2021 Shultz Energy Fellowships: California Public Utilities Commission, Office of Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma
Regional-, state-, and city-level efforts are essential in our fight against climate change, especially in the field of energy. Stanford University is committed to helping by integrating its students into energy and climate ecosystems in the West through the Shultz Energy Fellowships program (formerly Stanford Energy Internships in California and the West), an energy-related summer fellowship program for undergraduate and graduate students.
Named in honor of former Secretary of State George P. Shultz, one of the most widely admired American public servants of the past half-century, the program offers a suite of paid, energy-related public service fellowships for Stanford students in California, Colorado, Utah, and Hawaii during the summer.
The fellowships run from Monday, June 21, 2021 to Friday, August 27, 2021.
Organization/Agency mission or role in state government
California has been a global leader in implementing laws to reduce the causes and impacts of climate change. It also has been a leader in supporting climate research which has forecasted increasing threats and impacts from wildfires in the coming decades.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is one of the most influential regulatory agencies in the state. The CPUC regulates privately owned electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water, railroad, rail transit, and passenger transportation companies, in addition to authorizing video franchises. Our five Governor-appointed Commissioners, as well as our staff, are dedicated to ensuring that consumers have safe, reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protecting against fraud; and promoting the health of California's economy.
As a regulator of the investor-owned utilities (IOUs), the CPUC has oversight of how electricity providers build safe infrastructure, procure renewable resources and deliver affordable and reliable electric service with a commitment to environmental enhancement and a healthy California economy.
Assignment
A Shultz Energy Fellow working with the Office of Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma at the California Public Utilities Commission will have the opportunity to work on a rulemaking that is designing innovative financing opportunities for energy customers. This will include examining financing options to assist customers with investments in residential and commercial buildings as well as at industrial and agricultural sites designed to decrease energy use and/or produce energy to support customer on-site needs. The fellow would also have the opportunity assist as we examine how these financing options can be used to encourage investments in building decarbonization, microgrid development, infrastructure related to alternative fueled vehicles, distributed solar and other self-generation technologies, energy storage, and energy efficiency all towards supporting investments to reach the state’s 2045 greenhouse gas goals for the energy sector. We will also be looking at opportunities to create financing mechanisms that will be accessible to low and moderate income renters or those living disadvantaged, underserved, or vulnerable communities that may face issues of credit worthiness and have barriers to accessing affordable capital. In addition to working on the customer financing proceeding the fellow will have the opportunity to regularly brief and make recommendations to the Commissioner on decisions before the CPUC for a vote.
Potential Mentor
- Leuwam Tesfai, Chief of Staff and Legal Advisor to Commissioner Shiroma
2020 Fellow
- Mondee Lu, JD-MS '20
- Learn more about Mondee's experience at the CPUC:
- View Mondee's final project.
- Preferred areas of study include: Economics, Public Policy and Administration, Law, Government, Political Science, Environmental Science, Engineering.
- Interest in energy policy, air pollution/climate pollution policy, environmental justice policy.
- Experience working directly with and performing outreach in disadvantaged communities.
- Knowledge of state initiatives around renewable energy, GHG reduction, environmental justice and disadvantaged communities.
- Attention to detail, professional attitude, and ability to maintain confidentiality.
All Shultz fellows must be enrolled in the spring quarter before their fellowship.
All Shultz fellows must take a one-unit spring workshop 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 / ENERGY 73. Schedule: Wednesdays from 10:00 am - 11:00 am (Remote: Synchronous).
Please note that this opportunity is for graduate students. Interested undergraduates can apply via SIG.
