Our highly interactive June 7, 2023 Happy Hour brought our community together to explore how to shape the future of home electrification in San Mateo County. This was a unique opportunity for the general public and interested parties to share their ideas and input for making home electrification easier, less expensive, and faster. Our thanks go to Peninsula Clean Energy for sponsoring this free event.
See recordings from this event.
Speakers:
Tony Willcox, a San Mateo County resident and Peninsula Clean Energy 2023 All-Electric Leader Award winner
Bio: Tony Willcox is a mechanical engineer with 25 years in startups spanning racing motorcycles to efficient IC engines for developing markets to a recently-started fintech business that actively monitors debt markets to reduce interest costs for borrowers. He DIY-electrified his home on a tight budget and was awarded PCE’s 2023 most inspirational electrification project. He is passionate about energy efficiency, lowering expenses, and climate, and enjoys helping educate others who have yet to navigate uncertainties of eliminating combustion. A thorough understanding of solar/ev/heat pumps and system types and costs together with a rich dataset he has gathered from his fully-instrumented home (per-appliance and per-circuit electric use) helps him advise others where the biggest impacts on Carbon and ROI.
Scott Mellberg, Sustainability Programs Administrator, Utilities Department, City of Palo Alto
Bio: Scott joined the City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU) in 2019 as a Sustainability Programs Administrator to manage the Home Efficiency Genie program, the heat pump water heater programs and support residential electrification efforts and innovative programs to reduce our carbon impact. Prior to his role at CPAU, he was an advisor and manager at CLEAResult, one of the nation’s leading energy efficiency consulting firms. In 2015, with CLEAResult, he helped develop and subsequently managed for 4 years the Home Efficiency Genie program for the City of Palo Alto Utilities. Prior to his Genie role, he was an advisor with the regional BayREN residential efficiency program and had a stint at Solar City with their residential efficiency division.
Scott has a bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University, Chico.
Blake Herrschaft, PE, LEED AP, Building Electrification Programs Manager, Peninsula Clean Energy
Bio: Blake leads key building electrification initiatives including reach codes and electrification programs.
Blake has been working in the green building space for 15 years. His work has included mechanical and plumbing design, energy modeling, LEED consulting, water efficiency, zero net energy buildings, portfolio energy retrofits. Blake’s award-winning designs span five continents, and his first all-electric building was University of San Diego’s Torrero Field Ballpark.
Blake is originally from Philadelphia, PA and has called California home for most of his adult life. He holds an Architectural Engineering degree from The Pennsylvania State University, is a registered Professional Mechanical Engineer with the State of California, and is a LEED Accredited Professional. His public service included Chairing the Ocean Beach Planning Board – San Diego’s most eclectic beach community.