From grid infrastructure analytics to consumer analytics, the true power of data is starting to be realized. Find out how the utility industry is moving from data collection to actionable application at the Soft Grid. 

Utilizing Big Data for Better Business Decisions

Oct. 1-2, 2013 | PG&E | San Francisco, CA

Now in its second year, Greentech Media’s highly successful Soft Grid conference will examine the issues and challenges that face utilities, energy providers, hardware and software vendors, and consumers as data generation, collection, analysis and application have become part of every day operations.

The Soft Grid will address unique issues encountered with complex analytics and cloud services, and how they are transforming generation, distribution and consumption of electric power.

We are proud again to announce the backing and support of Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) as the Host Utility Sponsor for The Soft Grid conference series. The Soft Grid will host additional experts from both domestic and international utilities as well as thought leaders and high-tech pioneers from other industries that have taken full advantage of complex data analytics.

If you would like to get more involved as a partner, sponsor, or speaker contact events@greentechmedia.com.


Why Come to Soft Grid? 

Greentech Media's Jeff St. John talks about what makes up the Soft Grid: the intersection of utilities and analytics. Hear why the Soft Grid conference is the perfect place to bring together these two very different disciplines, and why the Soft Grid matters to everyone.

Speakers

Elisabeth S. Brinton
Industry Thought Leader

Elisabeth Brinton is a trusted senior executive, thought leader and entrepreneur with a track record of successful innovation, execution, value creation and disruption across multiple industries, including Energy, Water, Food, Agriculture, and High Tech. 

Most recently, Elisabeth was the Corporate Strategy Officer for PG&E Corporation, a F200 Energy Holding Company that has been a global utility pioneer in renewables, customer solar, T&D, and energy efficiency.  She launched PG&E’s groundbreaking IOT “Grid of Things” business strategy, ran M&A and strategic investments, and led California’s exploration of new utility business models. Earlier, Elisabeth was the Chief Customer Officer of SMUD, running the $2 Billion Retail P&L for that vertically integrated utility, including complex 24x7, high-stakes operations and a team of 1,000 employees.

An entrepreneur at heart, Elisabeth has been in the C-Suite as an executive officer, CEO or Founder of four successful Silicon Valley start-up companies with technologies and products that were pioneering and disruptive for their time.  Ventures include, Loudcloud that pioneered the ASP business model and the now ubiquitous Cloud, where Elisabeth was on the founding leadership team and ran global marketing, helping the company scale and go public in record time for a US company.  Earlier, Elisabeth was the founder and CEO of her own technical product development and marketing agency where she created a business delivering over $100 million in value, serving both major consumer brands like Pepsico and Nike, and innovative start-ups delivering deep, pioneering work in food, agriculture and high tech, including the development of several patents and commercializing new category creating products like branded, value-added produce and early organic and specialty products from ice cream to natural sodas.

Elisabeth is a chemist and passionate creative, blending scientific/technical expertise with customer centric market innovation, business strategy and policy leadership.  She is a top honors graduate of Principia College with a triple major across scientific and humanities disciplines and both a Harry S. Truman and Lincoln Academy Scholar.  Out of College, Elisabeth worked for the US House of Representatives as a legislative assistant for a member of Congress and the House Judiciary Committee.

Currently, Elisabeth is a voluntary faculty Co-Chair for Singularity University’s Global Energy & Climate track (2013 Executive Program Alum) and serves on the Advisory Boards of Smart Wires, Rancho Purisima Farms, and the UC Davis Energy Efficiency Center.

Kevin Dasso
Senior Director of Technology & Information Strategy, Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Kevin Dasso is Senior Director of Technology and Information Strategy at Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Kevin has 30 years of experience in the gas and electric utility business including engineering, operations, construction and asset management. Kevin is currently responsible for developing and implementing strategy and policies for the utility related to the Smart Grid and transmission and distribution technology integration. He leads the company’s Smart Grid team involving the Electric Operations, Customer Care, Energy Procurement and Information Technology departments. Kevin is a member of the Board of the Gridwise Alliance and on the Advisory Board for the California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research program. He is a former member of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council’s Reliability Policy Issues Committee, and is former chair of the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) Planning Committee Reliability Assessment Subcommittee. Kevin received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering at Iowa State University and a M.S. in Electric Engineering at Santa Clara University. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in California and is a member of the IEEE Power Engineering Society.

Alourdes Sully
Chair, Utilities Telecom Council Canada (UTCC)

Ms. Sully brings over 25 years of engineering and business experience in Telecommunications and Energy sectors to her role as Chair of UTCC. She has led UTCC in reshaping its strategic direction. In 2013, she received the UTC Chairman’s Award. Ms. Sully is an active advocate in Information and Communications Technology, working to ensure that Regulators and Industry recognize the need for utilities’ critical infrastructure. She represents the Canadian Utilities as Vice-President of Radio Advisory Board of Canada (RABC). She is also a member of the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance Public Safety Advisory Board. Presently, she works as a Senior Technical Specialist at Hydro One Telecom. In 2010, she received Hydro One President’s Award for her leadership role in Distributed Generation Connections. Before joining Hydro One, she worked in the Telecommunications Industry at Signatec Inc., Videotron Telecom and DTI Telecom.

Ms. Sully holds a Master’s Degree in Engineering Management and a Bachelor Degree in Engineering Physics. She is a licensed Professional Engineer in Ontario, a Fellow of Engineers Canada (FEC) and an honorary member of the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) where she served as President and Chair in 2011-2012.

David Elve
Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, PayGo

David Elve is the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for PayGo. His background includes numerous executive roles in the energy industry spanning almost 20 years. Mr. Elve has worked with numerous utilities on their Smart Grid programs and he is a frequent speaker in the industry. He holds a B.S. in Business, a MBA in Finance and is a graduate of the Georgia Tech Management Institute’s Executive Program.
Mr. Elve has been an active investor and advisor to several energy industry ventures including Enspiria Solutions, Verdeeco, Preparis and PayGo. He is a founder and Past President of the Smart Meter Manufacturers’ Association of America (SMMAA).  In 2011, he was named to the Fierce Grid 15 Most Influential people in Energy.

Agenda Themes
  • Developing the Business Case for Big Data and Analytics for a Modern Grid
  • Data Analytics
  • The Evolution of UI and UX for Effective Soft Grid Tools
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