Latest news with #DwightJames
Los Angeles Times
01-05-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Bill to slash rooftop solar incentives weakened by Assembly committee
An Assembly committee backed away on Wednesday night from a controversial provision in a proposed bill to end solar credits for 2 million owners of rooftop solar systems, saying it would apply only to those who sold their homes. Assembly Bill 942, introduced by Lisa Calderon (D-Whittier), targeted long-standing programs that provide energy credits to Californians who installed solar panels before April 15, 2025. As originally drafted, the bill would have limited the current program's benefits to 10 years — half of the 20-year period the state had told rooftop owners they would receive. The committee nixed that provision, leaving another that would cancel the program for those selling their homes. With the amendment, the bill passed 10 to 5, sending it on to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Scores of rooftop solar owners attended the hearing, asking the committee members to vote no. Some said that even with the amendment they believed the measure would reduce the value of their home. 'We just put our home up for sale yesterday,' said Dwight James, a resident of Simi Valley, who is still making payments on a loan he took out to pay for his solar system. 'We didn't expect the state to break its promise to us.' Calderon, a former executive at Southern California Edison, said she proposed the bill because the financial credits given to rooftop solar owners for excess electricity they send to the grid are raising electric bills for those who don't own the panels. Edison and the state's two other large for-profit electric companies supported the bill, along with members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Major utilities use unionized labor to build and repair equipment, including the lines connecting distant industrial-scale solar farms in the desert. Companies installing rooftop panels generally don't use union workers. The legislation doesn't affect customers served by municipal utilities. Several members of the Assembly Utilities & Energy Committee said at the hearing that their offices have been overwhelmed with calls and emails from solar customers. 'I've gotten more opposition to this bill than to any other by eight- to tenfold,' said Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Santa Clarita), who voted no. Before the hearing began, an analyst who reviews legislation for the committee recommended the 10-year sunset provision be removed from the bill. She cited a state requirement that solar owners sign a consumer protection guide that calls the arrangement a 'contract' and says the credits are 'guaranteed' for 20 years. Keeping that provision, said analyst Laura Shybut, the committee's chief consultant, could pave the way for legal challenges to the legislation. The bill prompted protests this month by owners of the rooftop solar panels, who said they had invested thousands of dollars in the green energy systems based on assurances the incentives would last for 20 years. Also opposing the bill were schools, businesses, apartment owners and others who had installed the rooftop panels. A group of school districts including Los Angeles Unified, San Diego Unified and the Alameda County Office of Education filed a letter to the Assembly committee in opposition to the proposed legislation. 'School districts made good faith investments in solar energy technology based on the commitments of the state,' the schools wrote. 'It is unfair and could raise legal concerns to retroactively change the rules.' 'The state should be supporting investments in rooftop solar to meet our climate goals and to promote affordability for all customers, not undermining those who heeded its guidance and mandates to make these investments,' the schools wrote. Committee members said that with the amendment the schools would no longer be affected. Also opposing the bill were dozens of environmental groups, consumer organizations and the rooftop solar industry, which argued that electric bills are rising because of excessive utility spending — not from credits given to owners of the green energy systems. The value of the credits — provided to panel owners at the retail rate of electricity — has increased rapidly as the state Public Utilities Commission voted to approve rate increases requested by the utility companies. At a news conference on Tuesday, Calderon appeared with members of utility worker unions, saying the credits were shifting billions of dollars in costs to people who did not own the panels, which was especially hurting the poor. 'This is about fairness and equity — nothing more,' she said. Rooftop solar advocates have challenged that assertion, citing statistics from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that show 39% of the owners of the rooftop panels in 2023 had household incomes of less than $100,000. About 12% had incomes below $50,000. Several committee members said Wednesday night that they had heard from solar owners of all income levels. 'I have to push back on the narrative that these are all high-income people,' Schiavo said. Some also questioned whether those without solar panels would actually see a reduction in their electric bills if the measure passed. 'How much of this will go back to the consumer?' asked Laurie Davies (D-Laguna Niguel), who voted no. Her question wasn't answered.
Forbes
20-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Delta Airlines Execs Drive Loyalty Through A Brand Ecosystem
Loyalty isn't just earned at 30,000 feet—it's earned in the morning coffee line, during the ride to the airport, and across a constellation of brand touchpoints. That's the vision Dwight James, Delta Air Lines' Senior Vice President of Customer Engagement & Loyalty as well as CEO of Delta Vacations, is shaping into reality. Delta is moving beyond the traditional 'earn and burn' model to architect a lifestyle ecosystem. One that delivers emotional resonance, not just rewards. And they're doing it through powerful partnerships, personal technology, and a loyalty experience designed to meet people where they live—not just where they fly. 'Historically, loyalty meant earning and redeeming miles,' James explained. 'But for us, it's now holistic. It's reliability, value, and elevated experiences—it's how people feel when they walk away from a Delta interaction.' Josh Kaehler, Managing Director of Loyalty Partnerships at Delta, echoed that sentiment: 'When we say ecosystem, it's about the range of reasons someone engages with Delta—and how we can keep those reasons connected. We want to go beyond just linking and earning. It's about strategic partnerships that build brand love and drive daily engagement.' Kaehler has to imagine these new relationships at scale to drive more personalization at scale -- 100,000,000 members with expectations continue to evolve. That emotional flywheel is central to Delta's plan: more ways to earn, more reasons to remember, and more moments that matter—even when you're not flying. Delta's partnerships with Starbucks and Uber are examples of what Kaehler calls 'frequency amplifiers.' 'People engage with Uber and Starbucks more often than they fly,' he said. 'Those brands already have deep emotional connections with customers. If we can piggyback on that frequency and that brand love, it's a halo for Delta.' Camille Irving, GM of U.S. & Canada Mobility at Uber, described the partnership similarly: 'No one brand owns the entire travel journey. Our work with Delta is about creating a 'double delight'—seamless experiences, with rewards that resonate.' The goal? More touchpoints. More visibility. More daily relevance. Emotional connectionsat scale. While aspirational moments—like flying Delta One to Europe—are core to the loyalty engine, Delta is increasingly focused on broadening its appeal to travelers who may only fly a few times a year. Delta's SkyMiles Experiences platform, recently relaunched, offers everything from once-in-a-lifetime events to more attainable everyday cultural perks and live events. 'We want members to find value whether they have 10,000 miles or 5 million,' Kaehler explained. 'It's not just about the big-ticket dream. It's about consistent, daily ways to engage.' That's why Delta has integrated partner-driven experiences, like a private tasting at Starbucks' original Pike Place store and has hinted at more curated events to come through collaborations with brands like Uber and the PGA Tour. As Kaehler noted: 'If you fly into JFK, catch a ride with Uber, grab coffee at Starbucks, and then use SkyMiles to attend a concert at MSG—that's what ecosystem loyalty looks like. And that's what we're building.' Delta's loyalty team sees personalization as the next frontier. James described it this way: 'It's about offering the next best thing—tailored to who you are and where you are in life. A Gen Z traveler doesn't need a Reserve card pitch on day one. They need something that feels like it was designed for them, today.' Delta's tech roadmap includes the Concierge feature previewed at CES, aimed at giving travelers customized itinerary guidance, travel updates, and curated offers. Meanwhile, Uber's ecosystem—now boasting over 30 million Uber One members—continues to evolve into a subscription-based platform for rides, food delivery, car rentals, and more. "We believe a trusted brand like Uber can reduce the need for personal car ownership," Irving said. "And that's not just about utility. It's about lifestyle alignment.' With other carriers receiving backlash for loyalty program changes, Delta is doubling down on clarity and trust. 'There's clearly customer confusion out there,' James said. 'We're seeing people reach out, wanting to understand our program. And we're ready to welcome them.' That open-door strategy is paying off. Delta recently surpassed 1 million new co-branded credit card sign-ups in a year, driven by satisfaction with the updated SkyMiles program and a steady stream of engagement opportunities. Kaehler emphasized that partnerships aren't just about customer acquisition—they're about retention. 'These collaborations don't just bring in new members,' he said. 'They help keep them active—even in years they don't fly.' According to a 2024 Harvard Business Review Study, there are four distinct consumer segments that spend their reward points and cash differently: From lounges in Minneapolis to ride shares in Miami, Delta is connecting the dots between travel, taste, and technology. The airline isn't trying to win every route—it's trying to win every moment. 'There are customers who are Uber lovers and Starbucks lovers who now become Delta lovers,' Kaehler said. 'And that's the point. We're not just building loyalty—we're earning mindshare and emotion every single day.' Delta's ecosystem strategy isn't about transactional perks. It's about touchpoints that make people feel seen, known, and valued. And in a category where airlines compete on price and routes, Delta's secret weapon may just be something harder to quantify—but far more powerful: emotional equity.
