Meet the Champion Who Helped New Mexico’s Clear Power Transition via Fellowship

Join every day information updates from CleanTechnica on e mail. Or observe us on Google Information!

When Arthur O’Donnell was in faculty finding out communications, he wished to work in media. What he didn’t know was that his journalism profession would lead him to develop into a champion for New Mexico’s power transition.

Meandering paths to wash power careers usually are not unusual, and the business advantages tremendously from the variety of backgrounds and expertise it attracts. That’s why the U.S. Division of Power (DOE) creates and helps packages that open doorways for college students, latest grads and established professionals searching for power jobs. The Clear Power Innovator Fellowship (CEIF) is certainly one of these packages, funding Fellows to spend as much as two years supporting clear power tasks at crucial power organizations.

O’Donnell arrived on the New Mexico Public Regulation Fee (NM PRC) as a Fellow in 2020. After finishing his two-year fellowship, he was employed because the Director of Coverage Administration to assist develop progressive methods to combine solar energy and distributed power sources with the state’s electrical grid. O’Donnell now mentors a CEIF Fellow himself at NM PRC, passing down the alternatives and learnings he gained.

“What I discover most fun is energizing folks round change,” O’Donnell stated. “Having youthful employees at long-standing power establishments is useful. They see what may be achieved, and so they’re motivated to contribute to progress within the areas they care about.”

On this interview, O’Donnell displays on his profession, the worth of mentorship, and why now is the time to make the most of unprecedented Federal funding and sources aimed toward clear power jobs.

What was your earlier expertise with clear power work previous to the fellowship?

Trying again, diversification of the power combine has all the time been part of my jobs. My curiosity was sparked after I turned a radio information reporter within the Seventies and lined Washington state’s plans to construct 5 nuclear energy vegetation. By the 80’s, I used to be masking the infancy of renewable power recurrently. I cherished being near this zeitgeist of change, and my profession as an power journalist continued for the subsequent 20 years. The experience I developed whereas reporting in the end landed me a job with the California Public Utilities Fee as a lead analyst, the place I helped implement a chunk of laws to get utilities to plan and procure power storage.

What undertaking(s) did you help throughout your fellowship?

I did many issues targeted on rulemaking and implementing insurance policies and packages round grid modernization. My emphasis on stakeholder engagement and alignment helped make sure that the principles had broad help and launched new contributors into the regulatory course of. I’ve supported the launch of a 200 MW Group Photo voltaic program, substantial updates to utility interconnection guidelines, and the state requirement for superior inverter set up. I’m proud to say that New Mexico’s interconnection coverage is now a mannequin for different states.

What did you discover most useful concerning the expertise?

It’s difficult for folks with non-traditional backgrounds like mine to interrupt into power coverage work; there’s an extended line of extremely certified professionals competing for these jobs. The fellowship opened the door to the power neighborhood in New Mexico, the place I had simply moved.  The commissioners wanted professional advisory help to give attention to a lot of these grid modernization initiatives. My outsider’s perspective allowed me to suggest inventive options. When change within the fee got here, my present place was created, and I used to be capable of proceed the work I began.

What recommendation would you give future fellows?

Principally, I would like them to see this as an amazing alternative. The fellowship is so academic, and it helps you determine if that is the profession path you wish to take. Reap the benefits of the federal funding and sources designed to offer capability to states that actually want them. Additionally, use the skilled improvement stipend to advance your expertise and experience. You get $10,000. Spend it correctly, as a result of this can be the one time in your profession that you just’ll have such a versatile useful resource.

Concerned with taking part in Clear Power Innovator Fellowship? Study extra.

To completely transition to wash power, we’d like champions at each stage. Whether or not you wish to work in clear power, spend money on clear power or energy-efficient upgrades for your private home, apply for EERE alternatives, or just be taught extra concerning the profit of fresh power, YOU can be a Clear Power Champion. The revolution is now. Be a part of us.

Courtesy of Division of Power.