Utah Keynote Speakers

The Economic Implications of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for Utah - Mary Ann Wright

Exciting advancements are occurring at a rapid pace in both renewable energy and energy efficiency in Utah. Distributed (local) and commercial installations of renewable energy, and funding of energy efficiency retrofits, are opening up new opportunities at learning institutions, at businesses and at personal levels. Utah has set goals of 20% energy efficiency to be reached by 2015 and 20% renewable energy by 2025. What will these changes mean to the economy of Utah in the next 15 years? A study was commissioned by the Governor’s Energy Advisor and carried out by Utah Clean Energy, Wikstrom Economic and Planning Consultants and MRG and Associates. The study, released this year, shows Utah meeting those goals and benefitting greatly as a result.

Mary Ann Wright is staff to Utah Governor Gary Herbert’s Energy Advisor, Dr. Dianne Nielson. As Energy Resource Coordinator, she brings 30 years of administrative, public policy and energy experience to the position. She worked as staff to the Phase I and Phase II Utah Renewable Energy Zone Task Force, a project designed to assess the feasibility of commercial renewable energy development in Utah. Her main areas of expertise are building energy efficiency, renewable energy development and energy transmission.