VX2019 Program

 

VX 2019 Day 1: Monday, January 28, 2019

7:00 AM

Registration and Breakfast

7:45 AM

VX2019 Welcome (B1)

David Abel, Chair, VerdeXchange
Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles County Supervisor, 2nd District
Bill Allen, CEO, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation

8:10 AM

Morning Plenary

Elections Have Consequences: A New Climate Action Paradigm (B1)

Moderator:
Mel Levine, President, LADWP Board of Commissioners

Panel:
Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board
Bob Wieckowski, California State Senator, 10th District
Bob Hertzberg*, California State Senator, 18th District
Elizabeth MacKay, Déléguée, Québec, Canada

8:50 AM

Plenary

Will the Lights Stay On? Getting to 100% Carbon-Free By 2045 (B1)

Moderator:
Jim Kelly, Director, S&C Electric

Panel:
Steve Berberich, President and CEO, California ISO
David Hochschild, California Energy Commissioner
Ted Bardacke, Executive Director, Clean Power Alliance
Reiko Kerr, Senior Assistant General Manager, LADWP
Scott Haase, Partnership Development Manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Last September, California adopted what may be the world’s most ambitious carbon energy plan: a goal of 100% clean electricity by 2045. At the same time, Governor Brown established a new carbon neutrality target for that same year. This plenary of top regulators and experts will explore the questions that follow from these bold steps: Will retail electricity prices—already the 5th highest in the nation and 53% above the national average—climb even higher in order to fund energy storage and other renewable energy strategies? Will reliability go down? Will residents be forced into complex rate schemes that impact the way we live? Will we be forced to change out our natural gas appliances for electric, and what impact would that have on our electric bills?

9:45 AM

-ENERGY-

Hydrogen and the Grid (P2)

Moderator:
Brian Goldstein, Executive Director, Energy Independence Now

Panel:
Yuri Freedman, Senior Director, Business Development, SoCalGas
Eiji Ohira, Director General, Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Group, Japan New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
Sunita Satyapal, Director, Fuel Cell Technologies Office, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy
Jack Brouwer, Associate Director, Advanced Power and Energy Program and National Fuel Cell Research Center, UC Irvine
Louis Ting, Director, Power Planning Development & Engineering, LADWP

With 39 hydrogen fueling stations already open across the state and dozens more funded and in development, California is actively expanding the use of hydrogen in its clean energy mix. Taking note of the fuel’s use internationally—particularly in Japan—decision makers have seen hydrogen as an important component for making both the stationary power and transportation industries cleaner and greener. How can hydrogen play an expanded role in a clean energy future through the use of fuel cells and long-term energy storage for renewable energy? How are stationary power and transportation fuel providers coming together to make technologies commercially viable and low-carbon?

-WATER-

Water Supply: Balancing Urban, Ecological, and Agricultural Needs (P1)

Moderator:
Felicia Marcus, Chair, California State Water Resources Control Board

Panel:
Jeff Kightlinger, General Manager, Metropolitan Water District
Harlan Kelly, General Manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Liz Crosson, Director of Infrastructure, Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti
Robb Whitaker, General Manager, Water Replenishment District
Jay Ziegler, Director of External Affairs & Policy, The Nature Conservancy

In 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom will weigh in on a number of critical California water issues that will chart the path towards our collective water future. As water supply is now inextricably tied up with climate change, how will decisions be made regarding water supply, river delta and wildlife protections, and agricultural needs? Despite efforts throughout Southern California to use less imported water and enhance local sourcing techniques, decision makers across the state continue to see conflict over water allocation during both wet and dry years. How can we build consensus around the use of this historically contentious resource? This panel brings together leaders from both Southern and Northern California to discuss how this balancing act may play out.

-TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE-

Adaptation: Financing Green Energy Infrastructure to Address Climate Events (P3)

Moderator: 
Jim Wunderman, President and CEO, Bay Area Council

Panel:
Kate White, Associate Principal and Planning Policy Leader, Arup
Andy Lipkis, Founder and President, TreePeople
Bob Wieckowski, California State Senator, 10th District
Deanna Haines, Director, Policy & Environmental Strategy, Southern California Gas Company

Disasters in recent years have sent a clear message that the time to adapt our infrastructure is now. But the amount of capital available in government alone remains limited. As our cities continue to grow and deferred maintenance plagues much of our current infrastructure, decision makers must find new ways to make our urban environments safer, greener, and more resilient. Alternatively, what unconventional, potentially multi-sector financing tools are available to prepare ourselves against sea-level rise, water scarcity, and other shocks and stresses? Join this panel to learn about how we can make exciting advancements in water usage, waste, and environmental restoration a reality.

-POLICY/FINANCE-

Cannabis: Power, Water & Banking (B3)

Moderator:
Jared Ficker, Partner, Axiom Advisors

Panel:
Jim Kelly, Director, S&C Electric
Terra Carver, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Humboldt County Growers Alliance
Graham Farr, CEO, Glass House Farms
Tim Dodd, CEO, Sweetflower

-ENERGY-

Next Generation Battery Power (A)

Moderator:
Logan Goldie-Scot, Lead Energy Storage Analyst, Bloomberg New Energy Finance

Panel:
Jonathan Weisgall, Vice President, Government Relations, Berkshire Hathaway Energy
Benoit Couture, President, Lithion Recycling Inc. (Québec)
Wes Marstaller, Chief Financial Officer, Avalon Battery
Yoshihiro Hirata, President and CEO of Innovation Core SEI Inc. (ICS), (Sumitomo Electric)

Energy storage has long vexed engineers interested in a sustainable future. Lithium-ion technology has changed our energy storage capabilities, with one BloombergNEF study showing that global stationary storage capacity is expected to rise from 10 gigawatt-hours to 770 by 2030. Despite this rise, annual installation for stationary storage will remained dwarfed by battery demand from passenger electric vehicles which BloombergNEF estimates will account for 80% of annual battery demand in 2030. Still, lithium-ion technology has its limitations, namely in the raw materials it uses and their eventual disposal. Some automakers believe it may never have the capacity and financial viability necessary to power long-distance electric vehicles. What does the future hold for battery innovation and how might this already growing market adapt over the coming years? Several experts sit down to discuss this issue.

10:45 AM

-ENERGY-

Hardening the Power Grid in Response to Disastrous Events (B3)

Moderator:
Jim Kelly, Director, S&C Electric

Panel:
Marissa Aho, Chief Resiliency Officer, City of Los Angeles
Robert Weisenmiller, Chair, California Energy Commission
CAPT F. Curtis Jones, Navy Region Southwest Chief of Staff, U.S. Navy
John Jenkins, Vice President, Electrical Engineering and Construction, San Diego Gas & Electric

Climate change has created new challenges for the power grid, especially in the Southwest and Southeast—from raging wildfires to 100-year-storms. Climatic conditions are unlikely to improve anytime soon, and may well get worse. Still, the provision of reliable electricity is more important to our lives than ever before. How should we harden the grid to reduce the prospect of fires in the future? Can we really cut power to wide areas when the wind blows too hard—even for days on end? Can we install different equipment? Should we underground more electric distribution lines, and at what cost in both dollars and disruption? This panel will explore strategies to create a more resilient, safer power grid.

-WATER-

Water Quality Markets and Enforcement 2.0: What's Here and What's Coming for Water Management (P1)

Moderator:
Kathleen Brown, Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips

Panel:
Jessica Fox, Senior Program Manager, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Matthew Fienup, Executive Director, Center for Economic Research and Forecasting, California Lutheran University
Sonaar Luthra, CEO, Water Canary

In 1909, a California court referred to state groundwater management as “vagrant wandering drops of water moving in any and every direction along the line of least resistance.” Over the past century—and past decade alone—water regulation has overcome significant resistance to make huge strides. But, what does the future of water quality enforcement look like? Can water quality and quantity be monitored with a market mechanism akin to California’s cap-and-trade program? Can environmentalists and agricultural growers achieve consensus on sustainability and resilience principles? What role might emerging technologies such as blockchain play in improving water data management? This panel will discuss how national and local case studies are informing regulatory decisions today, and what the next decade might foretell in ensuring clean water.

-TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE-

Smart Cities: Forging the Future Between Cities and the Mobility Industry (P2)

Moderator:
Seleta Reynolds, General Manager, Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT)

Panel:
Gabe Klein, Partner, CityFi
Thomas Small, Mayor of Culver City
Melissa Ruhl, Transportation Planner, Arup
Gary Gero, Chief Sustainability Officer, County of Los Angeles
Rani Narula-Woods, Senior Director, Office of Extraordinary Innovation, LA Metro

Global metropolises are attempting to fold new technologies like autonomous vehicles and shared scooters into their urban mobility planning. How successful have public agencies been in aligning public works and safety responsibilities with new on-demand and digital technologies to create smarter and more sustainable cities. How might new last-mile and micro-mobility providers enhance rather than undermine public transit? How can conflicts between private tech disruptors and public agencies better address data-sharing and privacy issues? This expert panel brings together actors and doers from public and private-sector industries who hope to bring an efficient, sustainable, and multimodal future to urban life.

-WATER-

Blue Economy and Ocean Sustainability (P3)

Moderator:
Timothy McOsker, CEO, AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles

Panel:
Dr. Jerry Schubel, President and CEO, Aquarium of the Pacific
Dr. Sandra Whitehouse, Chief Scientific Officer, AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles
Dr. Mark Gold​, Associate Vice-Chancellor for Environment and Sustainability, UCLA
Anne Baker, Deputy Controller for Environmental Policy, California State Controller's Office

The ocean has vast potential to grow food and harness renewable energy to meet the demands of an increasing population and the need to transition away from fossil fuel. Yet, we must use this resource sustainably: to use it without using it up. We need scientific research to develop an understanding of our ocean that will enable sustainable use as well as to catalyze new opportunities. And we need better regulatory and governance systems to incorporate the findings of that research into their decision-making. This panel will provide an overview of how California can be part of this “Blue Revolution” as well as specific examples of existing efforts.

11:40 AM

-ENERGY-

Reaching for Carbon Neutrality: The Role of Renewable Natural Gas and Hydrogen (P3)

Moderator:
Bill Allen, CEO, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation

Panel:
George Minter, Regional Vice President, External Affairs & Environmental Strategy, SoCalGas
Jodie Muller, Vice President, Government Affairs, Western States Petroleum Association
Dave Edwards, Director and Advocate for Hydrogen Energy, AirLiquide
Yaniv Scherson, Managing Director, Western U.S., Anaergia

Countries around the world, particularly Japan and Canada, are embracing hydrogen and biomethane as fuel sources in their shift toward 100% clean energy. California, despite its reputation as a global leader on sustainable practices, lags behind on its use of these energy resources. But some experts believe low and zero-carbon gas—hydrogen and biomethane—can help the state move toward a fully decarbonized energy system. Can hydrogen be used as energy storage? How can organically-sourced biogas be captured and reused? What intersection does methane have with hydrogen energy delivery? What are the implications for job growth in California? Join this panel to learn more about how leaders are rethinking how hydrogen and biomethane can be part of a sustainable energy system, utilizing the waste stream to marry sustainability goals for organic waste with our needs in power and transportation.

-WATER-

WaterFix and Resiliency: An Update (P1)

Moderator:
Michael George, California Delta Watermaster

Panel:
Jeff Kightlinger, General Manager, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Charles Wilson, Executive Director and CEO, Southern California Water Coalition
Osha Meserve, Shareholder, Soluri Meserve, A Law Corporation
Hayato Nakazono, Deputy Manager, Pipeline Division, JFE Engineering

What will 2019 hold for the future direction of California’s WaterFix (AKA the proposed Delta Twin Tunnels)? There was a flurry of activity, as well as progression of multi-year permitting processes as the Brown Administration drew to a close. With the Newsom Administration in Sacramento, will there be a change in plans for this mega-project to enhance the through-Delta portion of the state’s aging water delivery system? How can California ensure sustainability of both the ecosystem and water supply in the highly altered Delta? In light of the Delta's vulnerability to earthquake, flood, drought, environmental degradation and impending sea level rise, the panel—drawn both from SoCal and the Delta—will discuss the current status of the Twin Tunnels project. These leaders will touch on the updated timeline, how the project is proposed to be financed, constructed and operated, what technologies might be used to construct WaterFix, and how the Delta will be impacted.

-TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE-

Building Smart City Innovation Ecosystems (P2)

Moderator:
Dennis McGinn, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Navy

Panel:
Katherine Perez-Estolano, Associate Principal and Los Angeles Cities Leader, Arup
Abigale Abel, Affiliate, CityFi
Dr. Thomas Brisbin, CEO and Board Chair, Willdan Group
Kevin Kushman, President, Integral Analytics
Ren Orans, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, E3

Responder: 
David Fransen, Chief Strategy Officer, Next Generation Manufacturing Canada

Most agree that cities are the most important components of the global economy. Without the federal government as a partner and leader on climate adaptation, grid resilience, and water resource management, cities have had to rise to the occasion to address these issues in rapid and innovative ways. With this new paradigm in mind, how can decision makers work to develop their localities as hubs of innovation? To what degree should cities embrace changes in infrastructure and human capital, and how can they ensure that residents reap the benefits of such investment just as much as businesses do? How have cities embraced this challenge, what challenges have cities encountered, and how can cities ensure all parties benefit? What new models of innovation and thinking have emerged? Join data integration, mobility, and energy resiliency experts for this panel to learn how innovation ecosystems are evolving in California and beyond.

-ENERGY-

It's the Jobs, Stupid! Renewable Energy & Cleantech (B3)

Moderator:
Panama Bartholomy, Director, Building Decarbonization Coalition

Panel:
Rusty Hicks, President, LA County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
Jessica Ku Kim, Director, Workforce Development, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation
Andrew McAllister, Commissioner, California Energy Commission
Charlie Woo, Chair, Los Angeles Workforce Development Board
Jennifer Kropke, Director of Environmental Workforce Engagement, IBEW/NECA LMCC

A recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecasts that humanity has just over a decade to get carbon emissions under control before catastrophic climate change impacts become unavoidable. Many Democrats, including young upstarts and activists, are proposing a “Green New Deal" to promote a massive program of investments in clean energy jobs and infrastructure. While the Green New Deal is still being defined, it is meant to transform not just the energy sector, but the entire economy. What should a Green Deal New include and prioritize? With respect to jobs, what do cutting-edge sustainability technologies mean for workforce readiness and the labor economy? Are employers in every sector doing enough to equip the next generation of workers with the tools to keep the U.S. competitive in a global economy? How can we ensure that our most underserved demographics obtain the skills to succeed in the face of such rapid change? A panel of experts from the workforce marketplace and energy industries will elaborate on this topic and its role in achieving clean energy for our cities and global economy.

-POLICY/FINANCE-

Roundtable
**This session is by invitation only.

From the Lab to the City: Commercialization of Climate Research (A)

Leader:
Cecilia Estolano, Co-Founder, Estolano LeSar Advisors; CEO, Better World Group Advisors

Participants:
Dr. Mark Gold​, Associate Vice-Chancellor for Environment and Sustainability, UCLA
Dr. Kelly Sanders, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California (USC)
Scott Haase, Partnership Development Manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Aura Vasquez, Board Member, LADWP Board of Commissioners
Brody Wight, Director, North American Sales, GHGSat Inc.
Nancy Sutley, Chief Sustainability and Economic Development Officer, LADWP 
Dr. Andrew Jones, Deputy Director, Climate Readiness Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Responding to climate change is both an interdisciplinary and multi-sector endeavor. Ultimately, good research and solid data is only one piece of the puzzle—particularly as needs for climate adaptation become more pressing. This roundtable invites speakers of various backgrounds and sectors to sit down and discuss methods for bringing lab work and research out of the academic silo through commercialization. How can we ensure that all work done at this level helps contribute to pilot projects down the road? Finding an answer to this question could help us bridge this crucial gap, turning esoteric information into tangible changes for everyday lives.

12:30 PM

VX2019 Luncheon Served (B1)

12:50 PM

Special Remarks:
Hiroaki Ishizuka, Chairman, Japan New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO

1:00 PM

Luncheon Plenary

The Future of the CPUC: Is It Time for a New Regulatory Model? (B1)

Opening Remarks:
Michael Picker, President, California Public Utilities Commission

Moderator:
Jim Kelly, Director, S&C Electric

Panel:
Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board
Michael Peevey, former President, California Public Utilities Commission; former President, Edison International
Steve Peace, former Director, California Department of Finance; former California State Senator

In the last few years, California’s utility industry has seen a remarkable amount of change, including in the way it is regulated. On the electric side, distributed energy resources, the emergence of CCAs, calls for increased customer choice, and more have changed the game. The natural gas industry, meanwhile, has been challenged with daunting safety concerns and environmental debate. Do we have a plan for how these changes will unfold in California? Will we need more or less regulation to protect California’s citizens—or perhaps a completely different form of regulation? On this panel, top California commissioners will share their views on whether and how the classic regulatory model can optimize safety, reliability, resilience and cost best in a new world—while properly considering environmental and social costs.

-TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE-

Roundtable

Planning for Sustainability (P1)

**This session will begin at 1:15 PM.

Moderator:
Cecilia Estolano, Co-Founder, Estolano LeSar Advisors; CEO, Better World Group Advisors

Panel:
Shana Bonstin, Deputy Director, Los Angeles Department of City Planning
Lauren Faber O'Connor, Chief Sustainability Officer, City of Los Angeles
Kristen Torres Pawling, Sustainability Program Director, Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office
Akshai Rao, Vice President, Yardi
Benjamin Saltsman, Real Estate Associate, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

In 2019, California will once again be home to vigorous debate surrounding how to best plan our cities and counties for the future. As the City and County of Los Angeles both make significant strides in planning for sustainability, what tools are leading planners using to change the way people live, work and travel? How is sustainability being woven into other goals central to planning, such as social equity, economic development, and public health and safety? How are local plans reconciling its commitment to tackling climate change with its reputation as a sprawling metropolis hooked on car culture? Join the region’s leading practitioners to learn more about planning for a sustainable future.

2:25 PM

-ENERGY-

Energy Master Planning for Higher Education: PPA Case Studies (P2)

Moderator: 
Dennis McGinn, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Navy

Panel:
Gary Farha, President & CEO, CustomerFirst Renewables
David Phillips, Associate Vice President for Energy and Sustainability, University of California Office of the President
John Onderdonk, Director of Sustainability Programs, California Institute of Technology
Colin Donahue, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President, Administration & Finance, California State University-Northridge (CSUN)

Electricity is a large cost burden for most colleges and universities, but expanding the use of renewable energy on a complex campus is challenging. Many campus leaders reflect that it is a struggle to get out of the ‘starting block’ on procuring renewable energy at scale. How are organizations helping institutions overcome challenges to leverage renewables in a way that is financially viable to make their campuses greener or even carbon neutral? What role do Power Purchase Agreements play in these conversions? Join this panel to discuss the viability of a carbon-neutral future and learn about successful case studies of carbon reduction at institutions of learning.

-WATER-

Energy/Water Opportunity Case Studies (P3)

Moderator:
David Nahai, Partner, Lewis Brisbois LLP, President, David Nahai Consulting Services

Panel:
John Withers, Board Member, Irvine Ranch Water District
Paul Cook, General Manager, Irvine Ranch Water District
Martin Adams, Chief Operating Officer, Los Angeles Department of Water & Power

Pumping, treating, and distributing water accounts for a fifth of California’s electricity consumption, according to the California Energy Commission. Recently, the Irvine Ranch Water District embarked on a public-private partnership to install the largest network of energy storage systems at a public water agency in the United States. The microgrid installation projects saving the district $500,000 annually and reducing energy consumption. Panelists will discuss how the design, finance, installation and operation of the energy storage system provide a blueprint for other agencies to optimize financial savings and environmental benefits.

-TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE-

Public Transit Competes With the Promise of Autonomous Vehicles (B3)

Moderator:
John Eddy, Principal and Infrastructure Leader, Arup

Panel:
Phil Washington, CEO, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro)
Deborah Flint, CEO, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)
Steve Westly, Founder and Managing Partner, The Westly Group

Autonomous vehicles are becoming more viable with each passing day. Public agencies are working to get ahead of the curve, hoping that this new technology could create a shared, on-demand fleet of automobiles that reduces parking requirements and frees up space in cities. How would such a shift affect public transit? Can the classic model of fixed routes and high capacity buses compete with hailed autonomous vehicles? What pilot projects can be incubated at our airports and transportation hubs that serve as critical economic engines? What are some externalities that a shift to autonomous vehicles could cause for congestion, air quality, and negative impacts for lower-income residents? This panel brings together several mobility experts to discuss how this innovation may change the way we approach mass transit.

-POLICY/FINANCE-

Carbon to Value: Creating Commercial Demand (P1)

Moderator: 
Christine Harada, President, i(x) investments

Panel:
Jim McDermott, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Rusheen Capital Management
Marcius Extavour, Executive Director, NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE
Bob Savage, Assistant Deputy Minister, Alberta Climate Change Office, Canada
Adam Rasken, Director of Origination, True Green Capital Management

On January 10, Chevron and Occidental joined Bill Gates in investing significantly in Carbon Engineering, a direct-air carbon capture technology. Innovators around the world are finding ways to capture CO2 directly from the air and convert it into fuel, building materials, and everyday consumer products. How far off are these goals and can such options be put to market at an affordable price point? Will attempts by financiers to monetize emissions be an important path to their reduction? Join this panel to learn more about how some companies hope to create these new technologies and their potential to change our future. 

3:25 PM

-ENERGY-

Commercializing Transportation Electrification: EVs and the Grid (B3)

Moderator: 
David Hochschild, California Energy Commissioner

Panel:
Michael Samulon, Senior Policy Analyst, Sustainability, Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti
Minh Le, General Manager, Los Angeles County Internal Services Department
Terry O'Day, Chief Strategy Officer and EVP, Innogy eMobility US
Michael Schneider, Vice President, Clean Transportation, San Diego Gas & Electric

Electrifying transportation and deploying zero emission cars is happening at an unprecedented scale. Will we see a SunShot-esque success story in EV charging infrastructure costs? Must California’s EV infrastructure need to be beyond anything we can imagine? The challenge: Metropoles like Los Angeles, which have high percentages of renters without the inherent ability to EV charge at home, will need to strategize how to sync the built environment, the future of the grid, and the massive energy transition to renewable fuels. Rewiring the grid to charge vast fleets of vehicles clearly test the capacity of our urban infrastructure. This panel will address how new infrastructure will take shape and old infrastructure will be repurposed.

-WATER-

Water/Energy Challenges: Integrating Water Flexibility Into Grid Planning (P3)

Moderator: 
Dr. Kelly Sanders, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California (USC)

Panel:
David Hertz, Co-Founder, Skysource
Neal Aronson, President, Oceanus Power & Water
Mark Beuhler, General Manager, Willow Springs Water Bank

Responder:
Martin Adams, Chief Operating Officer, Los Angeles Department of Water & Power

More than ever, experts are championing a resilient, sustainable water infrastructure that can meet the state’s water demand, while facilitating other environmental priorities such as renewable energy  integration, grid flexibility, and emerging technologies. Following up on the VerdeXchange water panel immediately prior, join engineers, architects, policymakers, and business leaders all aiming to expand opportunities to address clean, reliable water challenges. Panelists will discuss whether future water delivery systems can “bank” groundwater more effectively, whether new technologies like vapor capture  are viable at scale, and the role demand response programs can play in reducing water consumption. What are the challenges in integrating water usage with sustainable energy consumption? How might public agencies finance such a conversion? Join this panel to discuss how disruptors are thinking about the future grid.

-TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE-

21st Century Ports: How New Technology is Changing an Old Game (P2)

Moderator:
Jim Kelly, Director, S&C Electric

Panel:
Jonathan Rosenthal, CEO, Saybrook Management; CEO, Harbor Performance Enhancement Center
Nick Vyas, Executive Director, USC Marshall Center for Global Supply Chain Management
Benoit Lacroix, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Effenco
Rhetta deMesa, Advisor to Commissioner Janea Scott, California Energy Commission
Rick Cameron, Deputy Executive Director of Planning and Development, Port of Long Beach
Scott Haase, Partnership Development Manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

The San Pedro Bay Ports are a giant economic engine for Southern California and the United States—responsible for some 3 million jobs nationwide. Seaports have been the hub of commerce throughout the world for centuries—and they have traditionally been dirty and ugly. Our Ports have radically changed that tradition through their commitment to environmental stewardship, community involvement and wise land use. But they’re not done—not by a long shot. Both are implementing multi-billion dollar plans to modernize, electrify, increase efficiency, and improve information flow. This panel will highlight the most important “new tech” projects planned and underway at the nation’s busiest ports.

-POLICY/FINANCE-

Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF) 

Boosting Innovators of a Decarbonized Future (P1)

Moderator: 
Nebojsa Nakicenovic, Acting Deputy Director General/CEO, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Austria

Panel:
Dr. Gaurav N. Sant, Assistant Professor & Rice Endowed Chair in Materials Science, UCLA Engineering
Ken Alston, Chief of Staff, California Clean Energy Fund
David Sudolsky, President and Chief Executive Officer, Anellotech, Inc.

In recent years, corporate and investor-led funds and financial innovations have built expectations for a decarbonized future, however the route forward is still uncertain. This panel will focus on the challenges that technology innovators still face in bringing product to market, and feasible strategies that will let us brighten the path to a decarbonized future. Also discussed will be securing short-term profitability and the rapid evolution of the market environment. Highlighted will be the Top Ten Innovations selected in the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF), a global event held annually in Tokyo. The ICEF mission is to nurture collaboration and disseminate innovations in energy and environmental technology among ICEF participants, and beyond.

4:25 PM

-ENERGY-

Electrification and Social Justice: How Do We Include Everyone? (P3)

Moderator: 
William Funderburk, Partner, Castellón & Funderburk LLP; former LADWP Board Commissioner

Panel:
Aura Vasquez, Board Member, LADWP Board of Commissioners
Michael Kadish, Executive Director, GRID Alternatives
Veronica Eady, Assistant Executive Officer, California Air Resources Board

In an effort to meet our demanding goals for emission reductions, California is increasingly moving toward electrification of almost everything. But for the most part, sustainable choices like rooftop solar have been the province of the affluent residents of single-family homes—while heating and cooking with natural gas has always been cheap and simple. As California moves toward an electrified energy future, how do we ensure that the economically disadvantaged—the poor, the new immigrants, the elderly, the disabled—have the chance to participate in this future? Who is most likely to drive an old, inefficient, polluting vehicle? How do we make electrification a just and fair initiative that doesn’t penalize those least able to participate?

-WATER-

LA River Master Plan (P2)

Moderator:
Michael Affeldt, Director, LARiverWorks, Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti

Panel:
Cindy Montañez, CEO, TreePeople
Deborah Weintraub, Chief Architect and Deputy Chief City Engineer, City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering
Mark Stanley, Executive Officer, San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy
Carolina Hernandez, Principal Engineer, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works

The mighty majesty of the Los Angeles River is proven every time Southern California experiences a big rain storm. As the revitalization of the LA River moves from a promise to reality, how are city, county, and nongovernmental leaders working together to maximize the immense potential. How are public-private partnerships actually playing out in communities along the LA River? Are all river-adjacent communities benefiting from investments equally? Are leaders prioritizing natural-based solutions to address the impacts climate change? What challenges might this overhaul encounter in 2019? Join experts as they discuss how this Master Plan revision will pan out for future Angelenos.

-TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE-

From EV1 to 1 Million EVs: Scaling Consumer Demand (B3)

Opening Remarks:
Steve Westly, Founder and Managing Partner, The Westly Group

Moderator:
Matt Petersen, CEO, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI)

Panel:
Janea Scott, California Energy Commissioner
Jill Anderson, Vice President, Customer Service Operations, Southern California Edison
Brian Goldstein, Executive Director, Energy Independence Now
Jean-Philippe Lattes, Senior Manager, EV Marketing, Nissan
Julie Blunden, Executive Vice President, Business Development, EVgo
Angela Konert, Head of Government and External Affairs, BMW Group

Responder:
Anthony Luzi, Director of US Operations, Meccanica Solo

One year ago, Governor Jerry Brown signed an executive order asking for 5 million ZEVs on California’s roads by 2030. This policy imperative, combined with Volkswagen’s $900 billion settlement toward EV infrastructure, could make the future of ZEVs more viable than ever. What steps can be taken to incentivize consumer interest in these new technologies?  Groups like Veloz are using a multi-pronged approach, from webinars to test drives, to demystify EVs and bring us closer to Governor Brown’s goals. What challenges does the global EV market still face? This panel brings together experts from multiple sectors to discuss what should be expected during this exciting market change.

-POLICY/FINANCE-

World Trade Center LA & LAEDC Special Event

Trade and Investment in a Turbulent World (P1)

Moderator:
Stephen Cheung, President, World Trade Center Los Angeles; Executive Vice President, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation

Panel:
Mickey Kantor, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce; Partner, Mayor Brown LLP
John Emerson, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany; Vice Chair, Capital Group International
Zaib Shaikh, Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles

5:15 PM

World Trade Center/VX2019 Reception

 

 

 

 

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VX 2019 Day 2: Tuesday, January 29, 2019

 

7:15 AM

Registration and Breakfast

7:45 AM

VX2019 / FutureBuild Welcome (B1)

David Abel, Chair, VerdeXchange
Sara Neff, Co-Chair, ULI FutureBuild; Senior Vice President, Sustainability, Kilroy Realty
Kevork Zoryan, Incoming Chair, Urban Land Institute-Los Angeles
Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Chair, Los Angeles City Council Planning and Land Use Management Committe

8:00 AM

Morning Plenary

Global Sports Venues: "Driving" Transportation Innovation (B1)

Moderator:
Renata Simril, President and CEO, LA84 Foundation

Panel:
James T. Butts, Mayor of Inglewood
Martha Welborne, Senior Advisor, HR&A; Project Director, LA Aerial Rapid Transit Technologies (Dodger Stadium Gondola)
Haruo Soga, Executive Director, East Japan Railway Company
Jacquelyn Birdsall, Senior Engineer, Toyota Motor North America

The impact of sports are myriad, including in areas such as urban planning, public transportation, the built environment, design, technology and innovation. When a mega-sporting event is awarded to a city, it often becomes an organizing principle—and hard deadline—for transportation initiatives. When new sporting venues and complexes are constructed, planning and transportation become front of mind—particularly as the generation of stadiums built for cars in suburban areas fades away in favor of downtown venues stitched into the urban fabric, and a generation of fans emerges that values ride-sharing, WiFi, convenience, and communal moments. From gondola rides and hyperloops at Dodger Stadium, to Tokyo's promised Hydrogen Olympics, to Inglewood’s professional sports venues, this panel will discuss what happens regionally and globally when new mobility technologies are challenged to meet the many demands of those seeking to attend the fields of play.

9:10 AM

-ULI FUTUREBUILD-

Opportunity Zones and Value Creation (P1)

Moderator: 
Ian Ross, Co-Founder and CEO, OppSites

Panel:
Lew Horne, Divisional President, CBRE
Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer
Con Howe, Los Angeles Fund Managing Director, CityView
Greg Ames, Managing Director, Trammell Crow Company
Jon Bonanno, CXO, California Clean Energy Fund
Aaron Thomas, Director, Economic Initiatives & Opportunity Zones, Accelerator for America

Our cities are changing at a rapid rate, oftentimes at marginalized populations’ expense. New devices like Opportunity Zones, passed by Congress as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, hope to correct this. By providing tax incentives for investment in low- and moderate-income communities, policymakers seek to build wealth in areas that need it most. What will implementation of this new policy look like, and will it be sensitive to local needs? How can we account for risks like gentrification and displacement which are already harming so many urban residents worldwide? This panel discusses how investors might navigate this challenge.

-ULI FUTUREBUILD-

Zero Is The New Black: Solving Sustainability Challenges (P2)

Moderator:
Sara Neff, Senior Vice President, Sustainability, Kilroy Realty

Panel:
Amanda Von Almen, Green Building Program Manager, Salesforce
Joel Cesare, Sustainable Projects Manager, City of Santa Monica
Denise Braun, Founder & Principal, All About Waste

Building innovations are making sustainability at the micro level easier and more practical. Mega-developers are beginning to demonstrate that sustainable building materials, fixtures, and even landscaping can be utilized on projects and be cost effective. Beyond net zero energy buildings, how is market demand growing for greywater and blackwater systems, recycled building materials, landscaping to support pollinators, stormwater catch systems, biophilic design, or onsite composting? What approach works for designing municipal buildings, in contrast to commercial or mixed-use projects? What new methods exist for understanding and reducing building waste streams, while ensuring that projects pencil out? Join this panel to learn more about the viability of and demand for net zero buildings.

-ENERGY-

Energy Storage 2.0: Alternatives to Batteries (P3)

Moderator:
Steve Sullivan, Managing Director (retired), Southern California Edison

Panel:
Bobby Bailie, Business Development Director, Energy Storage, Dresser-Rand
Doug Nordham, Energy Director, Arup
Mark Stout, Vice President, Business Development, Amber Kinetics
Yuri Freedman, Senior Director, Business Development, SoCalGas
Marcel Christians, Chief Operating Officer, IceEnergy

When most people hear “energy storage”, they immediately think of batteries. Yet according to the DOE, battery facilities provide less than 5% of the planet’s energy storage; about 95% is provided by pumped storage hydroelectric plants. We are increasingly seeing the emergence or reemergence of non-battery storage technologies that promise solid performance without the environmental concerns around batteries—such as lithium and cobalt mining in the Global South, disposal and recycling, etc. On this panel, energy experts will explain their solutions to non-battery energy storage, and provide an update on how these innovative projects are progressing.

-WATER-

One Water: Is Zero Discharge the Future for Recycled Wastewater Treatment? (B3)

Moderator:
Jack Baylis, President and CEO, The Baylis Group

Panel:
Paula Kehoe, Director of Water Resources, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Ron Mayuyu, Senior Process Engineer, City of Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment
Robert Ferrante, Assistant Chief Engineer and Assistant General Manager, Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts
Nathan Gardner-Andrews, Chief Advocacy Officer, National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA)
Jon Liberzon, Vice President, Business Development, Tomorrow Water (BKT)

To achieve water supply sustainability, drought-prone regions will need to continue implementing integrated water management systems that incorporate all components of the urban water cycle, including local groundwater, captured stormwater, greywater, and treated wastewater. Some believe that a zero discharge future—where all water is recycled and no treated water gets dumped into the ocean—is on the horizon. What case studies from around the globe are proving that a zero discharge future is not just possible, but practical? How are regional, county, and city agencies collaborating to make investments in legacy systems that will guide water decisions for the coming decades? Might there be federal funding to support these investments? How are new technologies enhancing water quality as water is treated? Join these global, national, and regional leaders in water to learn how the entire water cycle is being reexamined.

-ENERGY-

Charrette: To See The Future Of Cities, Pay Attention To The Curb (BH)
Imagining Street, Curb, and Building-Interfacing Infrastructure Through a Planning Lens

**This session is by invitation only.

Co-Conveners:
Seleta Reynolds, General Manager, Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT)
Adel Hagekhalil, Director, Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services
Vince Bertoni, Director, Los Angeles Department of City Planning
Thomas Small, Mayor of Culver City
Jonathan Levy, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, EVgo
Philip Recht, Partner, Mayer Brown
Jeff Joyner, Partner, Greenberg Traurig
Manjeet Ranu, Senior Executive Officer, Long-Range Transportation Planning and Mobility Corridors, LA Metro
Martin Adams, Chief Operating Officer, LADWP
Lauren Faber O'Connor, Chief Sustainability Officer, City of Los Angeles
Laura Berland-Shane, Director of Utilities and Business Development/West, Greenlots
Mauricio Argente, Vice President, Tetra Tech

10:10 AM

-ULI FUTUREBUILD-

Solar & Green Roof Mandates: Navigating Compliance and Permitting to Deliver ROI (P1)

Moderator:
Eliot Abel, Director of Commercial Sales, Namasté Solar

Panel:
Andrew McAllister, Commissioner, California Energy Commission
Jonathan Parfrey, Executive Director, Climate Resolve
Jason Rondou, Manager, Strategic Development & Programs, Los Angeles Department of Water & Power
Osama Younan, Executive Officer, City of Los Angeles Department of Building & Safety

If roofs are just giant canvases for climate action, what will be the Van Gogh of the 21st century? Starting in 2020, virtually all new homes in California will be required to incorporate advanced efficiency measures and rooftop solar. But will all those solar roofs deliver on cost savings? What lessons have real estate owners learned during the effort thus far? At the same time, there are multiple ways to achieve climate goals without solar panels, as seen with cool roofs and green roofs. Climate Resolve has spurred the deployment of 18,000 cool roofs in the city of Los Angeles. Join this panel of cross-sector leaders, all aimed at making rooftops both environmentally and financially viable.

-ULI FUTUREBUILD-

Decarbonizing the Built Environment (P2)

Panama Bartholomy, Director, Building Decarbonization Coalition

Panel:
Timothy O'Connor, Senior Director, Environmental Defense Fund
Sara Neff, Senior Vice President, Sustainability, Kilroy Realty
Russell Fortmeyer, Sustainability Leader, Arup
Jeff Addison, Vice President, Subterra Renewables

Buildings are the number one source of climate pollution in the world. More than half of building pollution comes from gas and propane powered appliances, but California lacks a clear path forward to address these emissions. The transition to zero-emission homes through the adoption of efficient electric appliances is projected to lower the cost of new housing, allowing tens of thousands more families to realize the California dream. Can new homes and businesses realistically be completely powered by solar arrays and supported by electric heat pumps providing clean space and water heating, electric induction ranges providing superior and safe cooking technology, and convenient electric clothes dryers? Can decarbonizing building make utility bills lower for Californians struggling the most? How can California chart a path towards 100 percent clean buildings that are healthy, safe and affordable?

-ULI FUTUREBUILD-

What's a Complete, Holistically Integrated Street? (P3)

Moderator:
Vince Bertoni, Director, Los Angeles Department of City Planning

Panel:
Melani Smith, Senior Director, Transit Oriented Communities Organization, LA Metro
Francie Stefan, Chief Mobility Officer, City of Santa Monica
Kristen Torres Pawling, Sustainability Program Director, Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office
Alex Fisch, Culver City Councilmember

The Complete Street movement aims to re-prioritize users like pedestrians, bikes, and mass transit over the automobile. This means reducing the amount of space dedicated to cars, installing improved crosswalks, and ensuring that space is usable by people of all ages and abilities. LA Metro is hoping that the outgrowth of such streets can help solve the first/last mile question by making transit stops more accessible for all. Other major cities like Santa Monica are also expanding mobility options, while focusing on safety and enhanced walkability. What other benefits do Complete Streets offer communities? How viable is their installation in various urban contexts? Join several prominent experts from politics and transportation planning as they discuss how this movement is making cities better places to live, work, and play.

-WATER-

How the Blue Economy Can Galvanize the San Pedro Bay Ports (B3)

Moderator: 
Dr. Sandra Whitehouse, Chief Scientist, AltaSea at the Port of Los Angele

Panel:
Doane Liu, Executive Director, Los Angeles Department of Convention and Tourism Development
Michael Galvin, Director, Waterfront and Commercial Real Estate, Port of Los Angeles
Michael Kelly, Executive Director, The Los Angeles Coalition for the Economy and Jobs
Timothy McOsker, CEO, AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles

Between 2004 and 2025, the Port of Los Angeles is projected to invest over $1 billion dollars in the city’s LA Waterfront. Projects include both infrastructure and commercial development as pieces of a larger package to incentivize private investment in the area. Aside from attracting visitors through tourist, dining and entertainment attractions, the Port has worked closely with non-profits and businesses to bring a new, innovative economy to the area. The goal is to build a Blue Economy—one which revitalizes the waterfront and embraces this resource as both a place of recreation, innovation and business. Join us as we listen to panelists discuss how this movement will change one of the region’s most important assets, and, quite possibly, turn Los Angeles into the center of the Blue Economy.

11:10 AM

-ULI FUTUREBUILD-

The Future is Shared, Electric, Autonomous, and Aerial Mobility (P1)

Moderator:
Terry O'Day, Chief Strategy Officer and EVP, Innogy eMobility US

Panel:
Francie Stefan, Chief Mobility Officer, City of Santa Monica
Janna Sidley, Little Hoover Commissioner; General Counsel, Port of Los Angeles
Brandon Florian, Corporate Engagement Director, Starburst Aerospace Accelerator
Olivier Le Lann, CEO, Electric Visionary Aircrafts

Flying taxis, autonomous vehicles, drone deliveries—the stuff of science fiction is becoming more of a reality every day, but how can we plan for such change? Many of these technologies fundamentally alter how we view movement and space in our cities. How can governments embrace these changes while ensuring public safety remains paramount? Will this new form of mobility require us to totally revamp how we design urban environments? Join thought leaders and disruptors to learn how future transportation is being shaped by decisions and investments today.

-ULI FUTUREBUILD-

Real Estate Owners as Procurers and Prosumers of Clean Energy (P2)

Moderator: 
Marta Schantz, Senior Vice President, Greenprint Center for Building Performance

Panel:
Sara Neff, Senior Vice President, Sustainability, Kilroy Realty
Lindsay Baker, Head of Sustainability and Wellbeing, WeWork
Ryan Tinus, Director of Sustainability, Tishman Speyer
Andrew McAllister, California Energy Commissioner

Responder:
David Hodgins, Executive Director, Los Angeles Better Buildings Challenge

The relationship between real estate and utilities is changing. New technologies now allow real estate owners to generate clean energy onsite and manage peak loads, and in many markets customers can procure 100% clean power either from utilities or community choice programs. How are these changes affecting the utility market and its regulation? Could this cause a departure from the traditional, monolithic utility provider model? What challenges are there for developers who are interested in becoming prosumers of clean energy and is such an interest financially viable? The following panel brings together experts in sustainable building, market demand, and energy regulation to discuss what the future holds for buildings and energy.

-TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE-

Urban On-Demand Retail Distribution Centers: The New Railyards? (P3)

Moderator:
Dan Rosenfeld, Community Partners/Real Estate

Panel: 
Larry Kosmont, President & CEO, Kosmont Companies
Sandra Berg, Member, California Air Resources Board
Julie Johnson, Manager, National Business Development, Ryder

More than a decade has passed since California launched a bold Transportation Bond to begin addressing emissions from goods movement. In that decade, everything about the retail experience has changed. From online purchasing usurping the need for physical stories to customer desire for on-demand deliveries leading to the proliferation of urban Amazon Lockers, the model of distribution centers is changing rapidly. What investments are being made by the industry leaders in sustainable goods movement, especially in the medium and heavy duty transport sectors? How are leaders addressing air quality and congestion impacts? Can actors interested in sustainability curtail these negative externalities before it’s too late? What land use implications are there for this shift in the way we shop and ship? Finally, how are cities, developers, and retailers working together to design a delivery system that creates healthy and interesting places within the urban fabric?

-POLICY/FINANCE-

Lessons Learned & Not Learned from California's Natural Disasters (B3)

Moderator:
Panama Bartholomy, Director, Building Decarbonization Coalition

Panel:
Liam Denning, Columnist, Bloomberg
Irma Muñoz, Board Member, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
Heather Rosenberg, Los Angeles Resilience Lead, Arup
Paul Mason, Vice President, Policy and Incentives, Pacific Forest Trust

Responder:
Joe Edmiston, Executive Director, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy

The Woolsey Fire of 2018 burned nearly 100,000 acres of land in the Santa Monica Mountains and destroyed over 1,600 structures. While these numbers are staggering, this tragedy unfortunately not an isolated incident. What have we learned from the most destructive wildfires in California’s history about how to rebuild? Can small fixes like underground utilities and all-electric homes help prevent future disaster? Or do we need to dramatically rethink land use patterns? Did we have the roads we needed for safe and efficient evacuation? Did our early warning systems work properly? Did our water infrastructure provide the help that our courageous firefighters needed? Should we “plan in” renewable resources when we rebuild devastated communities? Is proactive forest management really the problem some say it is? Join this panel to learn about how leaders hope to protect communities and natural resources more effectively.

-WATER-

VX2019 Water Charrette (BH)

**This session is by invitation only.
**This session runs through 2:45 PM.

Part 1: Delivery of Recycled Water
Part 2: Implementing LA County Measure W

12:00 PM

Luncheon Keynote (B1)

Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles

Luncheon Plenary

Rebuilding Right: California Confronts Climate Change (B1)

Panel:
Terry Tamminen, CEO, Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation
Joe Edmiston, Executive Director, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy

1:45 PM

-ULI FUTUREBUILD-

Electric Scooters, Sidewalks, and First/Last Mile (B3)

**Note: This session will run until 3:30 PM.

Moderator:
Jeff Joyner, Partner, Greenberg Traurig

Panel:
David Ryu*, Los Angeles City Councilmember, 4th District
Dr. Joshua Schank, Chief Innovation Officer, LA Metro
Thomas Small, Mayor of Culver City
Tony Mazza, Director of Transportation, University of Southern California (USC)
Seleta Reynolds, General Manager, Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT)
Anuj Gupta, Deputy City Manager, City of Santa Monica
Sam Dreiman, Director of Strategic Development, Lime
Melinda Hanson, Senior Manager for Sustainability and Environmental Impact, Bird

Electric scooters have disrupted how city streets and sidewalks function. How will 2019 play out? Will cities move towards more embracing and integrating these new modes of movement, or will they regulate or reject them outright? Could scooters actually be the multi-modal solution to the first/last mile dilemma? How does their presence influence real estate decisions? What intersection do they have with employers that provide private mobility solutions that work better for their clientele, such as shuttle buses? At the end of the day, are we asking the right questions when it comes to the complex “first and last mile issue? Join a panel of technology, mobility, and city leaders as they discuss how these issues will be resolved on our streets.

-POLICY/FINANCE-

Blockchain & Cybersecurity: 21st Century Challenges and Opportunities (P3)

Moderator:
Jules Radcliff, Partner, Radcliff & Saiki LLP

Panel:
Fiona Ma*, California State Treasurer
Evan Birenbaum, Managing Partner, Valkyrie Security Group
Rudy Bakalov, Managing Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Eleven years after its invention, is blockchain technology about to bring dramatic improvements to the computing and cybsersecurity landscape, or is the advent of quantum computing about to make it obsolete by the end of 2019? With the rise of weaponized technology in the hands of cybercriminals and hostile state actors, are challenges to the delivery and management of effective cybersecurity going to lead to more ruined careers and tarnished reputations in 2019? Will this be the year that the industry spawned by the invention of the World Wide Web 30 years ago finally finds traction, as specialized vendors become integrated, valued counsel to the leaders of business and government organizations as these challenges and opportunities are met? This panel will answer these questions in practical, helpful, and understandable terms, reflecting the way these issues have now become the responsibility of the C Suite and on the front-burners of organizational leaders everywhere.

-ENERGY-

Young Professionals in Energy

Political Climate: Top Energy Policy Trends to Watch in 2019 (P1)

Panel: 
Julia Pyper, Senior Editor, Greentech Media
Brandon Hurlbut, Boundary Stone Partners
Shane Skelton, Co-Founder and Partner, S2C Pacific

It’s no secret that policy, energy, and the environment are deeply connected. How does this polarizing time—with states quarreling with the federal government—affect policy trends? Will other political changes have unanticipated consequences in energy? How will the 2018 midterm elections shape energy policies at the state and national level? Join the team from the new podcast Political Climate as they unpack these issues and more.

-FOOD, WASTE, & TECHNOLOGY-

Rethinking Recycling: Food, Organic Waste, and Technology (P2)

Moderator:
Clare Fox, Executive Director, Los Angeles Food Policy Council

Panel:
Yaniv Scherson, Managing Director, Western US, Anaergia
Patrick Holland, Principal Engineer, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works
Jonathan Levy, Zero Waste Project Manager, Go2Zero Strategies Group

California and its localities are increasingly addressing the nexus between food waste, organic waste diversion, waste recovery, energy management,  and climate change. What policies incent best practices? What are the revenue models? How are local public works agencies integrating new state regulations, such as the mandates for commercial organic waste diversion and composting?  Will “attacking” trash be the newest battle front in the fight against climate change? Join this panel to learn how these leading practitioners are developing best practices for this emerging and increasingly important field.

2:45 PM

-FOOD, WASTE, & TECHNOLOGY-

Waste-to-Energy: MSW Conversion (P2)

Moderator:
Coby Skye, Assistant Deputy Director, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works

Panel:
David McConnell, Vice President, Business Development, Enerkem
Jim Stewart, Chair, BioEnergy Producers Association
Michael Kleist, Vice President, Business Development, Sierra Energy

Conversion technologies utilize thermal or biological processes to convert municipal solid waste into useful products, such as electricity, fertilizers, and chemicals. How market ready are such technologies to convert garbage into transportation fuels? How might public policies, research funding, and public-private partnerships best scale the growth of these new processes? What materials are prime for recycling carbon and converting it into biofuels? Join the experts to discuss how local public works agencies can lead on integrating these closed-loop, cradle-to-cradle practices into energy and climate change success.

-ENERGY-

Young Professionals in Energy

Corporate Renewable Energy (P1)

Opening Remarks:
Noah Perch-Ahern, Co-Chair, Young Professionals in Energy; Partner, Environmental Department, Greenberg Glusker
Yair Crane, Co-Chair, Young Professionals in Energy; Principal, CTG Consulting

Moderator:
Julia Pyper, Senior Editor, Greentech Media

Panel:
Audrey Vinant-Tang, Supplier Sustainability Manager, CBS Corporation
Garrett Sprague, Business Development Associate, Customer First Renewables
Jake Levine, Associate and Policy Advisor, Covington & Burling LLP

Corporate renewable deals in 2018 added up to more than 6 GW, dwarfing the 0.32 GW total from just five years ago. As large companies continue to build new locations and data centers around the country, what are some ways we can keep this trend moving? This special event will bring individuals from Young Professionals in Energy before experts in the field. Join us to learn about this new sustainable trend in corporate financing alongside the next generation of green leaders.

3:30 PM

VX2019 Closing Reception