Leaders across Chicago’s clean energy and transportation sectors gathered last December for AEG Chicago’s Mobility and Transportation Stakeholder Challenge. The primary focus of the discussion? How to achieve greater social equity in mobility.
The Pedal Towards “Bikes-to-Bus” Programs in Boston: AEG Boston Mobility & Transportation
The majority of American commuters use their single person vehicles as their main mode of transportation to work. This presents a major barrier to reducing the amount of non-electric vehicles as their primary mode of commuter transit. In order to reach the goal of net zero emissions by 2050, Boston is encouraging commuters to utilize public transit, carpool, bike, or walk. To decrease the amount of cars on the road and benefit the health of the community, a solution is to make public transit, walking, and biking more accessible to commuters.
Three Roadblocks and Opportunities for Fleet Electrification from the Illinois Clean Truck Fleet Forum
After over nine months of research and outreach to advance trucking fleet electrification in Chicago, Advanced Energy Group’s 20Q4 Trucking Task Force hosted a successful “Fleet Forum” on September 30, 2021. Attended by over 70 stakeholders representing municipal fleets, commercial fleets, local utilities and more, the Illinois Clean Fleet Forum provided a platform to understand the major roadblocks and opportunities that exist for fleet decarbonization in Illinois.
AEG Washington 20Q4 Task Force Kickstarts Dialogue with U.S. Congress to Expedite the Electrification of Public Transit
Transportation poses as a vital and complex sector to be decarbonized as we continue to confront the climate crisis. As of 2019, transportation composed 29% of the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions. To kickstart a generative partnership with the federal government, the Advanced Energy Group (AEG) Washington 20Q4 Task Force has delivered a letter to the Congressional Delegation which outlines the rationale, requirements, and benefits of bus electrification.
DC Water Task Force Prioritizes Equity as it Finalizes Project Portfolio
In January 2021, AEG convened Stakeholders in Washington DC to discuss major obstacles the District faces on its path to reaching resilience and equity while decarbonizing critical infrastructure. With equity at its center of focus, the District aims for a 50% decrease in emissions from its 2006 baseline and carbon neutrality by 2050. After a series of conversations, Stakeholders decided to tackle the challenge, presented by DC Water’s Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Kishia L. Powell, PE, of creating a unified project portfolio based on cost-benefit analysis that would enable collaborators to make informed, expedient, and equitable decisions.
Modernizing Boston’s Grid: Progress on Workforce Training but More To Do
Boston has a goal of becoming net-zero by 2050. This means electrification of buildings and transportation. Boston’s grid needs to modernize to meet this challenge.
Last year, AEG Stakeholders outlined what they believed was the biggest obstacle to meeting Boston’s net-zero target -- lack of a ready-to-go local clean energy workforce. Such a workforce would not only need to be highly skilled but also diverse. To build this workforce, the industry needs to coalesce to provide funding and raise awareness.
Electrifying Illinois's Trucking Fleet
Last year, Advanced Energy Group Chicago formed the 20Q4 Trucking Task Force to tackle this exact issue, charging key stakeholders with creating a clean trucking roadmap for the city. Engaging with experts from the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) as well Ozinga, Martin-Brower and other local fleets, the Trucking Task Force has identified key barriers to electrification. With a stakeholder-led plan to electrify Chicago’s trucking industry, local fleets could not only benefit long term from reduced fuel costs, but electrification would also aid Chicago’s environmental and equity goals as well, especially with a focus on intra city drayage routes.
Modernizing NY's Grid: Progress on IoT but More To Do
In the last two weeks alone, due to either extreme heat or volatile lightning storms, I have received five alerts from ConEdison warning me that the power may go out. New York’s grid is not ready to handle the climate challenges we are facing and the ones that are sure to come. We need to modernize New York’s grid as soon as possible.
A Glimpse into 'Watt' It Takes to Modernize Washington D.C.’s Electrical Grid
While D.C. may have a unique and interesting grid, like all other grids in the country, it needs to be modernized. As our nation’s capital, it would make sense for D.C. to have not only one of the oldest microgrids in the country, representing our rich technical history, but also one of the newest microgrids in the country to represent our technical progress and innovation. Like all other grids in the country, D.C.’s grid needs to modernize to maximize resilience and efficiency in the face of increasing threats such as extreme weather events. However, as part of the PJM Interconnection, D.C. relies almost entirely on the other 13 states in the interconnection for their electrical needs. Modernizing this grid will take major efforts on the part of all stakeholders in both the district and within the wider interconnection.
The New Infrastructure
2019 CAE Q3: Chicago is being rebuilt in the age of the internet, technology and innovation.
2019 BAE Q3: Boston's Approach to IOT, Technology and Innovation
Boston has an aggressive vision to be Carbon Free by 2050. In an effort to meet that vision, the city needs strong leaders, innovators willing to disrupt the industry, and significant advances in IoT and Technology.
The Capital’s Case for Infrastructure & Water Resiliency - 2019 WAE Q1
Ahead of the Advance Energy Group’s Q1 Stakeholder Breakfast event in the country’s capital, we look at what has been accomplished by the industry’s thought leaders, policy makers and private and public sector partners as climate security plays a significant role in the U.S. capital’s resiliency planning
A More Resilient Chicago - 2019 CAE Q1
Join Advanced Energy Group on March 14that the Q1 breakfast series to discuss resiliency, critical infrastructures, and microgrids as they relate to the Chicagoland area and state of Illinois. The breakfast will feature a panel of experts, small group brainstorming activities, and actionable next steps.
Resiliency, Critical Infrastructure and Microgrids in New York (NYAE Q1 2019)
Featuring an exclusive interview with Susanne DesRoches, the Deputy Director of Infrastructure and Energy at NYC Mayor's Office of Resiliency, this blog explores the developments in Resiliency, Critical Infrastructure and Microgrids taking place around the city ahead of the NYAE Q1 2019 Stakeholder Series.
Chicago Mobility and Transportation - CAE Q4 2018
AEG’s Q4 Breakfast on Mobility and Transportation comes at a unique time: Chicago is navigating a pivot in urban infrastructure and departmental design. In September, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the creation of a Transportation and Mobility Task Force and in October, Emanuel linked Chicago’s historical role as a national transportation hub with its technological innovation, calling on the city to write a new “blueprint for the future.”
Washington DC Mobility and Transportation - 2018 WAE Q4
Amazon’s announcement to locate part of its new headquarters in Arlington, Virginia will be a significant jolt to the economy of the DC metro area. This announcement emphasizes the need for a more sustainable living environment. It has created a new focus on DC’s transportation infrastructure, which already experiences regular traffic bottlenecks from transporting hundreds of thousands of commuters to and from the District each day.
New York Mobility and Transportation (Q4 2018)
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a $5 million grant for rebates on electric charges in New York City in September. He said, "By expanding public access to electric vehicle charging stations, this program will make it more affordable for New Yorkers to make the switch to an environmentally friendly electric vehicle…” This is part of a much larger effort led by multiple government agencies as part of Governor Charge NY 2.0.
Boston's Transportation Challenge - 2018 BAE Q4
Transportation & Mobility is an important component of urban carbon reduction strategy. The IPCC Special Report stresses the need for stronger climate action in the mobility field, as the transportation sector accounts for 23% of CO2 emissions. The Boston’s Q4 series is going to be especially interesting as the city has developed a clear plan for addressing these action-items through Go Boston 2030
Chicago is Well Poised to Succeed and Lead in the IoT Revolution (Q3 2018)
Chicago continues to drive towards IoT capabilities in energy generation, distribution, and efficiency, supported by the City of Chicago and the city’s dominant utility, Commonwealth Edison. Chicago’s keen adoption of new technologies is in part a reflection of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s policy, he has stated: “Chicago is continuing to invest in the industries of tomorrow in order to create the jobs we need today.”