Destination: Decarbonization – Register Today!
Posted on July 10, 2018 by Amelia Lamb
Tags, Conference & Events
Registration is now open for CUB’s eighth annual Energy Policy Conference, Destination: Decarbonization! Taking place on Friday October 19, 2018 at the Downtown Portland Hilton, this conference is designed to educate analysts, attorneys, advocates, regulators, utility executives, and others working in and around the energy industry.
In Oregon, the nature of our discussions about climate change and utilities has changed. We have moved from talking about how we consider the risk of carbon regulation, to actively working to decarbonize our utilities. The next step is to use our clean, decarbonized electricity to decarbonize transportation and the wider economy. We used to talk about the state’s carbon goals as aspirational. But now we are planning around those goals. This is a dramatic shift with big implications, which we will explore at our 2018 Policy Conference.
What effect will this have on our communities? As decarbonization drives digitalization of the grid, what are the implications for consumer privacy, and how do we avoid a new “digital divide” in the energy sector? What role will using electricity to manufacture natural gas (Power-to-Gas) play as we attempt to utilize periods of renewables over-generation? Will Power-to-Gas and renewable natural gas allow us to decarbonize our gas sector? Do we need to change how we manage parts of the system – from utility business models, to regulatory incentives, to regional grid management? And most importantly, can we fix our energy systems so they are sustainable in a carbon constrained world?
In what has become our traditional opening panel, The View From The Top, we will convene six of Oregon’s utility executives to discuss how decarbonization trends are shaping the future of their companies (and vice versa) as well as the sector at large: Dennis Vermillion – President, Avista; Maria Pope – President and CEO, PGE; Elliot Mainzer – Administrator, BPA; Stefan Bird – President and CEO, Pacific Power; David Anderson – President and CEO, NW Natural; and Darrel Anderson – President and CEO, Idaho Power.
After the opening panel, we will transition into a series of three breakout sessions to dig more deeply into specific aspects of the central conference theme. Breakout panel topics include: The Connected Utility: Data And Digitalization; Community Decarbonization And Beyond; The Role Of Gas In A Decarbonized World; Going Macro: Efficiency At The Grid Level; Utility Of The Future: The Changing Business Model; and Deep Decarbonization: From Energy To The Economy. Keep your eyes out for a series of blogs in the coming weeks expanding on each of these panel topics and the speakers who will be participating.
We are grateful to our returning Polar Bear Sponsors: Pacific Power, and Portland General Electric, as well as our Media Sponsor: Energy NewsData’s Clearing Up. Sponsor packages are available at a variety of levels; contact Pamela White at 503-227-1984 x10 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for more information on sponsorship opportunities.
This conference will feature the presentation of the third annual Consumer Champion Award, which honors individuals and organizations who, through their industry leadership, policy innovations, and public service have contributed in a substantial way to the well-being of Oregon’s residential utility ratepayers. CUB is planning to apply for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits from the OR and WA State Bars. Stay tuned for updates about these and other aspects of the conference agenda throughout the summer. You can keep up with by-the-minute conference news by joining our email list, and on Twitter using the haghtag #CUBCon18.
To keep up with CUB, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
07/10/18 | 0 Comments | Destination: Decarbonization – Register Today!