“To achieve integration and widespread adoption of BESS requires a collaborative and multi-pronged approach. In addition to technological innovation, there needs to be regulatory support, financial investment, and cultivation of a skilled workforce adept in managing these new systems.”

Forum conversations about the expansion of economic electrification show how important it is to collaborate across industries and regions. As Brouillette remarked, “Energy has never been more important in the diplomatic world.”

“We want to be known as the go-to engineering company. The Minnesota Vikings are the only ones we work for outside of the solar market. We see unique niche engineering specialties within what we do, like SCADA.”

“We were the civil contractor on the rebuild of about 400 manholes in and around St. Louis as they were upgrading the infrastructure. We’ve also been doing other underground distribution work with Ameren Missouri running conduits.”

“We joint ventured with a competitor to bid the project, because of the city’s requirements, the proposed accelerated schedule, and the city gave an equalization advantage for local businesses.”

“It’s about recruiting and maintaining the right group of people, and I believe we’re the premier transformer contractor in the southeast U.S. Not because of me, but because of the men and women that comprise that group.”

“While DEI is a business imperative supported by data, it’s also the right thing to do, making it equally important as an altruistic investment.”

“It’s about how to have an appreciation of those differences, encourage you to be uniquely you, who you are, and bring your best authentic self into the workplace.”

Inspired by the keynote address’ title, this annual event adopted “Beyond Ordinary” as its theme. That when utilities, their contractors, and subcontractors are thinking about increasing the diversity of the workforce across the companies that help them engineer, construct, modernize, and maintain the nation’s energy infrastructure, that this thinking breaks out and goes beyond the tried and true.

By increasing the reach of these programs, utilities get greater insight into customer behavior and the ability to tackle distribution-level issues more effectively.