As commissioner, Wellinghoff was influential in moving FERC towards prioritizing the removal of barriers to integration of renewable energy into the electric grid.

Wellinghoff was an early proponent of improving energy infrastructure to accommodate future demands from automobiles powered primarily by electricity.

He coined the phrase "Cashback Car" in a contribution to the Brookings Institution publication, "Plug-In Electric Vehicles: What Role for Washington?"

In it, he envisioned a future where drivers not only save money by switching from gasoline but are paid by utilities for use of their batteries to provide and store electricity.

The non-profit group bestowed the award "in recognition of [his] decades of outstanding public service and his expertise and leadership on energy efficiency as the nation confronts the dual challenge of electricity supply security climate change."

The office is tasked with providing leadership in the development and formulation of policies and regulations to address emerging issues affecting wholesale and interstate energy markets.

While these resources provide a growing share of America's energy, they remain hampered by their often remote proximity to major population centers and other impediments.

Renewable integration will also be facilitated by another of the Wellinghoff's priorities, the development and implementation of advanced broadband and digital technologies collectively referred to as "smart grid."

This push to modernize the nation's energy infrastructure will allow consumers and providers to make more informed decisions about how they use electricity.

Grid operators could, in turn, respond with more efficient management of available resources and avoid the high expenses associated with putting another power plant on-line to generate the electricity necessary to meet demand.

Under Wellinghoff's leadership the Commission issued FERC Order 745 on March 15, 2011, which prescribes how providers of demand response are to be compensated in the organized wholesale markets.

[5] His work there focused on assisting emerging energy technology firms (battery manufacturers, solar PV system developers and manufacturers, demand response providers, and advanced grid technology providers to name a few) with strategies and counsel as to growing their businesses and avoiding and/or removing barriers to market success.

[6] Here he was responsible for recommending policy initiatives and interventions in state, federal, and other forums to support distributed energy resource products and services offered by SolarCity.