WGL, parent company of Washington Gas, was the headline sponsor and carbon offset partner for the Association of Climate Change Officers’ 3^rd Annual Climate Strategies Forum in Arlington, Virginia on July 18-22, 2016.

The forum held discussions on helping organizations become more sustainable, an important service offering for Washington Gas.  Dr. Lou Hutchinson, vice president and chief revenue officer of WGL Holdings and Washington Gas, participated in a panel discussion on the Clean Power Plan, alongside former Colorado governor and director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University Bill Ritter, president of C2ES Bob Perciasepe and former New Jersey governor and EPA administrator Christine Todd Whitman.  

“There has been a demand in the marketplace to deal with resilience and energy infrastructure,” Hutchinson said.

 Hutchinson noted seeing a huge surge in renewable energy implementations in 35 states within five years. He shared Washington Gas is reducing carbon emissions by 500 metric tons each year by updating the pipeline infrastructure across Virginia, D.C. and Maryland. 

 Dr. Hutchinson also moderated a panel discussion on the Evolving Role of the Energy, Environment, Defense and National Security Communities in Climate Adaptation & Resilience Initiatives, which included secretary of public safety at the Commonwealth of Virginia Brian Moran, commander at the Defense Logistics Agency Brigadier General Mark Macleod, chief resilience officer for City of Norfolk Christine Morris and chairman at the Public Service Commission of D.C. Betty Ann Kane.

The panelists shared the resilience challenges they faced and how they identified innovative solutions to combat these challenges as well as operating within the political environment. 

“The market is being driven by the need for budget-neutral resilience, security and adaptation,” Hutchinson said.