VX2013 • FEBRUARY 3-5 • LOS ANGELES
VERDEXCHANGE VX2013 CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO
VX 2013 from VERDEXCHANGE on Vimeo.
VX2013 SUCCESS PROVIDES A TEMPLATE FOR WHAT IS PLANNED FOR VX2014.
VERDEXCHANGE 2013 Conference Is GPS for Navigating the Trillion-Dollar Green Energy Economy
Global and California energy, renewable technology, and sustainability leaders meet under one roof to debrief and demystify energy policy and to share what is driving markets and to pave the way for a future agenda.
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Feb. 5, 2013 – For two days this week in Los Angeles, local, state, national, and global private and public sector leaders and environmental stewards tackled some of the most pressing energy and sustainability issues at VerdeXchange 2013. In its sixth year, the conference drew an executive-level, cross-industry / cross-platform audience of more than 600 global influencers from Japan, to China, Canada, Sweden, and Australia.
The Conference kicked off Sunday evening at an intimate high-power reception at the home of the Consul General of Japan to Los Angeles, the Honorable Jun Niimi, who, along with VerdeXchange's Chairman David Abel, set the tone for VX2013 through their opening remarks. Monday Morning, Mary Nichols, Chair of the California Air Resources Board, and Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Oregon Democrat in the US House of Representatives, opened the conference’s first plenary panel, “Elections Have Consequences: California’s 2013 Goals for a Green Economy & Climate Change.” 41 expert panels followed over the two-day conference. More than 140 speakers and panelists, including government officials, clean technology leaders, and procurers involved in energy efficiency, transmission, alternative-fueled transportation, water, carbon trading, and green building, shared best practices and insights on the green economy marketplace.
“The VerdeXchange Conference will do for the green marketplace what the Sundance Film Festival did for the movie industry... Nowhere else do I see a confluence of the diverse range of sectors—energy, finance, transportation, public and private utilities, built environment planning and universities—all with the singular goal of delivering and capitalizing on clean and green products and services,” said former US Secretary of Commerce and Former Trade Secretary Mickey Kantor. The day concluded with another intimate high-power reception at the home of the Honorable David Fransen, Consul General of Canada to Los Angeles, who, along with David Abel, capitalized on the day's highlights and affirmed the growing working relationships between Canada and California.
Some of the VX2013 conference highlights included a luncheon plenary on California and China’s cap-and-trade markets being joined by Australia and the Canadian Province of Quebec. The panel was moderated by former US Secretary of Commerce Mickey Kantor, and panelists included, James Goldstene, Executive Officer of the California Air Resources Board; Jean-Yves Benoit, Director of the Carbon Market, Quebec Ministry of Sustainable Development; and Su Wei, Director General, Climate Change Department, China’s National Development and Reform Commission; and Australia's Consul-General in Los Angeles, the honorable Karen Ann Lanyon.
An additional and timely plenary session followed: “Regulations & Incentives to Actually Optimize Energy Efficiency,” moderated by Susan Kennedy, Senior Policy Advisor with Alston + Bird LLP and a former California Public Utilities Commissioner; Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, who is also Chairman, California Independent System Operator; Robert Weisenmiller, Chairman, California Energy Commission; and Ron Nichols, General Manger of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the largest municipal utility in the nation.
The second day of the VX2013 conference included nine FutureBuild, from vision to execution, case study panels designed in collaboration with the Urban Land Institute - Los Angeles. The Tuesday Morning Plenary opened with remarks by and a conversation between Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard and Los Angeles real estate mogul Rick Caruso on “City Planning for a More Sustainable Metropolis.” The Luncheon Plenary, “Envisioning a Greener Los Angeles,” opened with welcoming remarks from SQAMD boardmember and Los Angeles City Councilmember Jan Perry and featured Los Angeles Councilmember Eric Garcetti; Frances Anderton, Host of DnA: Design & Architecture for KCRW; and Janet Marie Smith, Senior Vice President, Planning and Development, Los Angeles Dodgers.
Further conference highlights included thought-provoking panels on smart grid, the resiliency of California's Water supply system, waste-to-energy and conversion technology policy, transportation, and the commercialization of clean and green research.
“VerdeXchange 2013 again brought together the brightest technologists, entrepreneurs and international market leaders in the green economy to share opportunities and challenges and identify viable, sustainable solutions,” VerdeXchange Chairman and Founder David Abel said. “Given President Obama's Inauguration remarks and California's pouring of billions into energy conservation, environmental mitigation and infrastructure, it’s never been a more opportune time to address the future of energy and sustainability in California, North America, and abroad.”
Regulations & Initiatives to Actually Optimize Energy Efficiency from VERDEXCHANGE on Vimeo.
"As we look back at the first five years of the conference, VX2013 accelerated the pace for the years ahead as green economy market opportunities mature and investment grows," concluded Mr. Abel.
This year’s sponsors included the Shaw Group, Southern California Edison, Metropolitan Water District, METRO, The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation, The Port of Long Beach, The Province of Quebec, The Consulates of Japan and Canada to Los Angeles, AeroVironment, Trammell Crow Company, and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.
About VerdeXchange, LLC
VerdeXchange, LLC is an environmental think tank and publisher created to inform and strategically advise green innovators wishing to diffuse green technology and innovations in the marketplace.
To learn more about VerdeXchange please visit us at www.verdexchange.org or our facebook page www.facebook.com/verdexchange.
Save the date for next year's VerdeXchange VX2014 - January 26th - 28th in Los Angeles
VX2013 Plenary Videos:
Emissions Trading in Practice - California, Quebec, and China from VERDEXCHANGE on Vimeo.
This year's Sixth Annual VerdeXchange Conference in Los Angeles included a 100+ faculty of California, Western States, and Global Clean and Green Technology Energy Experts who addressed IN-Market and ABOUT-TO-BE IN-Market 2013 Market Opportunities.
A partial list follows (Link to VX2013 for all Speakers):
Energy and Renewables VX2013 Track:
Kristin Eberhard, Legal Director, Western Energy and Climate Projects, Energy and Transportation Program, NRDC; Ron Nichols, General Manager, LADWP; Mayor Bob Foster, ISO Chair; Jonathan Weisgall, MidAmerican Energy Holdings; Robert Hertzberg, Partner, Mayer Brown LLP; Osamu Onodera, Director, Japan New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, Silicon Valley; Carla Peterman, CEC Commissioner and CPUC nominee; Bob Hertzberg, Co-Founder, G24 Innovations; James Kelly, Former Senior VP, SCE; SCE's Mike Montoya, Gene Rodrigues, and Doug Kim; CPUC's Pete Skala; GE Renewables' Eliot Abel; Bill Abolt, The Shaw Group; Susan Kennedy, Former CPUC Commissioner; David Jacot, LADWP; City of Huntington Beach Energy Project Manager Aaron Klem; Alex Fay, Quallion; Bloom Energy's Peter Gross; Panama Bartholomy, Office of Assembly Speaker John A Pérez; Richard Maullin, Founding Partner, Fairbank, Maullin, Metz & Associates, and Cal ISO Board of Governors; Harry Atwater, CalTech; Randy Hoyle, Senior VP and Head of Wind and Solar Development, Terra-Gen Power; Yufu Cheng, China Country Director, Regions of Climate Action; Gary Peterson, Environmental Problem Solving Enterprises;
Climate Change and Monetization of Carbon VX Track: 
Mary Nichols, California Air Resources Board Chair; Mr. Su Wei, Director General, Climate Change, China's National Development and Reform Commission; Jean-Yves Benoit, Director of the Carbon Market, Quebec Ministry of Sustainable Development; California Senator Fran Pavley, Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water; Joel Levin, Climate Action Reserve; Frank Harris, Manager of Corporate Environmental Policy, SCE; James Goldstene, Executive Officer, CARB; LA City Councilmember Paul Krekorian; Lucy Jones, Senior Science Advisor, Natural Hazards Mission Area, SAFRR Project, US Geological Survey; Jonathan Parfrey, Executive Director, Climate Resolve
Water: Supply and Reliability (Delta, Stormwater, Wastewater, VX Track: 
Felicia Marcus, Board Member, California State Water Resources Control Board; Jack Baylis, Senior Vice President, The Shaw Group; Phil Isenberg, Chair, Delta Stewardship Council; Jeff Kightlinger, General Manager, Metropolitan Water District; Jerry Meral, Deputy Secretary, California Natural Resources Agency; Pat Proano, Assistant Deputy Director, Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Environmental Programs Division; Coby Skye, Engineer, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works; Mark Gold, Associate Director, UCLA Institute for the Environment and Sustainability; Robyn Beavers, Director of Commercialization, DEKA Research & Development; Marizia Zafar, Director, Policy & Planning Division, California Public Utilities Commission; Frances Sprivey-Weber, Board Member, State Water Resources Control Board; Lucy Jones, US Geological Survey; Paul Helliker, Deputy Director, California Department of Water Resources; Traci Minamide, Chief Operating Officer, City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation; Richard Atwater, Executive Director, Southern California Water Commission; Hampik Dekermenjian, Senior Vice President, CDM Smith; Mike Wehner, Assistant General Manager, Orange County Water District, John Downing, Senior Scientist, Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure Group; Paul Brown, IWA Fellow, International Water Association.
Transportation (Cars 2.1, Fleets, Rail) and Supportive Infrastructure VX Track:
Hector De La Torre, CARB Board; Art Leahy, CEO, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority; Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky; Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Oregon's 3rd District; Christine Kehoe, Executive Director, California Plug In Electric Vehicle Collaborative; Chris Hill, President & CEO of Electric Mobility Canada; Richard Katz, Board Director, Los Angeles Metro; Doug Failing, Executive Director of Highway Projects, Los Angeles Metro; Rick Cameron, Director of Environmental Planning, Port of Long Beach, and Doug Sereno, Port of Long Beach; Tony Lucente, Nissan Brazil; Catherine Dunwoody, Executive Director, California Fuel Cell Partnership; James Goldstene, Executive Director, CARB; Carla Peterman, CEC Commissioner and CPUC nominee; Wahid Nawabi, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Efficient Energy Systems, AeroVironment; David Patterson, Mitsubishi MiEV; Tim Psomas, Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure; Gary Lee Moore, Chief Engineer, City of Los Angeles; Bill Rouse, General Manager, Yellow Cab of Los Angeles; David Peterson, Nissan North American, Inc.; Terry O'Day, NRG;
Commercialization of Technology and Project Finance VX Track:
Mory Gharib, Vice Provost of Research, Caltech; Alex Beavers, Director, Commercial Ventures & Strategic Programs, Stanford Research International; Dean Wiberg, JPL; James Goldstene, Executive Director, CARB; Tom Soto, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Craton Equity Partners; Bill Allen, President and CEO LAEDC; Fred Walti, Executive Director, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator; David Fransen, Consul General, Consul General of Canada, Los Angeles; Cecilia Estolano, ELP Advisors
Adaptation to Climate Change through Planning and FutureBuild ULI-LA/VX Track: 
Rick Caruso, CEO, Caruso Affiliated; Anthony Ravitz, Google; Gail Goldberg, Executive Director, Urban Land Institute Los Angeles; Janet-Marie Smith, Senior VP Planning and Development, Los Angeles Dodgers; Homer Williams, Chairman, Williams & Dame Development; Bert Dezzutti, Senior Vice President, Brookfield Properties; Robert Jernigan, Principal and Managing Director, Gensler; Rick Gustafson, Executive Director, Portland Streetcar, Inc; Bruce Karas, Vice President, Environment and Sustainability, Coca Cola Refreshments; Tony Salazar, President, West Coast Operations, McCormack Barron Salazar; Phoebe Yee, Vice President of Design, Related California;
Waste-to-Energy Conversion Technologies VX / LA County Public Works Track:
Pat Proano, Assistant Deputy Director, LA County Department of Public Works; Tim Psomas, Chairman, Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure; Chip Clements, President, Clements Environmental; Louis Romo, JFE Engineering; Fred Walti, Executive Director, LACI; David Roberti, Former California Integrated Waste Management Boardmember; Tim Cesarek, Senior VP, Enerkem; Gary Petersen, Environmental Problem Solving Enterprises; Tom Whitton, PyroGenesis Canada Inc.; Paul Sellew, CEO, Harvest Power Canada; Mark Schleich, Santa Barbara County Department of Public Works; Patrick Matthews, Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority; Steve Zurn, Director of Public Works, City of Glendale; Mike Hart, President and CEO, Sierra Energy; Gary Lee Moore, City Engineer, City of Los Angeles; Doug Sereno, Director of Program Management, Port of Long Beach; Randal Jackson, President, The Planning Center; Tan Xiaomei, Deputy China Country Director, World Resources Institute; William Strang, TOTO Mexico; Chun-cheng Piao, Daikon US; Panama Bartholomy, Office of Assembly Speaker John A Pérez; Cecilia Estolano, Co-Founder, ELP Advisors; David Ramslie, Sr. Manager, Sustainability Programs, City of Vancouver; Lei He, Director, UCLA Clean Energy Research Center.
Welcome 2012 from VERDEXCHANGE on Vimeo.
Given an Uncertain Landscape, is Renewable Energy & Sustainability Beyond the Tipping Point? from VERDEXCHANGE on Vimeo.
What will I gain from attending?
- Hear what works and what doesn’t from global industry experts
- Increase your awareness of the latest market-driving clean technology initiatives
- Gain an understanding of global clean and green technology best practices and successful applications
- Discover and review stimulus and venture funding available for green and sustainability initiatives
- Gain insight into purchasing, financing, and selling green technology
- Begin building cross-sector and cross-border economic and political alliances
- Create your own comprehensive portfolio of green solutions for your business
Which Public Policies Are Providing the Best Growth Drivers of Clean Energy & Green Tech Markets from VERDEXCHANGE on Vimeo.
