Resilient Communities Webinar Series
Part of the Local Government Education programming series, Resilient Communities webinars are a result of University of Illinois Extension and Prairie Rivers Network's collaboration to build capacity for technical assistance and education aimed to help communities navigate energy- and environment-related funding opportunities, provide guidance on community inclusion, and lead community-specific strategic planning. This outreach should help communities secure and manage resources to address legacy pollution, invest in clean energy technologies, and more.
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Submitting this registration form will register you for the Resilient Communities webinar series, including both the upcoming program listed below, as well as future programs in the series:
Navigating New Requirements - Battery Storage Planning and Safety for Local Governments
Tuesday, Apr. 28, at 12 noon CT
Battery storage is charging up in Illinois, raising important questions for communities about how to safely site these new systems. Join this webinar for a deep dive into utility-scale battery storage, including siting guidelines, planning considerations, and current safety regulations. Speakers will share practical examples to help local governments navigate new statewide requirements while addressing key safety and environmental concerns.
Speakers:
Captain Richard Birt | Founder, Solar And Fire Education (S.A.F.E.).
Captain Birt retired at the end of 2020 as a firefighter-captain for Las Vegas Fire and Rescue. He now focuses on the educational platform he founded, Solar And Fire Education, (S.A.F.E.), which provides free training for firefighters on how to safely mitigate a fire incident involving solar and battery storage systems. His Solar and Fire Education curriculum has already trained over 1,000 firefighters in California on preparedness and response to solar and battery storage fires
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Submitting this registration form will register you for the Resilient Communities webinar series, including both the upcoming program listed below, as well as future programs in the series:
Navigating New Requirements - Battery Storage Planning and Safety for Local Governments
Tuesday, Apr. 28, at 12 noon CT
Battery storage is charging up in Illinois, raising important questions for communities about how to safely site these new systems. Join this webinar for a deep dive into utility-scale battery storage, including siting guidelines, planning considerations, and current safety regulations. Speakers will share practical examples to help local governments navigate new statewide requirements while addressing key safety and environmental concerns.
Speakers:
Captain Richard Birt | Founder, Solar And Fire Education (S.A.F.E.).
Captain Birt retired at the end of 2020 as a firefighter-captain for Las Vegas Fire and Rescue. He now focuses on the educational platform he founded, Solar And Fire Education, (S.A.F.E.), which provides free training for firefighters on how to safely mitigate a fire incident involving solar and battery storage systems. His Solar and Fire Education curriculum has already trained over 1,000 firefighters in California on preparedness and response to solar and battery storage fires
Upasana Roy | Land Use and Energy Planner and Program Coordinator, Great Plains Institute.
Ms. Roy joined the Great Plains Institute in 2024 as a land use and energy planner and program coordinator. In this role, she supports GPI’s efforts to help communities and non-energy stakeholders find solutions that balance local needs with renewable energy development, focusing on planning and permitting processes at both the local and state levels. Upasana holds a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Michigan, where she collaborated with state siting authorities to establish best practices for siting utility-scale renewable energy and battery storage systems.
Ms. Roy joined the Great Plains Institute in 2024 as a land use and energy planner and program coordinator. In this role, she supports GPI’s efforts to help communities and non-energy stakeholders find solutions that balance local needs with renewable energy development, focusing on planning and permitting processes at both the local and state levels. Upasana holds a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Michigan, where she collaborated with state siting authorities to establish best practices for siting utility-scale renewable energy and battery storage systems.
If you will need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please email mdelany2@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
For more information on the Resilient Communities Webinar Series, contact: Linda Derhak, National Resources, Energy, and Environment, Illinois Extension, at lderhak2@illinois.edu
For more information on the Resilient Communities Webinar Series, contact: Linda Derhak, National Resources, Energy, and Environment, Illinois Extension, at lderhak2@illinois.edu