Counting Down to the 2017 Maui Energy Conference

The fourth Maui Energy Conference is just two weeks away and promises to be a showcase of energy innovation.  Hosted by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), this year’s conference is big, going by the numbers.

With the State of Hawaii recognized as a pioneer in the new energy economy and regulatory landscape, over 350 delegates are expected to attend the 2017 Maui Energy Conference at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center.  Utilities of all stripes, regulators, ISOs, consumer advocates, urban planners, transportation specialists, renewable energy providers, clean energy activists, state and local government officials and others will find value in Hawaii’s experience and the knowledge and experience of a variety of local, national and international experts.

“The conference provides ample time for networking to dive deeper into challenges, insights, new technologies, and unique perspectives emerging from the sessions,” said Frank De Rego Jr., Director of Business Development Projects at MEDB and member of the conference Program Committee.

50 Speakers will present, debate and discuss the broad theme, “All Things Energy” over two days.  Guillermo (Gil) Penalosa of 8 80 Cities headlines the event with his talk on “Creating vibrant, healthy, and resilient communities for all.”  We seem to be facing a “perfect storm” of threats and challenges, but in every challenge lies opportunity. How we plan, build and cultivate a healthy city life for people of all ages, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds has never been more important than it is today.  Drawing on his experience working with over 250 cities across 6 continents, Gil provides a holistic approach to tackling key urban challenges by focusing on both bold but doable actions any community can take to become stronger and more resilient in the face of change.

Michelle Wyman, Executive Director of the National Council for Science and Environment will kickstart the Conference on Day 2.  The former Director of the US Department of Energy will present “The Resilience of Scientific Integrity during Uncertain Times,” exploring the intersects and alignments between energy, science and policy, and offer insights into pursuing those.

Joining a number of speakers from Hawaii, will be speakers from Colorado, Washington State, California as well as Japan.

There will be 10 panel sessions with a focus on resilience.  The conference will investigate the strategies required to secure reliable, safe and affordable energy as an entire system. Resilience will be the thread that weaves together various dimensions of our discussion as we visit the place of nuclear energy as a “clean” energy source; the role of electrification in transportation; the importance of land use planning with its relation to energy production and consumption; the place of biofuels and biomass in our energy mix; technological innovations in energy storage and grid stability; the water, agriculture, and energy security nexus and much more.

“I think it represents our most ambitious Program yet,” said Jeanne Skog, President of Maui Economic Development Board. “The Program Committee did a remarkable job.”

5 Case Studies will inform the audience of new technology and other methods to meet sustainability goals.  Case studies will be presented by Hawaii Energy (Energy Efficiency); Holu Energy (Energy Storage); Mercedes Benz (World’s Largest Second Use Battery Storage); Silver Spring Networks (Savings for Consumers derived from AMI & Smart Grid Connectivity); and Alaska Air will share how they track sustainability.

20 Exhibitors will be showcasing their energy products and innovations in Morgado Hall.

On Friday, March 24, there will be a Sustainability Workshop with a tour of the Maui Brewing Company and the Maui High Performance Computing Center.

TERAwatt Sponsor HNU Energy will unveil its new HIVE battery storage solution. GIGAwatt sponsors are Silver Spring Networks, Hitachi, Ulupono Initiative and Maui County.

The full list of sponsors is: Alaska Airlines, County of Maui, Hawaiian Electric Companies, Hawaii Energy/Leidos, Hawaii Gas, Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, Hawaii State Energy Office, Hitachi, HNU Energy, Holu Energy, HTDC, Itron, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Mercedes-Benz Energy, More Than Smart, Pacific Biodiesel, PVH Energy Storage, Sempra Renewables, Silver Spring Networks, Ulupono Initiative.

For details of program and registration please visit www.mauienergyconference.com

Maui Energy Conference sponsors

 

Keynote: The 8 80 City: Creating vibrant, healthy, and resilient communities for all

Keynote: The 8 80 City: Creating vibrant, healthy, and resilient communities for all

Gil Penalose keynote speaker maui energy conferenceGil Penalosa, Founder and Chair of 8 80 Cities, headlines the 2017 Maui Energy Conference with his keynote on The 8 80 City: Creating vibrant, healthy, and resilient communities for all.

The world urban population will double from 3.5 billion to 7.0 billion in the next 35 years. The cities we build today will be where billions of people will live for many hundreds of years. This represents a once in a lifetime opportunity to support the development of healthy, sustainable, and inclusive cities.

Amidst the challenges of population growth and shifting demographics, cities around the world are also grappling with climate change, rising obesity, traffic congestion, and a sluggish economy.

We seem to be facing a “perfect storm” of threats and challenges, but in every challenge lies opportunity. How we plan, build and cultivate a healthy city life for people of all ages, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds has never been more important than it is today. 

How can we improve the quality of life for people in cities regardless of age or social status? What is the role of sustainable mobility in promoting health, happiness, and stronger local economies? Gil answers these questions while also explaining a simple and effective principle for inclusive city building: ensuring the safety and joy of children and older adults (from 8 year olds to 80 year olds) are at the forefront of every decision we make in our cities.

Drawing on his experience working with over 250 cities across 6 continents, Gil provides a holistic approach to tackling key urban challenges by focusing on both bold but doable actions any community can take to become stronger and more resilient in the face of change.

Click here for more information on the complete 2017 program.

Former Director of US DOE Joins 2017 Maui Energy Conference Line-Up

Former Director of US DOE Joins 2017 Maui Energy Conference Line-Up

Michelle Wyman, Executive Director, National Council for Science and Environment

The program is set with all speakers confirmed for the 2017 Maui Energy Conference, hosted by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB).

The Conference Program Committee is pleased to welcome Michelle Wyman to the 2017 Maui Energy Conference.  Michelle is the Executive Director at the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE), a non-profit organization based in Washington DC that seeks to strengthen the role and use of science in environmental policy and decision-making.

Michelle has worked on energy and environmental policy with states and local governments for over 15 years. In close consultation with regional and local governments and their constituencies, she developed strategic and tactical solutions to their energy planning, climate mitigation, and adaptation challenges.

She previously served as the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In that role, Michelle led the Department’s engagement activities with state, regional, and local governments on issues across the DOE complex, including renewable energy, science, fossil energy, and environmental clean-up.

Michelle’s extensive experience prior to joining the Department of Energy includes founding Applied Solutions- Local Governments Building a Clean Economy, and leading ICLEI USA, both of which are nonprofits engaging directly with cities, counties, and states on clean energy, environmental, and sustainability issues.

Michelle has served in a wide variety of leadership capacities including work with the World Bank, United Nations, and other multilateral institutions. As well as giving a presentation on Day 2, Michelle will be joining a panel to discuss Resilience.  The panel will explore how we define resilience and sustainability and the strategies that will get us to an energy system that is resilient.

The 2017 Maui Energy Conference has an exciting blend of Speakers, Panels, Case Studies and Exhibits covering a broad range of topics that make up the new energy landscape.  The core of the conference focuses on the idea of resilience with. Transportation, Mobility, the Water Energy Food Security Nexus and Emerging Trends in Hawaii Energy Policy promising to deliver interesting debates.

The 2017 Maui Energy Conference sponsors include signature sponsors, HiVE Energy Systems (Product Launch), Maui-based HNU Energy, Sunburst, and ecostruktures. Silver Spring Networks, Hitachi, Ulupono Initiative – a unique sustainability investment firm, and several other energy companies are also sponsoring the event.

The full list of sponsors is: Alaska Airlines, County of Maui, Hawaiian Electric Companies, Hawaii Energy/Leidos, Hawaii Gas, Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, Hawaii State Energy Office, Hitachi, HNU Energy, Holu Energy, HTDC, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Mercedes-Benz Energy, Pacific Biodiesel, PV Hardware, Sempra Renewables, Silver Spring Networks, Ulupono Initiative.

Click here for the full program.

Keynotes Bring New Energy to 2017 Maui Energy Conference

Keynotes Bring New Energy to 2017 Maui Energy Conference

Gil Penalosa, Founder & Chair 8 80 Cities

Guillermo Penalosa, Founder & Chair 8 80 Cities

A broader focus has attracted new and captivating speakers to this year’s Maui Energy Conference, to be held at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, March 22-24.  Hosted by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) the conference theme covers topics from electricity and gas to transportation and water delivery systems.

Keynote speaker, Guillermo (Gil) Penalosa is passionate about cities for all people.  He is the founder and Chair of the Board of 8 80 Cities, an internationally recognized non-profit organization based in Canada that was created on the philosophy that if you created a great city for an 8 year old and an 80 year old, you will create a successful city for all people.

Gil is also chair of World Urban Parks, as well as senior adviser to Children & Nature, Vision Zero Network, and America Walks. His leadership and advice has been sought out in more than 250 different cities across six continents. He advises decision makers and communities on how to create vibrant cities and healthy communities for everyone regardless of age, gender and social, economic, or ethnic background.

“While urban design might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to the Maui Energy Conference,” says Conference Program Committee member, Jonathan Koehn, “Urban design dictates lifestyle, and lifestyle has a huge impact on people’s energy footprint. There are so many ways that the physical infrastructure around us influences our energy choices.”

Another draw for this year’s Conference will be Carol Sim, Environmental Affairs Director at Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines has been a leader in the airline industry in utilizing alternative jet fuel.  It made history in November flying the world’s first commercial flight using a new sustainable alternative jet fuel made from forest residuals.

Carol Sim will join the panel on Innovations in Transportation, which takes a look at what steps can be taken to create and facilitate a resilient transportation sector.

A new feature for the program will include a number of Case Studies presented in special fifteen minute segments.  Boris von Bormann of Mercedes-Benz will share their work with the world’s largest second use battery storage.  In efforts to stabilize the grid, Daimler AG, The Mobility House AG and GETEC have joined forces to develop a 13 MWh battery storage project in Germany using a total of 1000 battery systems from second-generation Smart Fortwo electric drive cars.

Hawaii Energy’s case study will highlight a few of their success stories that showcase their commitment to helping small businesses of Hawaii lower operating costs through energy efficiency. Theodore Peck from Holu Energy will present two case studies of commercial on-grid microgrids operational in Hawaii with third party ownership, integrating PV and energy storage systems to create multiple value streams on both sides of the meter.

In a fourth case study presentation, Silver Spring Networks will share details on how its utility customers deliver savings to consumers via AMI and Smart Grid deployments.

The 2017 Maui Energy Conference is shaping up to be a timely and innovative forum as Hawaii transitions to a clean energy economy.  Early Bird registration ends on January 31.

Click here for the full program. 

2017 Maui Energy Conference Pursuing New Opportunities for Electricity and Beyond

2017 Maui Energy Conference Pursuing New Opportunities for Electricity and Beyond

Maui energy conference

The fourth annual Maui Energy Conference will be held March 22-24, 2017 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.  The event, hosted by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), is Hawaii’s leading energy conference.   For 2017 the conference theme is ‘All Things Energy: Pursuing Opportunities for Electricity and Beyond.’

From electricity and gas to transportation and water delivery system, all sectors play a vital role in creating the new energy landscape, so this year the Maui Energy Conference broadens its focus.

Hawaii has made substantial progress moving away from fossil fuel sources of electricity.  This year we celebrate what has been achieved in the electricity sector but also consider how the lesson learned in that sector can be applied to other types of energy. “Energy experts and stakeholders from across the U.S. will examine groundbreaking strategies, and analyze how concepts like resilience apply beyond the traditional grid,” said Frank De Rego Jr., Director of Business Development Projects at MEDB and member of the conference Program Committee.

One of the new features this year will be a panel discussion on nuclear energy. 

“Whatever your adjective is – ironic; surprising; misguided – the argument that nuclear energy is more friendly to the environment is being made across the US.  We want our audience to be familiar with the arguments being made at the national level, then add a layer of Hawaii specific information related to our Constitutional provision,” said Program Committee Chair Doug McLeod.

The Session titled “Emerging Trends in Energy Policy: Nuclear Energy – Old Peril or New Promise” seeks to answer the questions: What are the social, cultural, legal, and economic challenges of decarbonization using nuclear energy? Does nuclear energy have a role in Hawaii’s energy future? Gavin Bade from Utility Dive will moderate the panel which will include Henry Curtis, Ililani Media Journalist, Life of the Land Executive and Director of Ka Lei Maile Ali`i Hawaiian Civic Club.

Another change for 2017 will be a discussion of the nexus between food and energy production, using islands as an example.

If an island can go without energy resupply for six months but there is only food for two weeks, can that really be considered “sustainable”?  Come join us at a time when the last sugar plantation in Hawaii has just closed and we are working to identify replacements for the energy previously supplied to the grid by the sugar plantation.

The challenge of decarbonizing energy production while maintaining a reliable, safe, affordable, secure, and resilient energy system is formidable. Michael Jung of Silver Spring Networks and Delavane Diaz of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) will help us define resilience and explain how it differs from sustainability.

Rick Rocheleau and Jay Griffin from the University of Hawaii’s Hawaii Natural Energy Institute will present an update on grid resiliency as Hawaii moves towards its ambitious 100% Renewable Portfolio Standards.  Several international experts from companies such as Mercedes-Benz and Sumitomo will review case studies from Japan, Germany, and the U.S.

Rajit Gadh, Professor at Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science and Founder & Director of UCLA Smart Grid Energy Research Center (SMERC) will be speaking on the panel discussing “Technology: The Role of the Smart Grid.”

The Program Committee includes energy experts from Maui, Oahu, Colorado, and California.  Our new members for 2017 are Dave Parsons, Director of Policy and Research for the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, and Lisa Briggs, Manager at Sempra Energy in San Diego.

The exhibition segment of the conference provides networking opportunities to participants who want to generate business or collaborate to address common issues and concerns.

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2017 Maui Energy Conference Key Topics Announced

2017 Maui Energy Conference Key Topics Announced

Maui Energy conferenceThe program for the 2017 Maui Energy Conference is taking shape to explore a vibrant and clean energy future. Local, national, and international experts will tackle the following topics:

DAY 1

Resilience

How do we define resilience and sustainability? What do these look like? What strategies will get us to an energy system that is resilient? The challenge of achieving decarbonized energy production and maintaining a reliable, safe, affordable, secure and resilient energy system is formidable.

Water, Energy, Food Security Nexus: Connecting the Dots

We explore the nexus between agriculture production, use of water, and production of energy. With the closure of Hawaii’s last sugar plantation, what role will agriculture play in energy resilience?  What are the possibilities for locally produced Biomass and Biofuels? What are the trade-offs in potential food security vs. energy security? In a global marketplace is food or energy security a myth?

Emerging Trends in Hawaii Energy Policy: Are We Sending Mixed Messages?

What market signals are policy makers sending to energy stakeholders? Is it possible to stabilize energy prices and electricity rates, reduce carbon emissions, and provide reliable, safe, affordable, and resilient energy all at the same time? What measures will policy makers implement to protect vulnerable populations?

Emerging Trends in Energy Policy: Nuclear Energy – Old Peril or New Promise

What are the social, cultural, legal, and economic challenges of decarbonization using nuclear energy? Does nuclear energy have a role in Hawaii’s energy future? We will present a critical discussion to address community concerns and fears regarding nuclear energy.

HNEI/GE Update on Renewable Energy Deployment

Hawaii Natural Energy Institute has engaged GE for over a year to address the effects on grid resiliency as Hawaii moves toward 100% renewable energy deployment. The presentation will update us on critical findings and mitigation measures that must be considered.  What happens to system operability and reliability?  What types of ancillary services will be required?

DAY 2

Creating a Resilient Energy Economy

What are the effects of shifting to a decentralized energy system? What are the impacts on jobs?  What opportunities exist to incubate and commercialize new innovative energy entrepreneurs?  Can innovative energy rate design and pricing help build a strong economy? How can tax policy and commercial incentives aid in this transition?

Technology: Is Storage the Key to Resilience?

We will discuss specific storage technologies and their contribution to resiliency.  Are these systems ready for deployment and cost effective?  Do they provide more than one function on the grid?  Can customers provide support for their own electrical needs through storage, especially in a Distributed Energy Resources (DER) scenario?

Technology: Role of the Smart Grid

How will the “smart grid” add to grid stability and resiliency? Will the “smart grid” increase exposure to security breaches and what mitigation measures are needed to reduce risk? How can we secure customer’s personal information, including energy usage patterns?

Technology Panel: Innovations in Transportation

What steps can be taken to create and facilitate a resilient transportation sector?  Are there unique issues for islands? What are the challenges and expectations in creating a resilient system?  What are the costs/benefits of hydrogen, biomass and other alternatives?

Mobility: Getting a Move On

Air, ground, and marine transportation represents more than two thirds of the fossil fuel consumption in Hawaii.  We will explore and discuss the opportunities and challenges in the transportation sector.  What role can land use and urban planning play in reducing reliance on fossil fuels? What companies are leading in this area? What opportunities are there in the electrification of ground transportation?

The program includes keynote speakers, a session featuring case studies as well as plenty of time for viewing the exhibits and networking.