Breakfast
The Intersection of Decarbonization, Decentralization and Digitalization
Breakfast Briefing: The Scalability Challenge - Wood Mackenzie Perspectives on the Energy Transition

Jonny Sultoon, Head of Markets & Transitions, Energy Transition Practice, Wood Mackenzie

Survival in a World of Negative Prices - Redefining Market Design in High Solar & Wind Penetration Scenarios

As a consequence of de-marginalization due to the abundance of wind and solar generation and how near-or-sub-zero electricity prices will become the norm, the argument for a holistic and comprehensive reform in terms of how U.S. electricity markets are constructed is gaining steam.

How will this market design that encourages and enhances flexibility take shape? And what mechanisms need to be put in place to ensure equal or lower electricity prices for the customer while providing access to clean, cheap energy when it is most needed?

Flexibility, load shaping, the creation of storage revenue streams and DER wholesale market participation are key components of this transition into new market designs. But how can ISOs work together and agree on the steps forward (working in unison towards the same targets and deadlines)? #showall

Spencer G. Hanes, Jr, Managing Director, Renewables Policy, Duke Energy
Mia Adams, Senior Manager, Market Strategy, MISO
Kenan Ögelman, Vice President Commercial Operations, ERCOT
Matt Futch, Global Strategy and Business Development Director, NREL

Moderator: Daniel Muñoz-Álvarez, Senior Analyst, Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables

Research Presentation: Solar + Storage, an Existential Threat to Natural Gas?

Daniel Finn-Foley, Head of Energy Storage, Wood Mackenzie

Networking Break
Gaining Traction: Reaching an Inflection Point in the Energy Transition
Panel: Winds of Change – Which Wind-Dominated State Markets Will Become More Solar-Prone (and Vice Versa) in 2019-2029?

As infrastructure, policy and technology drivers evolve over time, state markets that were once completely dominated by its wind potential are showing signs of becoming more solar-prone in the next few years. And vice versa.

This panel discussion will tackle the factors impacting these transitions, and how developers, utilities and system operators can capitalize on these new energy scenarios across the U.S. #showall

Valerie Hannah, Chief Operating Officer, TerraForm Power
Laurie Mazer, Principal, Mazer Consulting
Helen Brauner, Senior Director, Origination, 7X Energy

Moderator: Colin Smith, Senior Analyst, Solar, Wood Mackenzie

Research Presentation: Putting a Price Tag on the Green New Deal - What Is the Estimated Cost of Complete Decarbonization?

Dan Shreve, Head of Global Wind Energy Research, Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables

Enhancing Flexibility - How Digital Tools Can Enable DER Participation in Wholesale Markets

Low marginal prices of intermittent large-scale wind and solar coupled with increasing customer-sited energy resources are changing the shape and price of power. How can these distributed resources – and their participation in wholesale markets - enhance renewable integration in energy systems?

We will sit down with the tech powerhouses driving DER visibility and integration forward to understand what specific digital tools are supporting DER wholesale market participation. Leading distributed generation developers and system operators will join them as they shed light on the operational benefits this new level of flexibility can bring to the energy system – and at what cost. #showall

Craig Glazer, Vice President, Federal Government Policy, PJM Interconnection
Nayeem Mohammad Abdullah, Principal Project Manager - Emerging Technologies- Smart Grid & Innovation, ComEd
Adam Todorski, Senior Director, Product Technology, AutoGrid Systems

Moderator: Elta Kolo, Ph.D., Grid Edge Content Lead, Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables

Networking Lunch
The Digital Layer of Cost Efficiency - Reducing Wind & Solar Operational Costs Through IoT & AI

From permitting and procurement tasks to design & construction and O&M, IoT, AI and data analytics offer the opportunity to revolutionize cost structure for large-scale wind and solar projects.

This panel discussion will present how developers and asset owners are relying of myriad ways to digitalize projects from inception to post-interconnection. #showall

Cody Craig, Asset Manager, Wind & Solar, WEC Energy
Tyler Minetto, Business Development Manager – Renewables, ThoughtTrace
Mahesh Sudhakaran, Chief Digital Officer, Energy, Environment and Utilities, IBM

Moderator: Ravi Manghani, Head of Solar, Wood Mackenzie

Fireside Chat: Repurposing Polluting Generation Assets Through Energy Storage

Nick Chaset, Chief Executive Officer, East Bay Community Energy

Moderator: Julian Spector, Staff Writer, Greentech Media

Offshore Wind Development Across the East Coast - The Next U.S. Renewable Boom

Earlier this year New York followed New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island offshore wind auctions awarding 1.7 GW in what has been defined as the largest U.S. renewable procurement in history.

As advancements in technology and strong capacity values improve margins, other factors such as eases in permitting, reduction in transmission expenses and proximity to load centers are showing the economics for offshore wind in the East Coast are much more favorable than previously thought of.

However, there are clear challenges ahead: From component and qualified labor constraints to potential turbine tariffs. We will sit down with leading offshore wind developers entering the U.S. market, as well as regulators and system operators to reflect on the key challenges vs. opportunities, including the recent calls for a federal tax credit extension. #showall

Jenny Briot, Director, Offshore Business Development, Avangrid Renewables
Michael Wheeler, Principal, Corporate Strategy, Equinor

Moderator: Karl-Erik Stromsta, Managing Editor, Greentech Media

Networking Break
Achieving the Last Mile of Deep Decarbonization
Research Presentation: The Uniqueness of the Lone Star State, a Close Look at Power Market Dynamics in Texas

Despite real time prices hitting the $9,000 $/MWh price cap in ERCOT this summer, new gas fired power projects continue to leave the generation queue.

At the same time, record amounts of new solar projects dominate the queue, raising a question if current market design is un-intentionally favoring solar over new gas fired projects. And, as a result, what role will this leave new battery storage projects going forward? #showall

Robert Whaley, Principal Analyst, Americas Power & Renewables Research, Wood Mackenzie

Managing the EV Outburst - Shaping Demand to Alleviate Stress on the Grid

When EV mass adoption becomes a reality, it will be essential to mitigate peak load by shifting EV-related load from one period of the day to another. But what digital tools can make that happen and what are the revenue streams can be developed as these software tools become available?

How can EVs be aggregated to sync up charging and alleviate stress and prevent grid saturation? What are the opportunities to develop grid service revenue streams for charging infrastructure?

And how can EVs be utilized as a demand response mechanism to mitigate the duck curve, aggregating EV load in specific locations to consume excess solar or wind power generated there? #showall

Katie Sloan, Director, eMobility & Building Electrification, SCE
Donald Chung, Customer Technology Product Development, APS
Eric Maurer, Product Developer, Xcel Energy

Moderator: Elta Kolo, Ph.D., Grid Edge Content Lead, Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables

Closing Research Presentation: The Role of Renewable Hydrogen in the Energy Transition

Benjamin Gallagher, SME, Carbon & Emerging Technology, Energy Transition Practice, Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables

Day 2