 am: Welcome & Introduction
    G.P. Li
    – Calit2/California Plug Load Research Center
  • 9:05 – 9:20 am: Challenges and Opportunities in Energy Transition,
    Decarbonization and Electrification: CalPlug’s Holistic Approach
    Li Zhao – CalPlug
  • 9:20 – 9:45 am: WiFi smart plugs: the ‘gateway drug’ to home energy automation
    John Anderson – OhmConnect 
  • 9:45 – 10:10 am: Overview of the California Load Flexibility Research and Deployment Hub
    Mary Ann Piette – Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory 
  • 10:10 – 10:35 am: Object Oriented Design in Energy and Decision Management
    Paul Campbell – Facil AI
  • 10:35 am – BREAK
  • 10:40 – 11:05 am: Recent field experience and lessons learned related to automatic receptacle controls
    Michael Myer – Pacific Northwest National Laboratory 
  • 11:05 – 11:30 am: Buildings of the Future, Today. Planning for
    Sustainability and Resilience working towards a Healthy Building
    Environment
    Kurt Gokbudak – Schneider Electric 
  • 11:30 am – DISCUSSION
  • noon – 12:05 pm: GP Li – wrap up

ACEEE 2021 Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry

July 12-15, 2021

CalPlug Research Director Joy Pixley presented about survey results from the CESMII Smart Connected Worker project, titled: “Enabling Small and Medium Manufacturers to Adopt Smart Manufacturing” in a panel titled, “How Agile Manufacturing is Helping Small and Medium Manufacturers become Resilient.”

CalPlug Earth Day Workshop #17

April 22, 2021

At this spring’s CalPlug workshop, we had the largest virtual turnout yet and a rousing discussion by our panelists on the topic of how to work together to find solutions for climate change.

Speakers: G.P. Li, CalPlug; Doug Johnson, Consumer Technology Association; Kim Trenbath; National Renewable Energy Laboratory; David Jacot, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power; Edwin Hornquist, Southern California Edison; Ann Hancock, The Climate Center; Yennie Solheim, Niantic Labs; and Luc Serveri, Sustainable Energy for All.

AGENDA
9:00 a.m. G.P. Li, CalPlug
Welcome
 
9:10 a.m. Doug Johnson, Consumer Technology Association and Kim Trenbath, National Research Energy Laboratory – Co-chairs CalPlug advisory board
Introducing CalPlug 2.0
 
9:25 a.m. David Jacot, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Introducing the La Kretz Innovation Campus PPT
 
9:45 a.m. Edwin Hornquist, Southern California Edison
California’s Emerging Technologies Program PPT
 
10:05 a.m. Break
 
10:10 a.m. Ann Hancock, Climate Center
Accelerating Climate Action in California PPT
 
10:30 a.m. Yennie Solheim, Niantic Labs
United Nations Playing for the Planet Initiative PPT
 
10:50 a.m. Luc Severi, Sustainable Energy for All
Powering Healthcare: Setting the Scene PPT
 
11:10 a.m. Joy Pixley, CalPlug Moderator
Call to Action: Everyone Working Together
 
12:00 p.m. G.P. Li
Workshop Wrap-up
 

Better Buildings Alliance Webinar: Beyond Energy Efficiency: How Your Device Usage Patterns Affect Energy Consumption

Mar 17, 2021
 

At the spring DOE Better Buildings Alliance Plug and Process Teams Webinar, CalPlug Research Director Dr. Joy Pixley was invited to give the featured technical presentation (title above). Prior to Joy’s presentation, Felipe Leon of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory gave an update on the PNNL Integrated Lighting Campaign.

Watch the webinar here (Felipe starts at 12:50, Joy starts at 22:35)

CalPlug Workshop: 3C’s – Climate Change, Energy Consumption and Disadvantaged Communities during COVID-19

Presented Online November 16, 2020

AGENDA:

9:00 a.m. : G.P. Li, Director of CalPlug
Welcome

CalPlug: Current Findings 
9:05 a.m.: Joy Pixley, PhD, CalPlug Research Director
“Highlighting Plug Loads in Energy Efficiency Programs for Commercial Customers”

9:25 a.m.: Michael Klopfer, PhD, Calplug Technical Director
“COVID-19 Residential Impacts in LA County: Then & Now”

3 C’s – Climate Change, Energy Consumption and Disadvantaged Communities During COVID-19

9:45 a.m.: Scott Hinson, Chief Technology Officer, Pecan Street
“Residential Energy Consumption During COVID-19”

10:10 a.m.: Steven Davis, UCI Associate Professor of Earth System Science
“Effects of COVID-19 on CO2 Emissions in the US and Globally”

10:35 a.m.: Jem Porcaro, Lead, Integrated Energy Planning and Powering Healthcare, Sustainable Energy for All
“Powering the COVID-19 Response”

11:00 a.m.: Kim Trenbath, Lead, Systems Technology R&D, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
“Advances in Plug Load Control Technology”

11:25: Panel discussion moderated by G.P. Li, with speakers Scott Hinson; Steven Davis; Jem Porcaro; Kim Trenbath; Michael Klopfer and panel guests David Jacot, Director of Efficiency Solutions, Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) and Amir Tabakh, Manager of the LADWP La Kretz Labs and Energy Efficiency Solutions Engineering

12:30 p.m.: Session Ends

Beyond Energy Efficiency: How Your Device Usage Patterns Affect Energy Consumption

 

Please join us on Wednesday, March 17 for the Better Buildings Alliance (BBA) Plug and Process Load (PPL) webinar. Details below:

  • Title: Beyond Energy Efficiency: How Your Device Usage Patterns Affect Energy Consumption

  • Date/Time: March 17, 2021;  1:00pm ET / 11:00am MT

  • Description: How people use plug load devices can strongly affect their energy consumption. Learn what factors are most important for certain types of devices, and how to reduce inefficiencies.

  • Guest Presenter: Dr. Joy Pixley, Research Director, California Plug Load Research Center

CalPlug WorkShop & Earth Celebration Day​​

CalPlug Workshop # 15 April 21-22, 2020– Presented Online

The California Plug Load Research Center established biannual workshops since its inception over 7 years ago. One of our objectives is to continue bringing all stakeholders in the energy sector to maximize communication, foster collaboration and exchange information about energy efficiency and savings in research, business, public policy and more. Invited speakers share presentations that highlight new technologies, market trends, standards and services. As a state California has long taken the lead in all things green; as a California public research center; Calplug is taking the lead to continue this legacy. Recent events have placed limitations on our access to interact. However, CalPlug is leveraging today’s technology to have the Center’s first ever virtual workshop.

Speakers included:

Dr. Wendell Brase

Dr. G.P Li

Dr. Michael Klopfer

Dr. Joy Pixley

Katie Gladych

Chris Busch: Research Director (Energy Innovation & Tech LLC)

Alden Donnelly: Co-Founder  Of Carbon Economics (Nori)

Cathy Higgins: Research Director (New Building Institute)

David Jacot: Director of Efficiency Solutions (LADWP)

Michael Mitchell: Earth Day Founder (MCM Group International)

Amir Tabakh: Chief of Efficiency Solutions Engineering (LADWP)