With hundreds of attendees from across North Carolina and the nation, the conference provided an opportunity to share the work electric cooperatives are doing with a broad audience, while also giving insight into real challenges utilities and member-consumers face.

“The questions and discussions that come out of events like this are often more important than the presentations,” said attendee and conference presenter Corey Thurlow, chief operating officer at Supply-based Brunswick Electric. “Those conversations matter. They help us think a little deeper, learn from others, and build relationships with people who may be part of the solution.

Collaboration is one of the ways we will find practical, affordable answers to the challenges facing utilities and our members.”

The two-day conference also gave cooperatives a chance to bring their unique perspective to a larger stage, joining industry leaders and partners from across the state and nation.

Nikki Lynberg, manager of Innovation & Business Development for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, presented on an electric vehicle telematics solution that accesses real-time vehicle data to help integrate EVs into the grid.

“Innovation is always top of mind for electric cooperatives as they explore new technologies and solutions to better serve their members,” she said. “As energy needs continue to evolve, co-ops remain focused on adapting and finding new ways to meet those demands.”