Track: Commercial & Industrial Buildings

The Push & Pull of Change: New Opportunities for Decarbonization

This must be the perfect time to invest in cleaner facilities with all the commitments on energy efficiency and renewable energy federal spending over the past two years, but what's available to businesses now? How are the federal and state incentives expected to stimulate the commercial and industrial sector? How can North Carolina facilities take advantage of them?

• Randy Lucas, Founding Principal, Lucas Tax + Energy (Moderator)
• Gary Andrews, Lead Energy Efficiency Engineer, Business Markets, Duke Energy
• Matt Doolin, Research and Policy Manager, Duke University
• Ben Evans, Federal Legislative Director, US Green Building Council
• Kim Wooten, Principal, Devita Engineering

Track: Renewable Energy

Workforce Diversification in Clean Energy

The clean energy industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in North Carolina's economy, employing nearly 104,000 individuals across the state. While the total number of clean energy employees is exciting, it's important to note that we still have a lot of work to ensure the workforce is representative of our diverse population at large. In fact, Black and African-Americans are under-represented by nearly 60% in the clean energy economy. As the industry continues to grow, we'll need to identify strategies to recruit new workers from all walks of life. Tune in to hear more about the current status of the workforce, and efforts underway to diversify the energy economy.

• Ondrea Austin, Program Manager, Strategic Energy Innovations (Moderator)
• Maria Anderson Campbell, Senior Director Talent and Development, Strata Clean Energy
• Balakrishna Gokaraju, Associate Professor, NC A&T State University
• Eric Grant, Director of Learning and Development, Blue Ridge Power
• Sharene Pierce, Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Duke Energy

Track: Innovative Technology & Deployment

Beneficial Electrification: Emerging Trends and Technology

From electric vehicles to agriculture and home heating, beneficial electrification has the potential to impact multiple sectors and dramatically reduce carbon emissions. As the adoption of electrification expands, technology is needed to ensure carbon-free electrons are delivered to consumers. End users, both residential and commercial, need innovative solutions that leverage electricity and produce similar results as carbon-based fuels. This panel will address some of the current challenges and solutions associated with beneficial electrification and the role technology will play as we decarbonize point and nonpoint sources of emissions.

• Hayes Finley, Associate, Womble Bond Dickinson (Moderator)
• Jessica Allen, Engineer IV, Advanced Energy
• Christine Cole, Global Technical Solutions Leader, Itron
• Jim Musilek, Vice President, Innovation and Business Development, NC Electric Cooperatives
• Tony Olivo, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, FlexGen

Track: Commercial & Industrial Buildings

Grid Responsive Buildings

Buildings are being considered assets to the grid with electrification and grid responsive technology, not just loads on the grid as in days past. This session will include a discussion about microgrids and vehicle to grid applications including specific policies and incentives that, if adopted, would improve the economics of deploying this technology.

• Robert Cox, Ph.D., Associate Director, Energy Production and Infrastructure Center, UNC Charlotte
• Dusan Brhlik, Direct Energy Partners
• Jordan Harrison, Applications Engineer, Chint Power Systems
• Casey Schurtz, Senior Product Manager, Ndustrial
• Mitch Simmons, P.E., EV Charging / Energy Transition Solutions Architect, Eaton

Track: Renewable Energy

What's Next for the Carbon Plan? Programs, Implementation, and Updates

Join this panel conversation as we dive into the details of the carbon plan order issued by the NC Utilities Commission at the end of 2022. We'll cover what was in the order, the programs and proceedings that will stem from the order, and next steps on the path to updating the plan every two years. On the panel, you'll hear from the various stakeholders involved in the recent carbon plan proceedings, along with those responsible for implementing the order issued by the commission.

• Taylor Jones, Senior Regulatory Counsel, NC Sustainable Energy Association (Moderator)
• Christina Cress, Partner, Bailey & Dixon
• Jack Jirak, Deputy General Counsel, Duke Energy
• Nadia Luhr, Staff Attorney, Public Staff - North Carolina Utilities Commission
• Reese Rogers, Manager, Market and Policy Innovation, Clean Energy Buyers Association
• Ben Smith, Counsel, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton

Track: Innovative Technology & Deployment

Carbon Capture: Emerging Technologies and Innovative Applications

Carbon capture has the potential to be a key factor in reaching global carbon reduction goals and those outlined in the NC Carbon Plan. There are few carbon capture technologies commercially available but a great deal of exciting research and development in progress. North Carolina companies are leading the way in creating new and innovative technologies that will remove, replace, and reuse carbon on a massive scale. This panel will provide insight and perspective from the leaders in the carbon capture market that are working to enable a cleaner future for North Carolina and beyond.

• Dr. Chris Wedding, Founder, Entrepreneurs for Impact (Moderator)
• James Custer, Chief of Staff, 8 Rivers
• Sudarshan Gupta, Commercial Lead, Susteon
• Clift Pompée, Managing Director of Generation Technology, Duke Energy

Track: Commercial & Industrial Buildings

Show Me the Workforce

National Renewable Energy Laboratory's conservative 2022 estimates for workforce needed in North Carolina are five times by 2030 for building energy efficiency and triple in 2030 for battery electric storage. What is the on ramp for the workforce needed to help facilities meet decarbonization goals and manage increasingly complex facilities? This session will include a discussion of the workforce development efforts in North Carolina and how to overcome barriers on the way to a robust clean energy workforce.

This session will examine ways in which the industrial sector can effectively progress toward decarbonization.

• Greg Monty, Ph.D., NC Agricultural and Technical State University (Moderator)
• James Carter, Program Manager, Talent Development, City of Charlotte
• Bill Lawler, Vice President and Operational Technology Strategy Leader, Wells Fargo
• Mozine Lowe, Executive Director, Center for Energy Education
• Wanda Ramon-McPherson, Consultant, ApprenticeshipNC

Track: Renewable Energy

Land Use and Permitting Constraints

Recent policy and regulatory actions, along with wide-scale private investments have chartered a path towards significant renewable deployment over the coming years. In light of this momentum, energy stakeholders have elevated the need for additional transmission buildout in order to accommodate more renewable generation. In this panel, we'll cover the investment and permitting hurdles on the transmission side, while also covering the more frequent permitting and zoning challenges facing renewable projects at the local level.

• John Burns, General Counsel, Carolinas Clean Energy Business Association (Moderator)
• Andrew Branan, Extension Assistant Professor, NC State University
• Brandon Durham, Vice President of Performance Engineering, Carolina Solar Services
• Liz Kalies, Lead Renewable Energy Scientist, The Nature Conservancy
• Maggie Sasser, Vice President of Government and External Affairs, Pine Gate Renewables

Track: Innovative Technology & Deployment

Innovative Municipal Clean Energy Deployments

Local governments throughout North Carolina are committed to the clean energy transition. As a bridge between industry, state and federal governments, and local communities, municipalities can accelerate progress toward the achievement of carbon reduction goals. This panel will highlight innovative projects that cities, towns and counties throughout North Carolina have implemented to reduce energy and climate impacts and enhance sustainability.

• Zach Ambrose, Ambrose Strategy (Moderator)
• Sarah Hazel, Chief Sustainability and Resiliency Officer, City of Charlotte
• Jeremiah Leroy, Sustainability Officer, Buncombe Co
• Ray E. Throop, Energy Engineer, USAG Fort Bragg
• Danna Widmar, Assistant Town Manager, Town of Cary

Track: Commercial & Industrial Buildings

Energy Audits for Decarbonization

About 30% of large companies have decarbonization goals, but the vast majority (94%) are not on track to meet 2030 carbon reduction goals. In order to meet national decarbonization goals, we need to ramp up energy retrofits from less than 1% to more than 3% per year. Energy assessments are an important part of the solution, but how can end-users scale the energy assessment process to identify deeper energy retrofits?

This session is focused on approaches that have delivered value for C&I customers in North Carolina. Topics include advanced analytics and energy-as-a-service.

• Art Samberg, Program Director, NC Clean Energy Technology Center (Moderator)
• Jess Allen, Mechanical Engineer, Advanced Energy
• Robert Cox, Associate Director, EPIC UNC Charlotte and Director, NC Industrial Assessment Center
• Dale Odom, Supervisor of Retail Energy Services, Electricities
• Yash Pinapati, Program Manager, Willdan

Track: Renewable Energy

Customer Clean Energy Programs

Across the state, large corporations, municipalities, and educational institutions are striving to achieve ESG goals through the use of clean energy. In this session, we'll talk about some of the legacy front of the meter programs like Green Source Advantage, while covering what could potentially be coming for new customer programs in North Carolina. On the residential side, we'll also briefly cover how demand-side management and community solar programs can be viable options to increase customer affordability and accessibility.

• Ethan Blumenthal, Regulatory Counsel, NC Sustainability Energy Association (Moderator)
• Kara Gravinese, Innovation and Business Development Analyst, NC Electric Cooperatives
• Ann Livingston, Policy Director, Southeast Sustainability Directors Network
• Leland Snook, Managing Director, Rate Design & Regulatory Solutions, Duke Energy
• Mike Wallace, Vice President of Origination, BrightNight Energy

Track: Innovative Technology & Deployment

Energy Storage: What's Next?

Battery Energy Storage Systems open the possibilities for a cleaner, more efficient, and more reliable grid. However, market-dominant lithium batteries face potential supply shortages as the demand for lithium-ion based storage increases. New and innovative storage technologies are needed to enhance the reliability of solar, wind, and other forms of renewable energy at scale. Storage technologies can help us better manage the mismatch between renewable generation and the periods of peak demand. This panel will highlight emerging energy storage technologies, which could further advance the adoption of clean energy technologies including flow batteries, hydrogen, and potential enhancements to lithium energy storage.

• Ben Smith, Generation & Regulatory Strategy Director, Duke Energy Corporation
• Colleen Campbell, Director of Business Development, FlexGen

Track: Commercial & Industrial Buildings

NC Carbon Plan: C+I Implications

The North Carolina Carbon Plan puts the utility industry on track to meeting net zero by 2050. How does this influence corporate carbon goals?

• Jackson Ewing, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Duke University Nicholas School (Moderator)
• Lalya Cummings, State Energy Policy Director - NC, Duke Energy
• Kevin Martin, Executive Director, Carolina Utility Customers Association
• David McGowan, Southeast Region Director, State Government Affairs, American Petroleum Institute
• Reese Rogers, Manager, Market and Policy Innovation, Southeast Clean Energy Buyers Association
• Jeff Thomas, Public Utilities Engineer, NC Public Utilities Commission Public Staff

Track: Renewable Energy

Renewable Federal Funding Guidance and Distribution

Over the past year and half, historic amounts of federal funding have been invested into the clean energy sector. After months of stakeholder engagement and funding guidance development through various federal agencies, funds are starting to be distributed. This session will cover the latest guidance on federal funding programs available for clean energy and recap some of the progress made with funds already distributed.

• Laura Combs, Senior Sales Associate, Eagle Solar & Light (Moderator)
• Jennifer Bumgarner, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Dept. of Energy
• Steve Levitas, Senior Vice President for Regulatory and Government Affairs, Pine Gate Renewables
• Zach Pierce, Senior Advisor for Climate Change Policy, Office of Governor Roy Cooper
• La'Meshia Wittington, Principal, Whittington & Staley Consulting Group

Track: Innovative Technology & Deployment

North Carolina Universities: Leading Clean Energy Innovation

North Carolina is an energy innovation leader, with programs across multiple universities focused on developing solutions that enable a cleaner energy future. In many cases, collaboration across various universities and community stakeholders helps drive innovation. These collaborative efforts and multi-disciplinary teams have the capability to develop solutions while also educating students with the knowledge and skills they need to meet the workforce demands of the clean energy industry. This panel will highlight the leaders from both academia and industry who are working together to drive innovation, break down silos, and build a strong clean energy innovation ecosystem.

• Deb Wojcik, Executive Director, Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster (Moderator)
• Pietro Cairoli, Department Manager, Power Electronics, ABB
• Robert Cox, Ph.D., Associate Director, UNC Charlotte, Energy Production and Infrastructure Center
• Curtiss Fox, Sr. Technical Leader, Electric Power Research Institute
• Balakrishna (Balu) Gokaraju, Ph.D., Associate Professor, NC A&T
• Srdjan Lukic, Deputy Director, FREEDM Systems Center
• Madhav Manjrekar, Assistant Director for Corporate Engagement, EPIC