Conference Dates:  February 27 - March 2, 2023
Location: New Orleans, LA

February 27: Pre-conference Training Courses, Utilities Connect, Emerging Professionals event, and Opening Reception
February 28: Opening plenary, Conference Sessions, and Evening Reception
March 1: Conference Sessions and Special Evening Event
March 2: Conference Sessions and Closing Plenary Lunch
 

The Association of Energy Services Professionals (AESP) is accepting abstracts for its 2023 Annual Conference & Expo, taking place February 27 – March 2 in New Orleans, LA at the Marriott on Canal Street. We can’t wait to see you all again! In addition to the opportunity to present alongside other subject matter experts in our industry, you can participate in all conference activities. This includes educational sessions focusing on the latest thinking and innovations in energy efficiency, demand response, and distributed energy resources, as well as fun and highly-coveted networking events.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR A SPEAKER?

Increase your company’s image and visibility, and position yourself as a leading expert by presenting at AESP’s Annual Conference. The Annual Conference is the preeminent event for AESP members, attracting close to 1,000 energy professionals from across North America. Here, you will grow your professional network and contribute your expertise to this rapidly changing industry. Connect with peers, make new contacts, gain knowledge, and enjoy the sights, sounds, and tastes of New Orleans. As a speaker, you will also receive a highly discounted rate for the conference. 

Submittal Guidelines:

• An abstract should explain why the topic is relevant and important to AESP members
• The presentation and/or content has not been offered at a previous AESP conference or large industry event
• The presentation and/or content should showcase the latest innovations, best practices, and trends impacting the industry. New or unrefined concepts or lessons learned from other industries may be considered
• The suggested speakers/panelists should be considered experts on the proposed topic and experienced public speakers
• An abstract that appears to be selling a product or service will not be accepted
• Each session must contain a minimum of one interactive element (e.g., breakouts, audience polling, activity, live case study, embedded videos)
• Please note that preference is given when utilities are part of the presentation

TOPICS OF INTEREST 

AESP Annual Conference provides content in eight areas: 

Business Issues and Models 

• Role of efficiency and demand response in decarbonization goals 
• Local and regional leadership
• New pay for performance models
• Clean energy and infrastructure policy impacts
• Planning for resilience
• Corporate and investor initiatives driving the clean energy transition
• Beneficial electrification
• Demand flexibility and DER aggregation market models

Energy Equity and Environmental Justice

• Understanding energy equity and environmental justice
• Decarbonization initiatives for underserved communities
• Equity in pricing and DR
• Assessing diversity, equity, and inclusion approaches
• Setting energy equity and environmental justice goals
• Diversifying the clean energy workforce
• Making meaningful strides with supplier diversity
• Cultivating a cycle of trust with underserved communities
• Energy equity in emerging technologies

Gas Energy Efficiency 

• Innovations in gas-efficient technologies
• Gas’s role in decarbonization and electrification 
• Natural gas program post-mortem 
• Gas demand response 
• Coordination between gas and electric programs 
• Hydrogen's role in gas industry transformation

Marketing and Customer Engagement 

• All about content 
• Prioritizing mobile
• Marketing automation 
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 
• Energy in the global consciousness 
• Demand response marketing and communications

Pricing and Demand Response 

• Passive and active approaches to managing EV charging 
• Multi-DER integration 
• New and emerging approaches to DR in the C&I sector 
• SMB DR and pricing strategies 
• Beyond TOU
• Layering shape and shift 
• Innovations in billing, pricing, and enabling technology

Program Design and Implementation 

• Electrification of C&I buildings 
• Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 
• Pay for performance program design 
• Work from home’s effects on C&I programs 
• EVs and traditional energy assessments
• Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) 
• Heat pumps in all climates 
• Innovations in program delivery models

Research and Evaluation 

• Decarbonization strategy and technology research
• Evaluating demand flexible load applications and programs
• Transportation electrification research
• Evolving EM&V methodologies

Tools and Technology 

• Trends in Automated Demand Response
• Paring energy storage with efficiency and demand response
• Innovations in sensors and controls for building energy management
• Commercial building performance
• Advances in data anlytics
• Controlled environment ag technologies
• New heat pump technologies / HVAC and strategies
• DIY-ready energy efficiency projects beyond lighting
• Emerging electrification technologies for residential, commercial, and industrial facilities 

Emerging Hot Topics 

We also encourage you to submit an “emerging / hot topic” abstract showcasing a project, research, methodology, policy, or new data application. The emerging/hot topic submissions should focus on ground-breaking and unique content that would not otherwise appear at the conference.  

For more details about the desired topics, click here.  

If you have an innovative topic that is not included in the list of topics above but would be a good fit at our Annual Conference, please submit a detailed abstract under the topic name and sub-topic “Other.” 

AESP is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. As such, please consider a diverse cross-section of speakers/panelists.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE SESSION TYPES

Breakout Speaker Session: This is an oral presentation in a session shared with other presenters to illuminate different perspectives and experiences on the same topic with 15 to 20 minutes maximum per presentation for a total session time of 60 or 75 minutes. Typically, presentations are conducted by one subject matter expert but up to two speakers can be submitted. Please note that the two speakers MUST be from different organizations, and there is a preference for at least one utility representative. Speakers typically show slides, videos, or similar visual content. As each session is required to have an interactive component, please include your ideas on how to make this an interactive session. 

Panel Discussion: Panel discussions include a moderator and two to three panelists focusing on one issue for 60 or 75 minutes. A moderator leads the discussion and provides introductory and closing remarks. The submitter is responsible for identifying a moderator and the panelists. All panelists and the moderator MUST be from different organizations. As each session is required to have an interactive component, please include your ideas on how to make this an interactive session. 

Fully Interactive Session: AESP encourages abstracts that engage the audience, including energy-related content and/or Professional Development topics. Here are interactive session types you can submit for:

• Campfire Sessions – Campfire sessions begin a lot like a traditional presentation, with a speaker (or multiple speakers) at the front of the room presenting an idea to a group of people. After 15-20 minutes, the focus shifts from the presenter to the audience. For the remainder of the session, the presenter becomes a facilitator, inviting comments, insights, and questions from those around the room. Campfire sessions allow attendees to drive their own learning and share experiences with others, which also assists with networking.
• Focus Group – Hold a small group discussion with a facilitator(s) to provide real-time feedback to our industry from the perspective of customers on the value and meaning of programs from a non-technical viewpoint. The facilitator(s) asks participants questions about a topic, and the participants provide their perspectives and ideas in a free-form style.
• Fireside Chats – Coined during the 1930s after casual presentations conducted by FDR, a fireside chat is an informal, yet structured, interview session between two people. Audience members are encouraged to ask questions and interact. Slides are not utilized. 
• Learning Labs – Learning labs are facilitated experiences designed to immerse attendees in interactive exercises and discussions. These are generally smaller in size to ensure that every person in the room can engage with the facilitator and get the most out of the experience. Slides are not utilized but handouts are permitted.
• Roundtable Discussions – Roundtable discussions provide a more personal and interactive setting for exploring key issues. Subject-matter experts (maximum of 2) facilitate substantive discussions or small group activities. Slides are not utilized but handouts are permitted.
• Point / Counterpoint - This format takes a central theme or question and has two speakers debate for and against. At the outset, the participants are polled to measure their opinion on the topic. Following the debate, they are polled again to see how many are now in favor or against. The winner of the debate is the speaker who caused the most audience members to change their votes. 
• Custom Session – New and innovative session type. You tell us!!

Submittal Requirements:  

• Presentation title 

• Preferred session format 

• Topic category 

• Presentation descriptions (shortened version for the conference agenda, and then an expanded version for the abstract judges to review) 

• 3 learning objectives 

• Ideas to make the session interactive 

• Speaker information, including a bio and resume  

• Video (highly recommended for new speakers to AESP) 

The AESP Program Planning Committee reserves the right to:

• Build unique sessions based on ideas presented in the abstracts. For example, an abstract submitted as an individual presentation for a speaker session may be modified and incorporated into a multiple speaker panel on the same subject. Abstract authors and proposed speakers will be given the opportunity to accept or reject the reconfiguration of their abstract
• Accept no more than three (3) abstracts from the same organization. The Committee’s goal is to provide a diversity of opinions, speakers, and organizations on the program agenda
• Reserve session slots for hot topics, late-breaking industry news, and/or invited speakers.
• Curate sessions to fill content gaps not addressed by abstract submissions.  

Panelist, Speaker, and Moderator Requirements:

1. All presenters must have superior public speaking, presentation, and / or training skills. Speakers who have never presented at an AESP conference are strongly encouraged to submit video clips of past presentations (less than 5 minutes in length). 
2. Speakers should have management approval, assuming travel bans are lifted, to present onsite at the conference prior to abstract submittal.  
3. AESP sincerely appreciates our speakers’ efforts in developing and delivering exceptional presentations. However, AESP is not able to pay speaker fees or travel / lodging expenses but does offer speakers a significant discount for event registration.
4. All presenters must sign a Participation Agreement*.

PLEASE NOTE 

AESP plans to hold an in-person conference in New Orleans. While it looks very promising, the implications of COVID-19 this far in advance are unknown at this point. Therefore, AESP will continue to monitor the situation to ensure the health and safety of attendees. AESP will notify submitters and presenters as soon as decisions are determined, well in advance of the conference. AESP will also follow COVID-19 safety protocols for large events per the CDC and the City of New Orleans. 

*We understand there is a lot of uncertainty to travel; therefore, we will ask for firm commitments from speakers by no later than Monday, November 14, 2022. 

Questions:
Please contact Jenny Senff at jsenff@aesp.org