Laurel Passera

Experience

Laurel joined Keyes, Fox & Wiedman as a Senior Renewables Analyst in 2011. In that role, Laurel engages in research and analysis of energy regulatory and market trends and supports the Firm’s outreach and communication efforts. Prior to joining Keyes, Fox & Wiedman, Ms. Passera was a policy analyst for the North Carolina Solar Center’s Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) and then for the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s Connecting to the Grid program. Prior to joining the North Carolina Solar Center, Ms. Passera additionally spent three years in West Africa as a small business development agent for the U.S. Peace Corps.

Publications

Connecting to the Grid, Laurel Varnado, ed. Vol. 11, No.9 -Vol. 14, No. 10, available at http://irecusa.org/category/newsletters/connecting-to-the-grid-newsletter/.
Why Bother? Capturing the Value of Net Metering in Competitive Choice Markets, co-authored by Justin Barnes and Laurel Varnado. Published by the American Solar Energy Society in May 2011, available at http://irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/SOLAR2011_0186.pdf
The Intersection of Net Metering and Retail Choice: An Overview of Policy, Practice and Issues, co-authored by Justin Barnes and Laurel Varnado. Published by IREC, available at http://irecusa.org/irec-programs/publications-reports/.
Sustainable Multi-Segment Market Design for Distributed Solar Photovoltaics, co-authored by Kevin Fox and Laurel Varnado. Published by the Solar American Board for Codes and Standards, available at http://www.solarabcs.com/marketdesign/.
Investing in Solar as a Community, co-authored by Dana Hall, James Rose and Laurel Varnado. Featured in March 2010 edition of Solar Today Magazine, pg 30, available at http://www.solartoday-digital.org/solartoday/201003#pg1.
Community Net Energy Metering: How Novel Policies Expand Benefits of Net Metering to Non-Generators, co-authored by James Rose and Laurel Varnado. Published by the American Solar Energy Society in May 2009, available at http://www.newenergychoices.org/uploads/Varnado_Rose_ASES2009.pdf.
2009 IREC Model Interconnection and Net Metering Rules, co-authored by Kevin Fox, Jason Keyes, Joe Wiedman, Michael Sheehan, and Laurel Varnado. Published by IREC in December 2009, available at http://irecusa.org/irec-programs/connecting-to-the-grid/
Connecting to the Grid Guide,^6th Edition, Laurel Varnado and Michael Sheehan. Published by IREC in October 2009, available at http://irecusa.org/irec-programs/connecting-to-the-grid/.

Presentations

Net Metering in the U.S.: Where are we heading? Distributed Generation Workshop for the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Energy Resources Division, St. Paul, MN. November 2011.
Community-Owned Solar, Benefits to Consumers and Utilities. PV America, Philadelphia, PA. April, 2011.
Boosting the Grid’s IQ through Appropriate Policies and Rate Design. Cyber-Physical Applications for Smart Power Systems, FREEDM Systems Center, Raleigh, NC. February, 2011.
Valuing Solar through Market Diversity. ASES Conference, Phoenix, AZ. May, 2010.
The Many Flavors of Net Metering. ASES Conference, Phoenix, AZ, May, 2010.
Community Net Energy Metering: How Novel Policies Expand Benefits of Net Metering to Non-Generators. ASES Conference, San Diego, CA. May, 2009.
Net Metering and Interconnection Trends and Updates. SEPA Solar Options for Low-Cost Utilities Conference, Knoxville, TN. April, 2009.

Professional Honors and Activities

Board member, Raleigh City Council Environmental Advisory Board
Fellow for the 2009 Environmental Leadership Program – Southeast Region

Education

MA, School for International Studies, Master’s International Program in Sustainable Development, 2006
BA, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, International Studies, 2001