March 21, 2024 | Event

Emerging Technologies, Regulations, and Policies Impacting Decarbonization Efforts in the Northeast

A roundtable discussion with utility stakeholders and industry experts

When:

Thursday, March 21, 2024

1:00 - 5:00 PM EST

Where:

West Monroe NYC Office 825 8th Ave, 17th Floor New York, NY 10019

The future of energy is here, and it's net zero. Join our roundtable to explore the key technologies, regulations, and policies driving the Eastern U.S. energy transformation. Dive deeper into the potential of AI as a decarbonization force, uncovering real-world use cases and navigating the responsible deployment landscape.

Session 1: Transition to Net Zero: Technologies, Regulations, and Policies Shaping the Energy Distribution Business in the Eastern U.S.

The Eastern U.S. energy landscape is shifting towards net zero, driven by policy, technology, and collective action. This session explores the intricate interplay of these forces, examining policy landscapes, navigating the energy trilemma (affordability, reliability, and sustainability), and uncovering promising technologies. Join us to understand the challenges and opportunities for gas utilities, customers, and public-private partnerships. Together, we'll chart a sustainable course for the future.

Panelists:

Donald Chahbazpour, Director, Future of Heat, National Grid
Melissa Adams, Assistant Vice President, Policy Climate Solutions and Commercialization, Washington Gas
Tom Barracca, Center Director, Center for Integrated Electric Energy Systems, Stonybrook University
Micheal Reed, Acting Head of Large Buildings and Advanced Efficiency Solutions, NYSERDA
Britt Reichborn-Kjennerud, Director of E-Mobility, Con Edison
Girish Behal, Vice President, Projects and Business Development, NYPA
Jen Schilling, Vice President Grid Modernization, Eversource

Moderator:

Nolan Woodle, West Monroe

Session 2: Can AI Accelerate Decarbonization? Emerging Use Cases for Artificial Intelligence at Utilities and Relevant Policies and Regulations Guiding Deployment

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is evolving rapidly and there is a unified interest to determine how it can be safely and responsibly deployed in industry, with special consideration given to the energy and utilities industry given their critical function. AI has the potential to play a significant role in accelerating the energy transition. Utilities need to take the lead on defining use cases to demonstrate how AI can support the delivery of affordable, reliable, safe, secure, and (increasingly) clean energy and understanding what type of policies or regulations will need to be put in place. Anticipating relevant policies and regulations will help utilities to understand the level of organizational effort (size of team(s), funding/resources, roles/expertise) necessary to responsibly deploy AI in a regulated environment and plan accordingly.

Panelists:

Dan Smilowitz, Head of Enterprise Data and Analytics, Con Edison
Carolyn Kissane, Associate Dean, NYUCGA and Founder, Energy, Climate Justice and Sustainability Lab, NYU
Raymond Kaiser, CIO, Evoke Systems
Llyod Kass, Regulatory Strategy Vice President, Market Development, Franklin Energy
Ben Pickard, Vice President of Corporate Development, CPower