12:00pm
Lunch at Cira Restaurant at the Hoxton Hotel
Join us for lunch at the Hoxton Hotel before we embark on our field trip at 2:00pm.
2:00pm
Field Trip
Join us for an afternoon exploring local sustainable innovation, energy equity, and environmental leadership locations around the Chicago’s West Side. Transportation will depart from the Hoxton Hotel.
6:00pm
Reception at the Lazy Bird
Network and engage with industry professionals at Lazy Bird Lounge, where classic cocktails and live jazz seamlessly blend in an posh speakeasy setting.
8:00-8:45 am
Morning check-in and breakfast
8:45-8:55 am
Welcome: Hannah Bascom Chief Market Innovation Officer, Uplight
8:55-9:40 am
Keynote: Aamir Paul, President of North American Operations, Schneider Electric
Aamir Paul, President of North American Operations at Schneider Electric, sits down with Luis D’Acosta, Uplight CEO, for a fireside chat to explore the transformative impact of electrification, digitalization, and distributed energy resources on the evolving energy landscape. Gain insights into the transition of consumers into prosumers, uncover strategies for connecting with customers and ecosystem partners, and discover how to thrive in this dynamic future.
9:40-10:40 am
Analog to Digital: Leveraging Customer Assets for Reliable Grid Flexibility
The grid is shifting from analog to digital, and new operational norms and expectations are required. We need to embrace both the benefits of DERs and a very different reliability profile from that of traditional supply resources. Scott McGaraghan of Uplight moderates a discussion with Ryan Heldik (Brattle Group), Scott Burns (NRG), Alberto Ruocco (Alliant Energy) and Dr. Anthony Lo (CLP Power) focuses on how power providers, policy makers, and customers are adapting to the grid’s new normal.
10:55-11:55 am
From the Consumer to the Control Room
Unlocking the the full value of DERMS requires seamless integration from the control room to grid-edge devices, underpinned by a customer-centric approach. In this session with Wayne Callender (CPS Energy), Sheri Givens (SEPA), Don McPhail (Uplight), and Sadia Raveendran (Uplight) explore how utilities engage customers to deliver flexibility at scale from successes, challenges, and focus over the next 5 years.
11:55 am-1:10 pm
Lunch & Networking Break
1:10-2:10 pm
Harnessing the Power of Electrification Everywhere
The IRA and related policies contain billions of energy incentives, with the potential to change the energy landscape in the US. Unless well-prepared, many utilities will miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity to help customers not only electrify, but also enroll in demand management programs. Learn about new collaborations between utilities, state energy offices (SEOs), and technology partners with Erica Borggren (Exelon), Mark Dyson (RMI), Aaron Berndt (Renew Home), Chris Wheat (Sustainable Cities Fund), and Neil Veilleux (Uplight).
2:40-3:50 pm
No Home Left Behind: Ensuring Equitable Electrification
Significant challenges remain to successfully engage income-qualified customers and install high-cost measures like deep weatherization or electrification while also addressing the up-front costs of repairs needed before many low-income homes can participate. Join Chuck Caisley (Evergy), Donnel Baird (BlocPower), Shaun Dentice (Resource Innovations), Melissa Washington (ComEd), and Hannah Bascom (Uplight) as we explore strategies that put income-qualified customers at the center of program design.
3:50-4:20 pm
CEO Keynote: The Intersection of Digitization, Electrification and Decarbonization
Electrification, digitization and decarbonization are imperatives that are rapidly changing the nature and needs of an increasingly distributed and decarbonized energy system. In this session, Uplight's CEO Luis D'Acosta will share his perspectives on how we can leverage active customer participation to harness the power of grid-connected assets and provide reliable flexibility capacity as an essential tool to optimize the modern grid.
4:20-4:30 pm
Closing Remarks: Where do we go from here?
4:30-5:30
Happy Hour at the Dalcy
Enjoy signature cocktails and small bites before we walk over to Duck Duck Goat for dinner!
6:00-10:30 pm
Dinner and Drinks
Let's embark on a culinary journey at Duck Duck Goat, where traditional Chinese flavors meet modern creativity.
