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WPS Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Forum

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 | Lambeau Field, 6th Floor Indoor Club and Loft, 1265 Lombardi Ave, Green Bay, WI

Take your business to the next level by discovering strategies to enhance the energy efficiency of your facility. Join us for an engaging morning of technical sessions offered for Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) commercial and industrial customers and trade allies. Our team of experts will dive into opportunities to fund projects, provide new insights into optimizing your compressed air system and guide you in determining whether Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) align with your building decarbonization strategy.

We are bringing local and regional experts direct to you in Green Bay to help solve your energy challenges. Attendees will gain insights into new strategies and techniques to save energy and costs in their own buildings and for their customers. This half day technical forum includes sessions on:

Strategies for improved efficiency in compressed air systems
Understanding Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) for large energy consumers
Exploration of available Focus on Energy incentives
Updates on federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
Energy efficiency improvements at Lambeau Field

Whether you are just starting to make improvements to your business, or you are looking for the next step in your journey, the forum will have something for you. You’ll also be able to engage with our experts, both local WPS staff and our energy efficiency team, to talk about your projects in more detail.

At the end of the session, join us for a complimentary tour of Lambeau Field!

7:30 AM – 8:00 AM: Registration, networking breakfast

8:00 AM – 8:15 AM: Welcome

Greg Smedema, Manager of Key Accounts, WPS

8:15 AM – 8:45 AM: Ask the experts

Kyle Thomas, Outreach Manager, Focus on Energy - Focus on Energy incentive and rebate program updates
Robin Lisowski, Director of Service Solutions, Slipstream - Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) update

8:45 AM – 9: 45 AM: Compressed air systems: Opportunities for improved efficiency

Frank Melch, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Zorn Compressor & Equipment

9:45 AM – 10:00 AM: Networking break

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM: Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and their role in decarbonization strategy

Kathleen Ellis, Senior Associate, Blue Dot Capital

11:00 AM – 11:10 AM: Lambeau Field energy conservation measures

Justin Dantzman, Assistant Director of Facility Operations

Adjourn or break for optional tours

Optional Lambeau Field Stadium Tour - Three tour window options

11:15 AM - 12:15 PM: Tour group 1
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM: Tour group 2
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM: Tour group 3

Compressed air systems: Opportunities for improved efficiency 
Frank Melch, Zorn Compressor & Equipment

Compressed air is a vital component used throughout manufacturing and repair businesses. It is often also the largest motor in the facility, and an area of great opportunity when it comes to reducing electric consumption and expenses. In this session, our expert speaker will explore the opportunities for right sizing and optimizing air compressor performance through pressure, flow, and partial load controls. Some examples include:

Understanding the relationship between power, pressure and flow
Sizing for varying demands
Setting compressor controls based upon pressure
The greatest cost of compressed air

Attendees will also receive a handout to help you identify opportunities in your own system. At the end of the session, you will be able to: 

Leverage a better understanding of compressed air system dynamics
Identify compressor control options and their partial load efficiencies
Identify opportunities in your own system

Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and their role in decarbonization strategy

Kathleen Ellis, Blue Dot Capital

As the number of large corporations, banks, and investors with renewable energy goals grows, so does the importance of a comprehensive energy management program within your organization. Does your organization have a comprehensive energy management plan? How are you leveraging renewable energy?

This session will go over the different renewable energy options for large energy consumers. We will also explore how Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) fit into a larger energy purchasing portfolio. Finally, the session will end with a discussion of how REC purchases can have a significant impact on a company’s decarbonization strategy.

We look forward to seeing you at Lambeau Field! Here are some tips to help you get to the event:

When you arrive at Lambeau Field, please park in the lot off Ridge Road in front of the Bellin Health Gate (marked with the red pin in the map below).
At the Bellin Health Gate, there will be a guest service representative to welcome you and direct you to the 6th Floor Indoor Clubs North Loft.
Parking is free!
For more information and another map, feel free to use this resource from Lambeau Field.

Revisit the presentation deck.

Please see our Education & Training FAQ, or visit our webinar catalog to access Slipstream's entire collection of on-demand recordings.

Speakers

Greg Smedema
Manager of Key Accounts
WPS

Greg Smedema was named Manager – Key Accounts for WEC Energy Group in August 2022. In this role, Smedema is responsible for the 350 largest We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service industrial and commercial customers, managing a team of 10 account managers with the assistance of two business analysts.

Smedema started his WEC Energy Group career with We Energies in 2011 as an Agricultural Account Manager. In that role, he was the primary contact for agricultural customers’ needs ranging from billing and services to stray voltage. Prior to this role, he worked as an Energy Efficiency Advisor contracted to We Energies through Franklin Energy since 2007. In August 2018, he became Operations Supervisor – Major Projects, Natural Gas, supporting seasonal gas inspectors and contract crews installing projects in the Fox Valley area. 2020 saw Smedema return to account management as a Principal Account Manager in the We Energies Key Account Group.

Smedema holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agri-business with an emphasis in Agricultural Engineering Technology from UW-Platteville. He has served on a number of non-profit, promotion and economic development boards, as well as completing the Leadership Fox Cities Program.

Frank Melch, Zorn Compressor & Equipment

Frank Melch
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
Zorn Compressor & Equipment

Frank Melch is a compressed air industry veteran having started in the industry in 1981. He worked for a variety of distributors and manufacturers over the years before joining Zorn Compressor & Equipment in 1999. In his current role of Vice President of Sales & Marketing, he directs the company’s sales efforts, Marketing and Business Development, and the Technical Solutions Group. Frank is a 1981 graduate of Lake Forest College (Illinois) with a BA in Economics. In addition, Frank is a Department of Energy (DOE) Compressed Air Systems AIRMaster+ Qualified Specialist.

Justin Dantzman
Assistant Director of Facility Operations
Green Bay Packers

Justin Dantzman is the Assistant Director of Facility Operations for the Green Bay Packers and has been with the organization for 11 years.

Kathleen Ellis
Senior Associate
Blue Dot Capital

Kathleen Ellis is a Senior Associate at Blue Dot Capital in Milwaukee where she advises private market clients on portfolio and asset-level operational sustainability strategies and initiatives. Kathleen has engineering, real estate, and sustainability management experience across multiple industries such as commercial real estate, semiconductor manufacturing, and education. Prior to Blue Dot, Kathleen worked at Entegris where she was a Global Sustainability Program Manager responsible for managing global sustainability strategy and disclosure. While there, she also led facilities teams to execute energy and water reduction projects. Kathleen was also a Senior Associate at Rocky Mountain Institute where she provided technical guidance to DOE funded HVAC and mechanical systems companies and energy and renewables analysis for real estate projects. In addition, she has a Master of Science in Sustainable Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology and a bachelor's in physics from Cornell College.

Kyle Thomas
Outreach Manager - Commercial B&I Solutions
Focus on Energy

Kyle holds an associate degree in Solar Technology and Energy Management from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College located in Green Bay, WI and is a Certified Energy Manager through The Association of Energy Engineers. Kyle has since gained experience with national utility demand side management programs prior to working with the Focus on Energy program as a commercial energy advisor in northeast Wisconsin.

Kyle is currently an Outreach Manager for the Focus on Energy Business & Industry Solutions Program. As Outreach Manager, Kyle is responsible for providing management and leadership to a team of energy advisors, outreach specialists, and energy engineers who support the Focus on Energy Business and Industry program. He also provides energy advice, audits, and coordination for commercial customers, building owners, and Trade Allies to help identify energy efficiency opportunities and introduce the various prescriptive and custom incentive measures. Additionally, Kyle develops outreach plans with the Focus on Energy Program Manager to maximize the program's attainment of efficiency goals. He is accountable for ensuring complete customer satisfaction regarding energy efficiency inquiries through the Focus on Energy business programs.

Robin Lisowski
Managing Director of Policy
Slipstream

Robin is Director of Service Solutions at Slipstream, where she leads new service development efforts. Robin has more than 20 years of experience conducting and managing technical and policy analysis projects, facilitating stakeholder engagement processes, and designing programs in public, for-profit, and nonprofit environments. She has worked directly with state and local governments and energy utilities for 18 years and in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industry since 2008 when she became the Assistant Director of the Business Programs Portfolio for Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy program. Robin is an interdisciplinary thinker and doer with a passion for clean energy and environmental justice policy. In her work, she has a reputation for centering these passions alongside analytical rigor and the importance of understanding human experience with and attitudes toward energy efficiency, electrification, and other clean energy options in buildings and transportation.

WPS Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Forum

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 | Lambeau Field, 6th Floor Indoor Club and Loft, 1265 Lombardi Ave, Green Bay, WI

Overview

Agenda

Featured Sessions

Event Parking Details

Resources and Handouts

Questions