EBC Connecticut Chapter Seminar
Solar Energy Programs in Connecticut
Connecticut has just adopted new legislation to “prime the pump” for solar and
renewable developments by implementing a number of new mechanisms including a
“Zero Emissions Renewable Energy Credit, by increasing funding for renewables and
assuring funding sources, by allowing electric companies to own solar generation, and
by requiring electric companies to purchase RECs on a long term basis. New agencies
are being developed with broad authority to promote renewables, and RGGI funds will
be dedicated for the benefit of efficiency and renewables. This seminar will include key
players in Connecticut’s renewable landscape and will give key insights into the
incentives that the State hopes will result in a robust solar market.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Northeast Utilities
107 Selden Street
Berlin, Connecticut
DRAFT AGENDA
7:30 a.m.
Registration and Networking Continental Breakfast
8:00 a.m.
Welcome – Shri Madhusudhan - Chair EBC Connecticut Chapter
Director - Environmental and Property Management
Northeast Utilities
Introduction - John W. Wadsworth, Partner, Brown Rudnick, LLP
8:15 a.m.
The Future of Solar in Connecticut
 Alex Kragie, Special Assistant to Commissioner Esty
8:40 a.m.
Solar Initiatives – Financing and other incentives
 David Goldberg, Director of Strategic Initiatives
Connecticut Clean Energy Fund
Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority
9:05 a.m.
Moving Connecticut Solar Forward
 From a Developer’s Perspective
Fred Zalcman, SunEdison, Regulatory Affairs
 From a Utility’s Perspective
Christie Bradway, Manager, Renewable Power, Northeast Utilities
9:30 a.m.
Coffee Break - Networking
10:00 a.m.
Solar Development Considerations
 Developing solar projects - Ron French, Alteris Renewables
 Interconnection Agreements and Net Metering
Joseph N. Debs, Connecticut Light and Power
 Financing Strategies - Howard Siegel, Brown Rudnick
 Federal Tax Credits - Eric S. Graber-Lopez, BlueWave Capital
11:00 a.m.
Implications of the New Solar Landscape - Panel Discussion
Moderator – Eric S. Graber-Lopez, BlueWave Capital
 David Goldberg, Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority
 Alex Kragie, Special Assistant to DEEP Commissioner Esty
 Ron French, Alteris Renewables
 Christie Bradway, Manager, Renewable Power, Northeast Utilities
 Fred Zalcman, SunEdison, Regulatory Affairs
12:00 p.m.
Adjourn
Program Chair
John W. Wadsworth, Partner
Brown Rudnick, LLP
One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111
617- 856-8596
jwadsworth@brownrudnick.com
John Wadsworth’s practice combines environmental and energy experience. He represents
developers and financers of large projects in connection with permitting, regulatory and
environmental risk allocation issues and represents energy companies in connection with
acquisitions, permitting, regulatory approvals, and development work.
Mr. Wadsworth has been involved in hazardous waste remediation projects, including several
involving environmental insurance. He has extensive experience with the Regional Greenhouse
Gas Initiative (RGGI) and with carbon issues in general, and has lectured and written
extensively on these and other topics. He served on the Solid Waste Advisory Board aiding the
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection in drafting regulations, and has been
extensively involved in programs relating to Chapter 91 (tidelands) issues.
John holds a J.D. from Yale Law School, and Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School, and a
B.A from SUNY Buffalo.
SPEAKERS
Joseph N. Debs, Distributed Resources Project Manager
Connecticut Light and Power
107 Selden Street, Berlin CT 06037
860-665-5616 debsjn@nu.com
Christie Bradway, Manager, Renewable Power
Wholesale Power
Northeast Utilities
860-665-5296 bradwcl@nu.com
Ron French, President
Alteris Renewables
523 Danbury Rd., Wilton, CT 06897
800.339.7804
rfrench@alterisinc.com
Ron French got involved in the solar field to follow his passion to influence environmental change by
actively developing the renewable energy marketplace.
As the president of Alteris, Ron has focused on developing innovative strategies to expand the use of
clean energy by businesses, schools, and homeowners throughout the northeast. His efforts have
included cultivating strategic alliances with premier solar manufacturers to provide optimal, high quality,
technology solutions and seeking out financing alternatives – from Power Purchase Agreements to cost
effective purchasing options – to make solar accessible and affordable for all clients. Ron has a BA in
Economics from the University of Vermont and an MBA from Columbia University Graduate School,
along with 27 years of corporate management experience. Ron’s noteworthy strategic planning,
business development and marketing skills won him senior executive positions at several Fortune 500
companies such as Apple Computer, MCI, Merck-Medco, Metromedia Fiber Network, and WebMD.
Ron lives in a solar-powered home in Newtown, CT that gets 70% of its power from the sun and has a
second home in Vermont that is completely solar powered.
David R. Goldberg, Director Strategic Initiatives
Connecticut Clean Energy Fund
865 Brook Street, Rocky Hill, CT 06067-3444
860.257.2889 www.ctcleanenergy.com david.goldberg@ctcleanenergy.com
Mr Goldbery focuses on creating new market and program opportunities for the Connecticut Clean
Energy Fund on behalf of ratepayers throughout Connecticut. David leads cross-functional teams in
program development, project management, strategy development along with other analytical and
implementation related matters. He also oversees critical short-term projects and new program
opportunities such as assisting interested stakeholders in forging strategic partnerships.
David joined the CCEF team in 2007. Previously, he had been managing renewable energy policy and
programs for the Department of Public Utility Control. David briefed commissioners and executive staff
members on research and policy analysis along with coordinating action. Furthermore, he served as a
department spokesperson, backup legislative liaison, representative on numerous state, regional and
federal committees including the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland
Security, Connecticut Climate Change Coordinating Committee, Washington Action Alert Committee,
ISO-NE Capacity Protocol Committee and NEPOOL GIS Committee.
David received a Bachelor of Arts degree in organizational communications with a primary focus on
public and private management and a Master of Business Administration degree.
Eric S. Graber-Lopez, BlueWave Capital
BlueWave Capital LLC
31 Milk Street , Suite 1104, Boston, MA 02109
617-350-3444 or 617.350.8620 egraberlopez@bluewavestrategies.com
Eric Graber-Lopez is the Director of BlueWave Capital's renewable energy project development and
financing activities. Mr. Graber-Lopez also advises early stage clean energy companies and
entrepreneurs in the areas of finance, strategy, due diligence and market analysis. Prior to joining
BlueWave, Mr. Graber-Lopez served as Vice President and Senior Equity Analyst on the Specialty
Equity Growth Team at Putnam Investments, where he helped manage $8B in U.S. mid- and large-cap
growth equity portfolios. At Putnam, he focused on the energy, alternative energy, materials, and
utilities sectors and was responsible for his team's investments in those sectors in both public and
private markets. Mr. Graber-Lopez started as a Senior Equity Analyst within Putnam's Global Equity
Research Group and was a member of the Natural Resources and Utilities fund teams. During his
years on the sell-side, Mr. Graber-Lopez focused on the Energy and Utilities industries and was ranked
by several leading industry surveys as being among the top analysts in his field. Mr. Graber-Lopez has
extensive experience in firm valuation, mergers and acquisitions advisory services, private equity
transactions, and portfolio management. Mr. Graber-Lopez holds an MBA from MIT's Sloan School of
Management and a BA from Hampshire College.
Alex Kragie, Special Assistant to Commissioner Esty
Department of Environmental Protection
79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06103
Cell: 301 351 6543
alex.kragie@ct.gov
Alex Kragie is Special Assistant to Commissioner Dan Esty at the Connecticut Department of
Environmental Protection. He participated in the design process of SB 1243, and will play an active role
in the bill’s implementation. Previously, Alex served as Vice President of the Coalition for Green Capital
(CGC), a non-profit based in Washington, DC. He also worked on the Obama-Biden Transition Team,
and served as a Regional Field Director on the Obama Campaign in 2008. Alex is a graduate of
Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA.
Howard Siegel, Partner
Brown Rudnick
185 Asylum Street, Hartford, CT 06103
860.509.6519 hsiegel@brownrudnick.com
Mr. Siegel is a member of the Firm’s Energy and Utilities Practice Group. Mr. Siegel regularly
represents clients in renewable energy and energy efficiency project development and finance
including monetization of carbon credits, RECs and other environmental and efficiency attributes;
valuation litigation; and transactional matters involving energy and utilities, mergers and acquisitions
and commercial, corporate and project finance. As part of Brown Rudnick’s Cleantech Team, Mr.
Siegel is also part of collaborative, cross-disciplinary initiatives to assist clients in this evolving sector.
Fred Zalcman
Managing Director of Government Affairs – Eastern U.S.
SunEdison LLC
16 Windaway Road , Bethel, CT 06801
(301) 974-2721
fzalcman@sunedison.com
Fred Zalcman is SunEdison’s Managing Director of Regulatory Affairs for the Eastern United States.
His work focuses primarily on creating robust, self-sustaining state-based markets for solar energy.
Zalcman has over 20 years of experience in the energy field as an attorney and policy analyst. His
career has centered on promoting market structures and regulatory policies that are supportive of
energy efficiency, renewable resources and clean distributed generation. Prior to joining SunEdison,
Zalcman was the Executive Director of the Pace Law School Energy and Climate Center, one of the
nation’s preeminent sustainable energy research, education and advocacy groups.
Zalcman has served on a number of gubernatorial, legislative and agency advisory boards providing
guidance and counsel on clean energy policy and program development.. He has also taught energy
and natural resources law, and has written and lectured extensively on energy and environmental
matters. The Association of Energy Engineers recently named him the Northeast Region’s Renewable
Energy Innovator of 2009.
Zalcman received a B.A in History from Washington University in St. Louis, and a joint degree in Law
and Public Administration from Indiana University.