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Western States Building Energy & Controls Apprenticeship (BECA) Program

How does this project help to understand the challenges of workforce development in the commercial building energy management industry? The purpose of this project was to create a replicable, scalable, and portable apprenticeship program for building energy management and controls. This paper will demonstrate how local processes can be more adaptable and inclusive than federal processes in achieving workforce development goals. Our work provides insights into the technical effectiveness of the program, enabling others to achieve greater success in their workforce development initiatives. The project required more time and financial resources than initially anticipated and spent a year in a no-cost extension working to accomplish the Statement of Project Objectives. The original goal was to create an Industry Related Apprenticeship Program (IRAP). The development of this apprenticeship presented challenges due to the lack of existing programs for reference and the absence of relevant industry classification codes by the Department of Labor (DOL). Notably, the role of a commercial building energy analyst is not recognized by the DOL. The SIC (industry codes) do not have a good description of this job. There are many that may fall into related categories, but none are the actual duties of an energy analyst. Discussions with the DOL indicated that substantial groundwork was necessary before a national apprenticeship program could be implemented, causing delays in the program’s commencement. As a result, students experienced longer wait times before starting their apprenticeship component. The apprenticeship program officially launched on September 14, 2021. The success of the State of Oregon’s apprenticeship program, the first of its kind in the state, underscored the flexibility and effectiveness of local initiatives compared to federal efforts. The COVID-19 pandemic also significantly impacted the project’s success. Beginning in March 2020, the pandemic led to widespread closures of schools and colleges by fall 2020. By September 2021, when the apprenticeship option became available, enrollment in colleges and universities nationwide had decreased, affecting student participation in the program. Moreover, as employers transitioned their employees to remote work, there was limited interaction with external personnel, influencing the willingness of training agents (employers) to integrate additional workers into their teams. This paper addresses several challenges encountered during the project, with the hope that future workforce development efforts will benefit from these experiences. We Final Technical Report 4 | Page encourage others to engage with state and federal agencies to enhance and update pathways for workforce development and apprenticeship programs.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Meeting IRA Apprenticeship Requirements

A session at RE+ presented solar industry employers with an introduction to registered apprenticeships and apprenticeship types, and a brief update on Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) apprenticeship requirements for tax credits, followed by an opportunity for structured networking to foster connections with potential partners in the apprenticeship space.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Addressing Skilled Worker Shortages with Registered Apprenticeships

This poster will provider the learner with information about the US apprenticeship system, the benefits of registered apprenticeships to employers and their workers, and how to go about starting an apprenticeship program to train workers in a wide variety of job roles in the solar industry.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Establishment of a Nationwide Plasma Science and Fusion Energy Certification and Apprenticeship Programs

Here we propose the establishment of a national Plasma Science and Fusion Energy training program that will combine professional development certification courses with hands-on apprenticeship opportunities. The program should be developed by a collaboration of stakeholders (academia, national laboratories, and industry) and should offer pathways for students from community colleges (CCs), minority-serving institutions (MSIs), high school graduates, and veterans. We argue that certification courses offer fast and flexible discipline-specific education that can be rapidly translated into marketable skills through hands-on apprenticeship opportunities. Furthermore, we first list major findings and recommendations related to the fusion workforce and discuss how to address them through the establishment of the proposed training program. We then highlight the appropriateness of this format for engagement with CCs, MSIs, high schools, and veteran employment services. In the final section, we provide a strategy for the establishment of the program, along with a tentative timeline and projected costs.

Certification↗

Robot Adaptation to Unstructured Terrains by Joint Representation and Apprenticeship Learning

When a mobile robot is deployed in a field environment, e.g., during a disaster response application, the capability of adapting its navigational behaviors to unstructured terrains is essential for effective and safe robot navigation. In this paper, we introduce a novel joint terrain representation and apprenticeship learning approach to implement robot adaptation to unstructured terrains. Different from conventional learning-based adaptation techniques, our approach provides a unified problem formulation that integrates representation and apprenticeship learning under a unified regularized optimization framework, instead of treating them as separate and independent procedures. Our approach also has the capability to automatically identify discriminative feature modalities, which can improve the robustness of robot adaptation. In addition, we implement a new optimization algorithm to solve the formulated problem, which provides a theoretical guarantee to converge to the global optimal solution. In the experiments, we extensively evaluate the proposed approach in real-world scenarios, in which a mobile robot navigates on familiar and unfamiliar unstructured terrains. Experimental results have shown that the proposed approach is able to transfer human expertise to robots with small errors, achieve superior performance compared with previous and baseline methods, and provide intuitive insights on the importance of terrain feature modalities.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Weatherization Apprenticeship Program

Weatherization improvement services will be provided to Native people by Native people. The proposed project will recruit, train and hire two full-time weatherization technicians who will improve the energy efficiency of homes of Alaska Natives/American Indians residing in the Indian areas, within the Cook Inlet Region of Alaska. The Region includes Anchorage as well as 8 small tribal villages: The Native Villages of Eklutna, Knik, Chickaloon, Seldovia, Ninilchik, Kenaitze, Salamatof, and Tyonek. This project will be a partnership between three entities, with Cook Inlet Tribal Council (CITC) as the lead agency: CITCA's Employment and Training Services Department, Cook Inlet Housing Authority and Alaska Works Partnership. Additionally, six of the eight tribal villages within the Cook Inlet Region of Alaska have agreed to work with the project in order to improve the energy efficiency of their tribally owned buildings and homes. The remaining three villages will be invited to participate in the establishment of an intertribal consortium through this project. Tribal homes and buildings within Anchorage fall under Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI) tribal authority.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Orange County Photovoltaic Project & Educational COmponent

The purpose of this report is to discuss the projects implemented, utilizing Department of Energy grant funds, to support the use and understanding of renewable energy in Orange County, Florida and the Greater Orlando Area. Orange County is located in the State of Florida and is most popularly referred to as Orlando. The greater Orlando area’s current population is 1,225,267 and in 2015 was the first destination to surpass 60 million visitors. Orange County utilized grant funds to add to the growing demand for access to charging stations by installing one level 2 dual NovaCharge CT4021 electric vehicle charging station at the Orange County/University of Florida Cooperative Extension Center. The charging station is considered a “smart” charger connected to a central network operated by a third party. Data collected includes the number of charging sessions, session start and end times, the electricity usage, greenhouse gases saved and other pertinent data used for reporting purposes. Orange County continues to support the use of electric vehicles in Metro Orlando and this project continues to bring awareness to our public regarding using alternative vehicles. Additionally, we offer all visitors to the Orange County/University of Florida Cooperative Extension Center free charges for their electric vehicles 24 hours a day. Since the operation of the charging station there have been 52 unique driver users, a total of 532.2258 kg of greenhouse gas savings and 159.03 gallons of gasoline savings. The installation of the additional electric vehicle charging station is part of a county-wide goal of promoting implementation of renewable energy technologies as well as supporting the use of electric vehicles including the Drive Electric Orlando & Florida programs. http://driveelectricorlando.com/ & ; http://www.driveelectricflorida.org/ . Grant funds were also used for Outreach and Educational efforts. Educational efforts about renewable energy were accomplished through the continued support as well as a proposed expansion and potential relocation of the Climate Change Education Center. The growth of the Climate Change Education Center focused on 2 educational subsectors. The first educational sector focused on an apprenticeship with university students. The second sector Orange County partnered with a hospitality college that held seminars to educate students in sustainability best practices that would influence the industry as a whole as students take jobs around the U.S. and other parts of the world. Orange County completed five of the originally proposed six educational seminars. The first seminar focused on community based social marketing techniques for driving sustainable behavior changes. The second seminar held was a green team workshop. The third seminar focused on urban sustainability planning. The fourth and fifth seminars held were Florida Energy Code workshops for building inspectors. A sixth transit oriented development seminar in partnership with Rollins College was explored, but was not conducted because the proposed on campus venue was not accessible for an extended period of time due to renovations. Additionally, an ENERGY STAR training program was conducted with students from the University of Central Florida; three of the five buildings assessed received ENERGY STAR ratings; one student completed the training and received their certification as an ENERGY STAR Specialist. Background: Location: Orange County is located in the central region of the State of Florida and is most popularly known for including the City of Orlando. The greater Orlando area’s current population is 1,225,267 and is home to large corporations such as Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando, Ritz Carlton, Darden Restaurants, and the nation’s second largest convention center. Opportunities Identified: Encouraging Sustainability in Major Sectors: The Central Florida economy is largely dependent on the hospitality industry and in 2015 it was the first destination to surpass 60 million visitors. With over 60 million visitors each year, 120,000 hotel rooms, 4,000 restaurants, and 75 theme parks and attractions, the local hospitality industry provided a wealth of opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through building energy efficiency and renewable energy. Accordingly, Central Florida is an ideal training ground for teaching best practices for sustainability focused on the hospitality industry. Meeting the Growing Demand for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure: According to the 2014 U.S Clean Tech Leadership Index Report, nationwide electric vehicle ownership in the top 50 largest metro areas increased sharply in 2013; the Orlando Metro Area was ranked #5 in the nation in in terms of electric vehicle charging stations per one million people. Additionally, the Orange County 2014-2015 Annual Sustainable Orange County Report indicated there are 300 electric vehicle charging stations in Central Florida (roughly 300 charging stations within ~70 mile radius available to our residents of Orange County). By increasing and improving access to charging stations, Orange County supports the growing demand for renewable energy technologies. Project Achievements/Accomplishments: Installed an Electric Charging Station: Orange County utilized grant funds to install one level 2 dual NovaCharge CT4021 electric vehicle charging station at the Orange County/University of Florida Cooperative Extension Center. The charging station is considered a “smart” charger connected to a central network operated by a third party that monitors the number of charging sessions, session start and end times, the electricity usage, greenhouse gases saved and other pertinent data. During the six months of operation of the charging station there have been 52 unique driver users of the charging station; a total of 532.2258 kg of greenhouse gas savings and 159.03 gallons of gasoline savings. Operation and Potential Relocation of the Orange County Climate Change Education Center: The Climate Change Education Center, originally located within the Orange County Convention Center, served as a central place to inform and educate commercial and residential sectors of environmental, health, and economic benefits of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas emission reductions. Grant funds were used to pay for the rent required to maintain a lease at the Convention Center, conduct five educational workshops, and for planned upgrades to the Center displays highlighting a number of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects implemented at the Orange County Convention Center and Downtown Orange County. An initial design concept for an upgraded Climate Change Education Center and educational displays was proposed. However, after the Convention Center determined the space occupied by the Climate Change Education Center; a feasibility study for relocation to the proposed area was conducted in October 2013. In December 2013, it was determined that the desired location of the for the Climate Change Education Center at the Orange County Extension Education Center provided too many construction challenges for relocation with too many building retrofits and access problems, including lack of access for loading and unloading exhibits as well as roof drainage relocations and sewer service connection issues. Another suitable location for relocating the Climate Change Education Center could not be located so the project was terminated. The Climate Change Education Center is no longer in existence in Orange County and has been eliminated. Grant funds were used to pay for marketing services for a state wide marketing program including solar & other renewable energy technologies for rebranding and developing marketing materials including web site design and updating. A website was maintained and updated the www.PowerUpGreenEnergy.com website (no longer in service). Sustainability Training for the Hospitality Industry and Major Sectors: To introduce energy efficiency and renewable energy concepts to the hospitality industry, Orange County partnered with a hospitality college that held seminars to educate students in sustainability best practices that would influence the industry as a whole as students take jobs around the U.S. and other parts of the world. Orange County completed five of the originally proposed six education seminars. Seminar topics included: driving sustainable behavior change through community based social marketing; green team programs; urban sustainability planning; and Florida Energy Code workshops for building inspectors. In partnership with Rollins College, a sixth seminar focused on transit-oriented development was explored, but was not conducted due to extended renovations at the proposed on-campus venue. Green Job Training Development: To promote green industry development and on-the-job training in occupations that encourage energy efficiency and resource reduction, Orange County piloted an ENERGY STAR training and apprenticeship program with students from the University of Central Florida; three students applied for the program; one student completed the training and received their certification as an ENERGY STAR specialist; three of the five buildings assessed received ENERGY STAR Ratings.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Understanding How Organizations Handle Cybersecurity

If there is anything we can learn from the media, it is the frequency and severity of cyber-attacks is increasing and there are not enough qualified people to combat the risk organizations are facing. Current estimates say there are 3.5 million available cybersecurity related jobs globally and there has been a 350% growth in cybersecurity jobs since 2013 (Group, 2020). The Idaho Cyber Research Project (ICRP) is focused on finding an implementing solution to the problems in the workforce development pipeline. Our team consists of Cohort 2 of the ICRP, we are tasked with solving issues faced by organizations hiring new cyber personnel. To provide solutions to these issues we focused our research on four components of workforce availability and competency: resume and transcript analysis, apprenticeships, cyber incident response plan development, and adversarial mindset training. From this research we have produced the following focus areas and subsequent steps for each component of workforce capability: transcript and knowledge skills abilities (KSA) focused analysis, cybersecurity apprenticeships programs, the value of an adversarial mindset, and a guide to setting up cyber incident response plans for underprepared organizations. These solutions can be further developed and implemented to reduce the gap in workforce demand and talent.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Opportunities for green hydrogen production with land-based wind in the United States

Hydrogen (H 2 ) is an efficient energy carrier and storage mechanism that can supply both stationary and transport energy demand. Rapidly declining renewable energy generation costs; technology innovations in wind, solar, battery storage, and electrolysis; and a global push for more sustainable and secure energy have driven increased interest in green H 2 production. In this study, we develop an H 2 scenario analysis tool to assist in rapid, high-resolution insights into future, green H 2 pathways to achieve policy goals and market competitiveness. Using this tool, we estimate H 2 production and costs for U.S., off-grid scenarios given varying policy and cost scenarios from 2025–2035. Results indicate that achieving economically competitive green H 2 production (below $\$$2/kg) is possible in 2030 with no policy incentives (one site achieves this target), while increasing policy support to include wind and green H 2 production tax credits enables widespread economic viability sooner, with sub-$\$$2/kg LCOH targets achieved by 2025 and 51.7% of sites achieving this target by 2035. Maximizing policy support through prevailing wage and apprenticeship credit multipliers enable widespread economic viability, including sub-$\$$2/kg of green H 2 by 2025 and even negative pricing by 2035. Regions with lowest LCOH values correspond to high wind resource areas and capacity factors. Achieving decarbonization goals with green H 2 depends on technology cost reductions and policy support, with a maximum average LCOH reduction of $\$$23.10 between no and maximum policy support scenarios, and a maximum average LCOH reduction of $\$$25.86 between current, conservative technology costs and 2035 projected technology cost assumptions.

08 HYDROGEN↗

BLDAP Intro to Python/Data Science Curriculum v1

The Github repository contains the Jupyter notebooks for the intro to Python / Data Science course for Berkeley Lab Director's Apprenticeship Program (BLDAP). This course is designed for students with little to no experience in coding to learn skills in Python necessary for data science. Students utilize Jupyter notebooks throughout the course. The overall goal is for students to learn how to use Python to clean, analyze, and visualize large data sets in order to communicate effectively their conclusions about the data set. Students apply the skills they learned on actual data sets provided by researchers in Berkeley Lab.

Hales, Laurel [Lawrence Berkeley National Laborato↗

User-Oriented Modeling Tools for Advanced Hybrid and Climate-Appropriate Rooftop Air Conditioners

Hybrid unitary air conditioning systems offer a pathway to substantially reduce energy use and peak electrical demand for cooling, heating, and ventilation in commercial buildings. Hybrid air conditioners incorporate multiple subsystems that are carefully orchestrated to provide climate- and application-specific efficiency advantages. There are a multitude of hybrid system architectures, but common subsystems include: heat recovery ventilation, indirect evaporative cooling, desiccant dehumidification, variable speed fans, modulating dampers, and multi-stage or variable-speed vapor compression cooling. Categorically, hybrid systems can operate in numerous discrete modes. For example: indirect evaporative cooling may operate for periods when the subsystem provides adequate sensible cooling, then vapor compression cooling will be included when more cooling or dehumidification is necessary. Laboratory assessments, field studies, and simulations have demonstrated that hybrid unitary air conditioners could reduce energy use for cooling and ventilation by 30-90% depending on climate and application. Heretofore, it has been challenging - if not impossible - for practitioners to model hybrid air conditioners as part of building energy simulations; and the limitation has severely obstructed broader adoption of technologies in this class. In this project, we developed a new feature for EnergyPlus that enables modeling hybrid unitary air conditioning equipment for building energy simulations. This is a significant advancement for both theory and practice, and confers public benefit by enabling practitioners to evaluate this compelling efficiency technology as a part of building energy simulations. The feature is a black-box model that requires extensive performance data for each hybrid unitary product. In parallel, we also developed new features for the Technology Performance Exchange to enable manufacturers to submit performance data in a standard format that can be used with the hybrid unitary model in EnergyPlus. Additionally, through this project we expanded university educational resources, and university- manufacturing industry collaborations in the field of energy efficiency technology. Over two years, we involved 20 undergraduate students in ambitious research projects focused on modeling complex multi-mode mechanical systems, supported three mechanical engineering bachelor theses, established undergraduate apprenticeships with multiple industry partners, and involved those partners in the process of design, validation, and debugging for the new EnergyPlus feature. The EnergyPlus feature is described and discussed in an academic article, as well as in an engineering reference, and input/output reference documentation for EnergyPlus. The Technology Performance Exchange features are live and publicly accessible, our manufacturer partners are primed to submit initial product information and performance data to the exchange, and the EnergyPlus feature is scheduled for public release in Spring 2018 as a part of EnergyPlus v8.9.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Connective Actions for Educational Institutions and Wind Industry Firms [Slides]

As a part of the National Wind Workforce Assessment, four presentations have been created in conjunction with the technical report to provide more insight into key findings. The four presentations are catered towards specific stakeholder groups that include: educators, wind industry firms, students, and current wind industry employees. This presentation is intended for use by wind industry firms and educational institutions looking to gain insight into key levers and actionable steps that can be taken to help narrow the wind workforce gap. Data and guidance on how wind industry firms and education institutions can collaborate to 1) grow the number of graduates applying into wind occupational roles through increasing awareness of opportunities in the industry and 2) increase the quality of applicants applying into wind through relevant experience gaining opportunities like internships and apprenticeships is included in the presentation.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

National Solar Jobs Accelerator (Final Technical Report (FTR))

The aptitudes and experiences gained through military service—such as dynamic leadership, teamwork and critical thinking skills, technical specialization, and a mission-completion work ethic—make veterans exceptional candidates for a wide range of solar energy careers. The solar industry offers a highly collaborative and purpose-driven work environment that resonates with service members and veterans looking to rise to their next challenge, and solar employers are eager to tap into this valuable talent pool. From October 2019 - February 2023, The National Solar Jobs Accelerator (publicly the Solar Ready Vets Network TM (SRV Network; SRVN)) enhanced and streamlined options for military service members and veterans to pursue solar training, certification, and employment, while advancing solar employers’ efforts and capacity to invest in military talent as part of a long-term workforce development strategy. The SRVN was led by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) in partnership with the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes program (HOH) and the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). Through several direct-impact and indirect, high-impact capacity building initiatives aligned with six key objectives, the SRV Network strengthened solar career pathways, and promoted increased representation of military talent across all levels and sectors of the solar workforce. A work-based learning Corporate Fellowship model connected transitioning service members with on-the-job experience in leadership roles with solar employers nationwide. The project advanced broader veteran recruitment and talent development by expanding GI Bill eligibility and streamlining veterans’ pathways for solar training and credentialing, supported direct connections to jobs with top solar employers, and led coordination among key education and industry partners to advance registered apprenticeships aligned with solar career pathways. To ensure that the project best served the needs of all stakeholders, an Advisory Committee of military-connected solar professionals, solar employers, and training providers met biannually to guide project activities and sustainability plans. The project team engaged the broader “SRV Network” (comprised of over 2,000 veterans, employers and training organizations) through regular newsletters and targeted outreach to share resources, hiring fairs, webinars, and other opportunities for engagement. The work done under this award builds on the previous iterations of the Department of Energy’s Solar Ready Vets ® program. As the solar industry continues to grow rapidly over the next decade, the military community will continue to be a highly valuable source of talent. The relationships established and work accomplished through this project will have an enduring positive impact well beyond the funding period.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Establishment of an Intertribal Technical Energy Providers Network (Final Technical Report)

The Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association (MTERA) embarked on a 5-year (extended to 7-year) initiative aimed at advancing Tribal energy resilience and sustainability through intertribal collaboration. By bringing together Tribes in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan (EPA Region 5 Tribes), the project's scope encompassed organizational growth, governance and management formalization and enhancement, and the planning and deployment of energy-related services to Member Tribes. MTERA strategically pursued four key objectives to fulfill its mission: 1. Clearinghouse Development: Creation of a centralized hub offering valuable information, education, and outreach for Tribal communities and their neighbors. 2. Policy Liaison: Serving as a vital link between federal and state agencies to contribute to the formulation of inclusive energy policies that ensure both Tribal and regional energy success. 3. Energy Planning and Research: Providing essential support for energy planning, researching financing opportunities, and exploring effective procurement strategies. 4. Training Support: Facilitating training and apprenticeship initiatives to empower the Tribal workforce and enhance community capabilities.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Best Practices for Equitable Solar Workforce Development

The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) was selected to serve as a lead organization for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technology Office’s Equitable Solar Communities of Practice initiative. This project, facilitated through a partnership with ENERGYWERX, aimed to develop strategies to support the expansion of equitable benefits in solar adoption across the U.S. Specifically, the MREA was chosen to lead the solar workforce development community of practice, focusing on scaling the U.S. solar workforce, to meet growing industry demands and ensure that these opportunities are accessible and beneficial to all communities. For the purpose of this initiative, we define the solar workforce in line with the National Solar Jobs Census, which defines a solar worker as someone who spends a majority of their time on solar-related work. This also includes workers who spend a plurality of their time on solar tasks. It’s important to note that manufacturing jobs were not included in this research, as the focus is primarily on solar installation, development, and related roles. To achieve the goals of the Equitable Solar Communities of Practice initiative, the MREA leveraged existing resources and engaged a diverse core team and group of stakeholders including industry professionals, educators, policymakers, and community leaders. The MREA began with a literature review and gap analysis to identify existing best practices and gaps in the solar workforce. This was followed by a community convening to gather insights from a wide range of stakeholders. The findings informed the best practices and pathways to scale the benefits of solar workforce development, focusing on training programs, workforce services, apprenticeship, and justice, inclusion, and sustainability. This report outlines the background, methodology, findings, and conclusions drawn from the landscape and gap analysis, providing valuable insights into workforce needs and training program capacities across the U.S. The outcomes of this research are presented in this report and contain recommendations for optimizing workforce development and training funding to support the equitable growth of the solar industry, ensuring that the transition to solar energy is inclusive and beneficial for all communities.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Solar Training and Education Partnership for Underserved Populations

Solar Landscape’s STEP-UP program provided high quality solar installation training in partnership with community-based organizations (CBOs) in various regions within the U.S. Solar Landscape leveraged internal subject matter experts (SME’s) industry guidance and regional training assessments to provide customized training designed to support the growing solar and broader energy sector. Upon completion of the program, the team assisted trainees and nonprofit partners with connections to Solar Landscape contractors as well as local and National residential solar installation companies to facilitate placement into careers and apprenticeships.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗