2020 Stanford Energy Internships in California and the West: City of Palo Alto Utilities — The Karl Knapp Energy Fellow in City Government
State- and city-level efforts are essential in our fight against climate change, especially in the field of energy. Stanford Energy Internships in California and the West (SEICW)—an energy-related summer internship program—places some of Stanford University’s best students in key and influential positions in the local energy and climate-related ecosystem. This position is funded. You will be the only SEICW intern placed with the City of Palo Alto.
The program runs from Monday, June 22, 2020 to Friday, August 28, 2020.
City of Palo Alto — The Karl Knapp Energy Fellow in City Government:
Karl Knapp worked for the City of Palo Alto Utilities from 2001 to 2008 as a Senior Resource Planner. The Karl Knapp Energy Fellow in City Government, started in 2019, is a government internship opportunity Stanford University offers as part of the SEICW program in memory of Karl.
The City of Palo Alto has provided a full range of utility services (electric, gas, water, and sewer) for over 100 years, and is one of the only publicly-owned gas utilities in the State of California. The City has ambitious sustainability goals, as embodied in its Sustainability and Climate Action Plan. Palo Alto has been a leader in Green Building and has been recognized for its Energy Reach Codes. Its Utilities Department has been on the forefront of sustainability, with 100% carbon neutral electric and gas portfolio goals and an award winning solar program. CPAU is working to address long term business planning challenges related to sustainability and the long-term need to maintain safety, reliability, and reasonable rates.
Fellows working with the City of Palo Alto in 2020 will work in the Utilities Department, Resource Management Division. Resource Management is a group of analysts and program managers responsible for managing the City’s electricity, natural gas, and water supply portfolios, financial forecasting and developing customer retail rates, and developing and implementing customer programs related to energy and water efficiency, solar energy, electric vehicles, and building decarbonization.
The specific projects assigned will depend on the skills, abilities, and interests of the candidate and the needs of the City. Projects for the summer of 2020 may include one or more of the following, or similar projects:
- Assessing the most cost-effective community carbon-reduction activities in the energy sector
- Exploring the impacts of building electrification on the natural gas system
- Exploring ways to reduce barriers to EV charging infrastructure in Palo Alto
- Exploring solar and EV integration issues for the electric distribution system
- Improving the electric utility load forecasting methodology
- Assisting with AMI implementation planning
All SEICW students must be enrolled in the spring quarter before their SEICW internship. Absolutely no exceptions are made to this rule.
All SEICW students must take a one-unit workshop spring course, 'Energy Policy in California and the West' taught by Bruce Cain and Sally Benson that will provide an in-depth analysis of the role of California state agencies, the Western Interstate Energy Board, and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council in driving energy policy development, technology innovation, and market structures. Course number is CEE 263G / POLISCI 73 / PUBLPOL 73. This course must be taken in person.
This opportunity is open to both undergraduate and graduate students, with a preference for graduate students during selection. Interested undergraduates can apply via SIG.
