Energy Modernization

Distributed Energy Resources Advisory Council

Experts help inform distributed energy strategy

The Pew Charitable Trusts

The Pew Charitable Trusts’ distributed energy resources (DERs) initiative works on policies that accelerate the adoption of distributed energy technologies—such as battery storage, rooftop and community solar, and smart thermostats—throughout the United States, aimed at lowering electricity bills, strengthening grid reliability, and helping utilities defer costly investments in new power plants.

The bipartisan DER Advisory Council is anchored by co-chairs Audrey Zibelman and Pat Wood III and supported by additional members with expertise in utilities, community and equity, industry, and regulatory policy.

The council supported Pew in the development of a policy playbook titled “Distributed Energy Can Unleash the Resilient, Affordable Grid of the Future,” which offers policymakers and regulators actionable recommendations for bringing DERs to scale in the United States. The playbook outlines a set of actionable policy solutions across three key goals to help lawmakers and regulators realize the full potential of distributed energy:

1. Integrate DERs into utility planning and procurement.

2. Reduce barriers to DER permitting and grid access.

3. Strengthen community resilience with DER solutions.

Learn more about the council’s members below.

	Audrey Zibelman Audrey Zibelman is the chair of Landis+Gyr and chair of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. She serves on the board of Squadron Energy in Australia and the Emirates Electric and Water Co. in the United Arab Emirates. Previously, she served as the CEO of the Australian Energy Market Operator, where she oversaw the country’s national energy market and grid, and she was the chair of the New York Public Service Commission, where she oversaw massive regulatory reform of the electric industry to support a decarbonized grid. She also served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of PJM, where she oversaw its growth and introduction of demand and capacity markets.
	Pat Wood III Pat Wood III is executive chairman of Hunt Energy Network, which deploys distributed energy resources across the Texas power grid, and he also chairs Luma Energy’s board, overseeing the rebuilding of Puerto Rico’s power system. He previously served as chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, where he helped shape the nation’s wholesale energy markets and strengthen grid reliability. He also chaired the Public Utility Commission of Texas, where he helped engineer the restructuring that made Texas one of the world’s most competitive electricity markets.
	Utopia Hill Utopia Hill is the CEO of Reactivate, a company that develops renewable energy solutions in low-to-moderate-income communities. In this role, she manages and fosters relationships with industry partners, businesses, and communities while growing the company to ensure positive environmental and social impacts on the communities that Reactivate projects serve.
	Angela Long Angela Long, the founder and CEO of Rockcress Consulting, is a national expert in DERs, grid modernization, and integrated system planning. She previously served as senior manager of strategy and planning at Portland General Electric, where she led DER and distribution planning efforts supporting the utility’s clean energy transition.

Ben Hertz-Shargel, Sue Tierney, Val Jensen, and Jahi Wise previously served as members of the DER Advisory Council.