Microgrid Knowledge has chosen the speakers and released the full agenda for “Microgrid California: Keeping the Power Flowing During Grid Disruption,” a one-day educational forum Oct. 5 in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The in-person event is designed to help those in government and industry overcome challenges they face to microgrid adoption.
Featuring a series of problem-solving sessions, Microgrid California brings to the stage speakers from colleges, communities, wineries, food production, cities, utilities, the military and other fields to discuss their microgrid journey, including obstacles they faced and solutions they found.
Highly interactive, the event is expected to attract those seeking microgrids as a way to secure reliable, sustainable and cost-effective energy as California faces what could be years of public safety power shutoffs.
The keynote address will be delivered by California Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley), author of the Microgrid Act, H.R. 2482 — legislation that is designed to spur microgrid adoption by making the technology more affordable. Panels and speakers include:
Microgrids for Businesses and Utilities
- Michael Robinson, director – strategic market development & microgrids at PowerFlex and EDF Renewables.
- Stacey Ellis, capital projects manager at Domaine Carneros Winery.
- Angelo Campus, CEO and co-founder of BoxPower.
- Lindsay Maruncic, senior manager, renewable energy assets at Liberty Utilities.
- Chris Johnson, CEO of Blue Planet Energy.
- Scott Laskey, founder of Sandbar Solar & Electric.
Microgrids for Agriculture/Food Industry
- Brian Brogan, sales director at GreenStruxure.
- John Larrea, director, governmental affairs at the California League of Food Producers.
- Rob Fox, vice president of business development at Endurant Energy.
- Ari Kashani, CEO and founder of Bluehouse Greenhouse.
- Brian Curtis, CEO of Concentric Power.
- Dennis Donohue, director, Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology.
Microgrids for Education/Campuses
- Kira Stoll, chief sustainability & carbon solutions officer at the University of California, Berkeley.
- David Liebman, energy & sustainability specialist at Sonoma County Junior College District.
- Alok Singhania, partner/business growth at Gridscape.
- Matthew Kritscher, vice president student services at Chabot Community College.
- Tom Poteet, vice president, corporate development at Mesa Solutions.
Microgrids for Government, Communities and CCAs
- Michael Coskun, director of business development at S&C Electric.
- Navy Facilities Command (NAVFAC).
- Candice Yu, business development advisor at Shell.
- Lindsey Hawes, municipal energy program manager, City of San Diego.
- Mehdi Ganji, smart city vice president at Willdan.
- Laurie Sucgang, assistant public works director/city engineer, City of Dublin, Calif.
Interactive Leadership Session
- Eric Dupont, chief commercial officer, PowerSecure.
- Scott Manson, technology director, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories.
- Erik Svanholm, vice president, non-wires alternatives, S&C Electric.
“The response to our call for speakers was tremendous. We received requests from more than three times the number of speakers we could accommodate. This underscores to us why it’s so important right now for the industry to gather in California, where interest in microgrids has heightened — and it’s not only because of power outages. We’ll be hearing at the conference from California facilities that are installing microgrids to achieve sustainability and budgetary goals as well,” said Elisa Wood, editor-in-chief of Microgrid Knowledge.
In addition to problem-solving panels, Microgrid California will offer a technology exhibit hall and extensive networking opportunities.
Participation is limited to 150 attendees for this exclusive event. (Register here.) All sessions will focus on microgrid issues important to Californians.
More information about Microgrid California is available at the conference website. For information about sponsoring Microgrid California, contact Veronica Trotto, [email protected].
