Reflecting on the 2023 Industry Summer Study

Thank you to the 300 attendees and speakers who joined us this year in Detroit for the 2023 Industry Summer Study. Your presence and contributions were what made the conference so vibrant and productive. As we reflect on the success of this year's event, we wish to share some of the standout moments, key takeaways, and our shared aspirations for the future.?

Each year, the Industry Summer Study attracts consultants, corporate representatives, nonprofit professionals, government officials, researchers, and others from various corners of the United States and around the globe. This year, 31% of attendees and 39% of speakers were women. We are also increasingly seeing younger participants, with 25% of attendees born after 1990, marking a 10% increase from our last Industry Summer Study conference.?

This year’s theme, "Decarbonization: Turning Goals into Actionable Plans," focused on how all members of industry can pursue decarbonization strategies to achieve the goals of the Biden administration. We started with three lively pre-conference workshops covering industrial heat pumps, strategic energy management, and embodied carbon. These sessions provided a space for learning, discussion, and charting a course for a more sustainable energy future.???

During the four conference panels (#EnergyEfficiency, #energy resources, #MaterialEfficiency, and #WorkforceDevelopment), experts from diverse fields presented their research and discussed pressing industrial issues. Plenary and action sessions were more interactive than ever, offering insights from industry leaders, utilities, and government officials. We focused on opportunities for decarbonizing industry and on federal support for industrial electrification.?

This year, we introduced exciting new activities, including a "Women in Energy Efficiency" breakfast and an "Industry Inclusivity Mixer." These gatherings sparked discussions around making connections, becoming a leader in transformational change, delivering on large and complex projects, and establishing expertise. ACEEE wants to elevate diverse voices throughout our events and ensure that the industrial sector is committed to building an equitable and inclusive work environment.??

We noticed two main conversation threads across most sessions and meetings: #workforce needs and #decarbonization. Large workforce gaps in the clean energy and manufacturing sectors present a major opportunity to build a younger and more diverse workforce to power a sustainable energy future. There is plenty of room for growth and innovation as we find solutions to today’s workforce shortages. Mitigating the worst impacts of climate change requires a drastic reduction in both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions within the industrial sector; energy efficiency will play a critical role in achieving both. Material efficiency was a new topic for the conference this year; presentations highlighted major opportunities for energy, carbon, and cost savings through material efficiency strategies. These discussions demonstrate that our industry is shifting to adopt a broader focus on carbon-related challenges alongside energy efficiency opportunities. As industry leaders, it is our responsibility to swiftly develop effective and easily deployable solutions that safeguard both our planet and the prosperity of our workforce. The Industry Summer Study was an essential step toward making that a reality.??

ACEEE’s goal for the Summer Study conferences has always been to serve as a hub for innovative ideas and a platform for forging connections among industry, government, utilities, and other key groups. We’ve been fortunate to welcome an influx of new attendees at our Industry Summer Study conferences in recent years. As we work to keep these new members of our community engaged, we also aim to expand our outreach to encompass a broader array of small-to-medium-sized manufacturers and industry stakeholders, encouraging their participation in our upcoming events.?

We are committed to continually improving the conference experience, creating engaging and productive spaces for all participants to gain knowledge and build meaningful connections. To those who provided feedback through our post-conference survey, thank you for helping us shape our future events.?

In closing, we express our sincere appreciation to our hosts, sponsors, panel leaders, speakers, and all attendees who contributed to the success of this year's Industry Summer Study. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events as we collectively work toward creating a more sustainable, decarbonized future.?

SSI 23 Co-Chairs?

Alberta Carpenter & Steve Schultz, Certified Energy Manager

ACEEE's Jonah Eisen contributed to this post.?