​With energy costs rising, there has never been a better time to optimize your home's energy use and lower your monthly bills.

​This session breaks down three high-impact topics: adopting easy no-to-low-cost energy conservation habits, decoding your utility bill, and exploring how residential solar can work for you.

​You will walk away with actionable steps to immediately reduce energy waste and start saving money.

​Speakers

​Graham Alexander is a co-owner of Southern Energy Management and leads the company's solar sales and design team, working with builders and homeowners across the Carolinas. He has been with Southern Energy since 2007, installing solar water heating and solar PV systems, serving as lead project manager, and working in customer education before moving into his current role. In 2024, he became one of seven longtime leaders who purchased the company from its founders, Bob and Maria Kingery.

​Jerry Carey is Market Intelligence Specialist at the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association, where he builds and maintains the databases and geographic information systems behind NCSEA's clean energy market data. His work turns raw project and development data into current snapshots of clean energy activity across the state. He holds a degree in geospatial technology from Central Piedmont Community College.

​Katherine Koonce is Engagement and B Corp Lead at Southern Energy Management, the Raleigh-based solar and building performance company that has been a Certified B Corporation since 2009 — among the first in North Carolina and in its industry. She leads the company's B Corp recertification work, most recently guiding its sixth recertification in March 2026, which raised Southern Energy's score by 15 points to 112.5, its highest to date. She also serves on the board of B Local NC Triangle.

​Moderator

​Daniel Pate is Director of Engagement at the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association, where he leads partnership building and stakeholder initiatives and produces the data-driven analysis behind NCSEA's policy campaigns. He works with utilities and advocates to design customer programs that extend clean energy to nontraditional markets, including low-to-moderate income households. He previously worked with the UNC Wilmington Sustainability Office and NC Cooperative Extension, and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication from UNC-Chapel Hill and a master's in environmental studies from UNC Wilmington.

​​About NC Climate Week

​This event is part of NC Climate Week 2026, a statewide series of workshops, community events, and conversations designed to accelerate North Carolina forward from climate concern to climate action.

​Hosted by EarthShare North Carolina, the week brings together the people, businesses, and organizations shaping our environmental future. Free virtual Climate Action Workshops and partner-led events offer practical tools and opportunities to learn, connect, volunteer, and take action.

​​Join Us at the NC Climate Week Summit

​NC Climate Week culminates with the NC Climate Week Summit on Friday, October 2, 2026, in Durham.

​This one-day, in-person event features interactive sessions, cross-sector conversations, and leaders from Trane Technologies, NASCAR, ICF, NC Department of Environmental Quality, Clean Energy Fund of the Carolinas, MountainTrue, Xylem, NC Sustainable Energy Association, UNC Humanities, NC Wildlife Federation, NC Coastal Federation, NC League of Conservation Voters Foundation, and more.

​Explore the full program and register at ncclimateweek.org/summit.

​Let’s meet the moment, together. 🌎

​​Sponsor

​The Climate Action Workshops at NC Climate Week are supported by Xylem.