Stakeholder Summit to Achieve a Carbon-Free Energy System by 2050

Insights from industry luminaries | High-impact content | Interactive sessions
July 28 - 30, 2020
Virtual
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What to Expect in 2020

Attend the only event in the electric power industry dedicated to building a game plan to reach a carbon-free energy system by 2050. Join powerful discussions with industry leaders and get access to bonus on-demand sessions.

  • Hear from Industry Heavy Hitters
    Access to leading speakers and sessions focusing on the biggest challenges for our industry
  • Connect with a Diverse Community
    Stakeholders from across the industry, including regulators, ISOs, utilities, technology providers and academics
  • Make an Impact After You Log Off
    Grid Evolution Summit is the event for energy professionals who want the tools, insights and expertise to achieve a carbon-free energy system by 2050

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Agenda
Live Sessions July 28 - 30, 2020 | Bonus On-Demand Sessions Released August 12, 2020
Tuesday, July 28
  • 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
    Welcome and Opening General Session: Setting the Tone at the Top: Carbon-free by 2050

    This 2020 Grid Evolution Summit opens with a welcome address followed by a panel featuring utility executives discussing the opportunities and realities their organizations are experiencing in the industry’s transition to a clean and modern grid. These leaders will investigate how the lessons they are learning today will inform and influence how we achieve a carbon-free energy future by 2050.

    • Jacqueline Sargent
      General Manager
      Austin Energy
      Speaker
    • Jeff Guldner
      CEO
      Arizona Public Service
      Speaker
    • Julia Hamm
      President & CEO
      Smart Electric Power Alliance
      Speaker
  • 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
    Improving EV Charging Infrastructure to Manage Grid Stability and Accelerate a Carbon-Free Energy System
    Track: Electrification of Transportation
    Managed charging can be a powerful tool to better align and balance a power supply that is increasingly diverse, decentralized, renewable and intermittent with a flexible demand. With the proper systems in place, could EVs become key resources for utilities in the transition to a carbon-free future? This session will investigate how the development of novel EV technologies and programs can accelerate this transition to a cleaner grid.
    • Chris King
      SVP
      Siemens eMobility
      Moderator
    • Erika Myers
      Principal of Transportation Electrification
      SEPA
      Speaker
    • Gary Smith
      Director of Programs
      Sagewell, Inc
      Speaker
    • Hitesh Soneji
      Manager, Solutions Engineering
      Olivine, Inc.
      Speaker
    • Jigar J. Shah
      Manager, Distributed Energy and Grid Services
      Electrify America
      Speaker
  • 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
    Mapping a Path to a Smart Energy Future with Performance-Based Regulation
    Track: Regulatory Innovation

    Nationwide, changes including technology advances, flat or declining load, customer desires for information and a greater role in determining their electric service, distributed generation that feeds power back to the grid, and pressure to reduce environmental impacts are forcing a reevaluation of the traditional cost-of-service utility business model. Multiple states are exploring whether various regulatory reforms could better align electric utility compensation to customer and public policy goals, including greater customer choice, lower or more stable costs, and reduced environmental impacts. This session will discuss lessons learned from a SEPA Renovate Initiative case study on Minnesota, which established a unique 7-step process for performance-based regulation and best practices from the PBR process in Hawaii.  

    • Bridget Dockter
      Manager, Policy and Outreach
      Xcel Energy
      Speaker
    • Doug Scott
      Vice President of Electricity and Efficiency
      Great Plains Institute
      Speaker
    • Jennifer Potter
      Commissioner
      Hawaii Public Utilities Commission
      Speaker
    • Richard Farinas
      Manager of Research
      SEPA
      Speaker
  • 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
    General Session: Why Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Strategies are Essential
    The practical application of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies can benefit utilities beyond an investment performance indicator. Organizations that embrace transparent stakeholder disclosure have achievable long-term sustainability goals, and diverse, durable supply chains. Furthermore, companies that focus on protecting and investing in human capital are more likely to drive top-line revenues and bottom-line profitability. ESG strategies are assets when seeking maximum access to capital and the need to prepare for, and respond to fast-moving and unexpected crises and market disruptions. This session will investigate these ESG principles, their value to our industry, and how to implement them.
    • Christine Martin
      Vice President of Public Affairs and Sustainability
      PPL
      Speaker
    • Jeff Kotkin
      Vice President of Investor Relations
      Eversource Energy
      Speaker
    • Ken Adams
      Managing Director, Group Head of IG Research
      TIAA Investments
      Speaker
    • Richard McMahon
      Senior Vice President of Energy Supply and Finance
      Edison Electric Institute
      Moderator
    • Susan Gray
      Global Head of Sustainable Finance Business and Innovation
      S&P Global
      Speaker
  • 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
    The Integrated Distribution Planning Puzzle
    Track: Grid Integration
    In a growing number of states, utilities and stakeholders are beginning to explore the transition from traditional distribution planning to integrated distribution planning. Each state is facing unique customer needs, system conditions, and implementation challenges. This session explores a recent IDP study conducted by SEPA and discusses key elements and phased approaches to integrated distribution planning. Speakers will also tackle the challenges of successfully transitioning to the IDP model.
    • Brenda Chew
      Senior Manager of Research
      SEPA
      Speaker
    • Dana Cabbell
      Director
      SCE
      Speaker
    • Danielle Sass Byrnett
      Director, Center for Partnerships & Innovation
      NARUC
      Speaker
    • Joe Paladino
      Senior Advisor
      DOE
      Speaker
    • Samir Sucar
      Director of Distributed Energy Resources
      ICF
      Moderator
  • 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
    Maximizing Microgrids: Building Community Resiliency with Microgrids
    In response to emergency conditions, microgrids can provide resilience within a community’s critical infrastructure to assure essential services to the public as well as business continuity. The session will include a discussion of best practices for developing microgrid deployment plans within a community. Experts will also discuss analytical methods for the development and deployment of microgrids complimented by case studies of projects at different levels (single premise resiliency, campus, community) to highlight the importance of collaboration amongst individual end-use customers, utilities and local governments.
    • Chris Johnson
      COO
      Blue Planet Energy
      Speaker
    • Eva Gardow
      Technical Lead of Principal
      EPRI
      Moderator
    • Gary Oppedahl
      Vice President of Emerging Technologies
      Emera
      Speaker
    • Jared Leader
      Manager of Industry Strategy
      SEPA
      Speaker
    • John Vernacchia
      Renewable Energy Segment Manager
      Eaton
      Speaker
  • 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
    General Session - Getting the Final Mile to 100% Clean

    The SEPA Utility Carbon Reduction Tracker identifies 65% of electricity customer accounts nationwide are served by a utility with a carbon or emission reduction goal and while much progress has been made, there remains uncertainty around what going from 80% to 100% carbon-free energy will require across the energy sector. This session will investigate different pathways to 100% carbon-free energy, including existing technologies and future innovations, and the collaborative efforts the energy industry must consider to cross the finish line by 2050.


    • Anne-Laure Chassanite
      VP, Power Supply
      ENGIE North America
      Speaker
    • Maria Korsnick
      President and Chief Executive Officer
      Nuclear Energy Institute
      Speaker
    • Mike Niggli
      Chairman of the Board
      ESS, Inc.
      Speaker
    • Sharon Allan
      Chief Strategy Officer
      Smart Electric Power Alliance
      Moderator
  • 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
    The Common Good: A Pathway to 100% Carbon-Free Energy
    Track: Utility Business Models
    California aims to achieve a 100 percent carbon-free energy system and statewide carbon neutrality by 2045. Earlier this year, California celebrated one million rooftops with solar panels in the state, representing huge growth in distributed energy deployment. This is an important step in achieving a carbon-free energy system, but what's next? How does California's shift to a clean energy system, aggressive greenhouse gas emission reduction goals, and a stable, sustainable, market-based approach to paying for power amplify deployment of distributed energy resources? How can the state accelerate distributed solar and additional clean generation technologies using incentives such as net energy metering (NEM)? This panel will feature leaders who will dive deeply into this challenge, propose recommendations, and investigate opportunities for collaboration to achieve a carbon-free energy system.
    • Kevin Lucas
      Director of Rate Design
      SEIA
      Speaker
    • Natalia Mathura
      Principal of Utility Business Models
      SEPA
      Moderator
    • Michael Backstrom
      Managing Director, Energy and Environmental Policy
      Southern California Edison
      Speaker
  • 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
    Closing General Session: - The Last Word: Challenging Assumptions

    This Grid Evolution Summit session features a fast-paced panel discussion between energy executives and regulators (in case of our moderator, both) who will leverage their extensive experience to challenge assumptions that might limit our smart transition to a carbon-free energy future.


    • Janet Gail Besser
      Managing Director
      Smart Electric Power Alliance
      Moderator
    • Mary Powell
      Co-Founder
      Spot the Dog, Former CEO, Green Mountain Power
      Speaker
    • Lorraine Akiba
      CEO
      LHA Ventures, Former Hawaii PUC Commissioner
      Speaker
    • Peter Kelly Detwiler
      Co-Founder
      NorthBridge Energy Partners, LLC
      Speaker
  • 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
    On Demand: Optimizing Energy Storage - Behind-the-Meter Solutions for High-Penetration Renewable Energy Markets
    Track: Grid Integration
    Continued integration of distributed energy resources (DERs), such as solar PV, into the grid contributes to the famous Duck Curve and creates opportunities for behind-the-meter energy storage. This session will investigate two case studies: an “island nano grid”, which uses solar PV with battery storage and thermal hot water storage for homes and buildings in Hawaii and a process for determining the optimal energy storage schedules for load leveling and ramp rate control in distribution systems.
    • Andrew Ioan
      Electrical Engineer
      Southern California Edison
      Speaker
    • John Borland
      J.O.B Technologies
      Speaker
    • Robert Tucker
      Director of Industry Strategy
      SEPA
      Moderator
  • 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
    On Demand: Load Flexibility: Yoga for the Power Grid
    Track: Grid Integration
    Load flexibility is important for the power grid. It provides the agility necessary to integrate intermittent renewables and new loads from transportation electrification and electric heating. According to a recent study by The Brattle Group, by 2030, the cost-effective potential for load flexibility could nearly triple the capacity of the existing demand response resource in the US. The associated benefits are worth more than $15 billion annually. However, achieving this potential depends on a significant market transformation, including smart metering deployment, adoption of smart technologies, and redefining the services traditionally provided by demand response. It also requires a closer look at how existing regulatory and market structures incentivize utilities and third party service providers to offer robust load flexibility programs that customers can understand and embrace.
    • Ben Ealey
      Principal of Grid Integration
      SEPA
      Speaker
    • Jason Salmi Klotz
      Manager of Regulatory and Policy Strategy of Grid Architecture of Integration and System Operations
      Portland General Electric
      Speaker
    • Jessica Shipley
      Senior Associate
      RAP
      Speaker
    • Patty Cook
      Senior Vice President
      ICF
      Moderator
    • Ryan Hledik
      Principal
      The Brattle Group
      Speaker
  • 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
    On Demand: Application of the SEPA Grid Ontology
    Track: Grid Integration
    This panel will discuss the SEPA Grid Architecture Working Group grid ontology outcomes and their application to utility problems.
    • David Forfia
      Senior Consultant
      Utilicast
      Speaker
    • Gerard Rendell
      Lead Business and Technical Consultant
      Duke Energy
      Speaker
    • Ron Cunningham
      IT Enterprise Architect
      AEP
      Speaker
    • Ron Melton
      Administrator of GridWise Architecture Council
      PNNL
      Moderator
  • 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
    On Demand: Trends in Behind-the-Meter Distributed Energy Resources
    Track: Utility Business Models
    Industry experts including Distributed Energy Resource (DER) providers, grid operators, Virtual Power Plant (VPP) operators, and utilities will discuss trends in managing DERs at the microgrid, VPP, and aggregation levels. Speakers will also explore how these trends affect value streams, market opportunities, and grid services across applications and approaches.
    • Aaron Smallwood
      Vice President, Industry Solutions
      SEPA
      Moderator
    • Brett Feldman
      Research Director
      Guidehouse
      Speaker
    • Bud Vos
      President and CEO
      Enbala
      Speaker
  • 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
    On Demand: Harnessing Energy Innovation Through Utility-Startup Partnerships
    Track: Utility Business Models
    In the age of a rapidly evolving energy system, knowledge gaps exists for both utilities and startups around how to structure and manage the pipeline of innovative solutions. This session will demonstrate best practices to bridge the gap between utilities and startups and streamline the process of integrating cutting-edge innovation into the utility business model.
    • Becca Jones-Albertus
      Deputy Director of Solar Energy Technology Office
      DOE
      Speaker
    • Josh Gould
      Director of Innovation
      Duquesne Light
      Speaker
    • Kimberly Britton
      CEO
      EPIcenter
      Speaker
    • Whit Fulton
      Founder and CEO
      ConnectDER
      Moderator
  • 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
    On Demand: Sharing Data to Unlock Value: Utility and Industry Collaboration
    Track: Grid Integration
    The process of accessing meter and billing data can be costly and time intensive for customers and authorized DER providers. Unfettered authorized access to energy usage data unlocks expansive participation in known use cases such as storage, solar, energy efficiency and electric vehicle adoption. This session will discuss case studies such as the Silicon Valley Clean Energy Data Hive and other platforms that extract the value of utility data sharing.
    • Barbara O'Neill
      Manager, Grid Integration
      NREL
      Moderator
    • Devin Hampton
      CEO
      Utility API
      Speaker
    • Manoj Kumar
      CEO
      Powerley
      Speaker
  • 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
    On Demand: Maximizing Sustainability Benefits of Transportation Electrification
    Track: Electrification of Transportation
    Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) have zero tailpipe emissions but what is the total well-to-wheel impact of these vehicles? The sustainability of transport rests on having a clean power generation source, and managing the time of day people charge. How are utilities, auto OEMs, fleet owners and others building a sustainable EV charging infrastructure, and incentivizing the right charging behavior? What additional local policies and subsidies are needed to scale this market? Lithium-ion batteries have dominated the EV market, but does room exist for hydrogen and other alternative fuels? How is the EV ecosphere planning to address the challenges of battery recycling?
    • April Bolduc
      President
      S Curve Strategies
      Moderator
    • Brittany Syz
      Director of Clean Transportation
      SDG&E
      Speaker
    • Drew Murray
      Senior Vice President. Strategy and Corporate Development
      Edison International
      Speaker
    • Bill Elrick
      Executive Director
      California Fuel Cell Partnership
      Speaker
  • 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
    On Demand: Integrating Renewables, Storage, and Electric Vehicles
    Track: Electrification of Transportation
    This session will explore the potential benefits of vehicle to grid integration (VGI), managed charging and other opportunities. Panelists will also discuss ways to create programs to incentivize residential & commercial customers to charge at times that increase the value of renewable energy assets and correspond to the needs of the grid.
    • Meredith Alexander
      Policy Director
      Calstart
      Speaker
    • Noel Crisostomo
      Air Pollution Specialist
      California Energy Commission
      Speaker
    • Sara Rafalson
      Senior Director of Market Development
      EVGo
      Speaker
    • Stephen S. Kalland
      Executive Director
      NC Clean Energy Technology Center
      Moderator
  • 12:00 PM - 11:59 AM
    On Demand: Smart Home vs Grid Edge Platforms: What’s the Best Way for Utilities to Control Behind the Meter Assets?
    Track: Utility Business Models
    As utilities look to incorporate technologies to meet both customer and grid needs, they should understand the distinctions and value propositions of smart home and grid edge platforms. This session will provide an overview of that value, as well as insights from existing programs.
    • David Meisegeier
      Vice President and Senior Technical Director
      ICF
      Moderator
    • Erika Diamond
      VP, Utility and Market Services
      EnergyHub
      Speaker
    • Patrick Lee
      President and CEO
      PXiSE Energy Solutions
      Speaker
View Full Agenda

Top 2020 Speakers

Maria Korsnick

President and Chief Executive Officer, Nuclear Energy Institute

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Maria Korsnick

Maria Korsnick is NEI’s president and chief executive officer.

Drawing on her engineering background, hands-on experience in reactor operations and a deep knowledge of energy policy and regulatory issues, Korsnick aims to increase understanding of nuclear energy’s economic and environmental benefits among policymakers and the public.

Before joining NEI, she was senior vice president of Northeast Operations for Exelon Corp., responsible for overseeing operation of the Calvert Cliffs 1 and 2, R.E. Ginna, and Nine Mile Point 1 and 2 nuclear power plants.

Before Exelon, Korsnick served as chief nuclear officer (CNO) and acting chief executive officer at Constellation Energy Nuclear Group. She began her career at Constellation in 1986 and held positions of increasing responsibility, including engineer, operator, manager, site vice president, corporate vice president and CNO.

Korsnick holds a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Maryland and has held a senior reactor operator license.

Jeff Guldner

CEO, Arizona Public Service

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Jeff Guldner

Jeff Guldner leads Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and its primary subsidiary, Arizona Public Service Company (APS). The companies are headquartered in Phoenix.

APS employs more than 6,000 people and serves nearly 1.3 million customers across Arizona. The company is among the nation’s top utilities for delivering clean and reliable energy to its customers and has announced an ambitious commitment to deliver 100% clean, carbon-free electricity to customers by 2050. APS operates the Palo Verde Generating Station, the nation’s largest energy producer—all of it carbon-free, and ranks among the top five investor-owned utilities for solar energy capacity.

Guldner was promoted to his current position in November 2019 from his dual roles as president of APS and executive vice president, public policy of Pinnacle West. Since joining APS in 2004, Guldner has held a number of leadership positions responsible for areas including legal, rates and regulation, government affairs and customer service.

Prior to APS, Guldner was a partner in the Phoenix office of Snell & Wilmer LLP, where he practiced public utility, telecommunications and energy law. Before practicing law, Guldner served as a surface warfare officer in the United States Navy and was an assistant professor of naval history at the University of Washington.

Guldner is dedicated to community involvement and actively serves on boards of directors, including the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the Partnership for Economic Innovation, the National Association of Manufacturers and Arizona Theatre Company. He is chair of the East Valley Partnership board of directors.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Iowa and graduated magna cum laude from the Arizona State University College of Law. Guldner also completed the Reactor Technology Course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Advanced Management Program at Columbia Business School.

Susan Gray

Global Head of Sustainable Finance Business and Innovation, S&P Global

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Susan Gray

Susan Gray is Global Head of Sustainable Finance Business and Innovation, responsible for S&P Global Rating’s ESG and sustainable finance business strategy and initiatives.

Susan joined S&P Global in 2015 to lead S&P’s new Global Infrastructure Practice. Susan’s role expanded to Global Corporates, Infrastructure and Sustainable Finance in 2017, where she led a team of 540 analysts providing credit opinions on around 5000 companies and $15t of debt. In this role, Susan led the development of S&P’s Green Evaluation and ESG Evaluation sustainability assessments.

Susan has 20 years global investment banking experience with Macquarie Capital in America, Asia and Australia focused on infrastructure, M&A, investment, financing and capital raising. As Head of Infrastructure Sponsor Coverage and Head of Airports for the Americas, she led growth of Macquarie’s third party advisory business with institutional investors. She established Macquarie’s infrastructure business in Indonesia and led major transport and airport transactions in Australia. Previously, Susan was a senior policy advisor to an Australian Federal Government Cabinet Minister on trade and industry policy.

She has been based in New York for the last 14 years. Susan graduated from the University of Sydney with Honors in Economics and a Law degree. Susan has been an active not for profit Director of publicly owned authorities and cultural institutions for almost 20 years, and is a National Association of Corporate Directors Leadership Fellow.

See All 2020 Speakers

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