A brief overview of the Energy Efficiency Industry from my perspective in California for a group of High School Students

1. SMCHS Alumni Career Day
Chris Abbamonto
Class of 1996
November 2010

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Chris Abbamonto
 B.A. Biology – Concordia University, Irvine, 2005
 M.B.A. – UC Irvine, 2009
 Married in 2004 – 3 Children
 Work at Resource Solutions Group
 Live in Half Moon Bay, California

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What is Sustainability?
 “Meeting the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs” – epa.gov/sustainability
 Going “GREEN”
 Natural Resource Efficiency
 Carbon Emission Reduction
 What industry can do all of these?

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Energy Efficiency
 The most cost effective method of carbon
emission reduction
 EE before solar PV
 EE before other renewable generation
 Real green jobs for real engineers, craft labor,
and environmental entrepreneurs
 Reduction of energy consumption (gas,
electricity, and water) through retrofit and system
optimization

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Skills and Education Needed
 Ability to Understand Complex Systems
 Strong Critical Thinking, Logic, and Reasoning
 Energy Engineering – ME or EE degree
 Energy Management – Business/Engineering
 Energy Project Management – Business
 Energy Management System – Trade School

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Who Is Hiring?
 Utilities – SCE, PG&E, SCG, SDG&E, Muni’s
 ESCOs – Energy Services Company
 Major Facilities – Universities, Industry,
Government, and Private Business
 Engineering Firms – Project Design
 Energy Efficiency Consulting – RSG!

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Resource Solutions Group
 Third Party Energy Efficiency Programs
 SEE – K-12 Schools Program (PG&E)
 WIES – Small to Medium Winery Program (PG&E)
 DIRA – Large Dairy Program (PG&E)
 PREPS – Private Schools Program (SCG)
 Energy Program Design and Administration
 Chicago, Illinois
 Wyoming
 Pennsylvania
 Lots of work outside of California

8. Winery Wastewater Aerator
8
OLD NEWOLD NEW

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Understanding Energy Uses
 Dairyman has 5 hours to get 98ºF milk down to
40ºF milk for pickup
 Vacuum, Pumping, Refrigeration, and Lighting

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Understanding Energy Uses

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Why Energy Efficiency?
 Energy efficiency is meeting some of the most
difficult challenges of our time
 Scarcity of resources = increasing cost
 Job growth in a down economy
 Energy efficiency makes business sense – EE as
an investment
 International demand for knowledgeable people