WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The GridWise Alliance and Clean Edge, Inc. today announced that gridCONNEXT 2020 will be held virtually, December 8-10, 2020. By bringing its program online, the premier industry event, now in its fourth year, will reach more business, policy, and utility stakeholders, as it explores emerging market innovations that support the transition to a clean, resilient electric grid. The conference will also examine the impacts of the U.S. presidential and congressional election on the future of the grid and grid infrastructure.
This year’s event theme is Electric Utilities: An Industry in Transition. Each day will cover a different focus area, presenting relevant keynotes, interactive panels, breakout sessions, and online networking opportunities:
- Day 1 – December 8 – Policies Driving Change
- Day 2 – December 9 – Technologies Driving Change
- Day 3 – December 10 – Corporates & Investors Driving Change
Initial keynote speakers and panelists include:
- Calvin Butler, CEO, Exelon Utilities
- Angelina Galiteva, Vice Chair, California Independent System Operator (CAISO)
- Marianne Laigneau, Chair, Enedis (grid operator for 95% of France)
- Gil Quiniones, President & CEO, New York Power Authority (NYPA)
- Jamey Stillings, Photographer, Changing Perspectives: Utility Scale Renewables and the Shifting Human Landscape
- Sylvester Turner, Mayor, City of Houston
Thanks to the generosity of event partners, registration fees for the first 1,000 registrants will be waived. After 1,000 sign-ups, registration will be available at a nominal fee of $99. For more information on the event, to register, or to learn about partnership and speaking opportunities visit gridconnext.com.
Using an advanced virtual platform provided by Hopin, attendees will benefit from a single registration access point; a conference environment including a reception area, live stage, and breakout rooms; and opportunities to connect with partners, speakers, and other attendees.
Confirmed gridCONNEXT 2020 Virtual partners include CenterPoint Energy, Exelon, Intel, NYPA, American Electric Power, Blue Practice, DNV-GL, Dentons, Pacific Northwest National Labs, Black & Veatch, and GE Grid Solutions.
“gridCONNEXT attracts influential stakeholders focused on building a resilient, sustainable, and efficient grid that acts as the backbone for our 21sth century economy,” explains GridWise Alliance CEO and conference co-producer Steve Hauser. “The event directly supports our group’s mission to accelerate and promote advanced grid infrastructure by engaging policymakers, regulators, utilities, and corporate and financial leaders.”
“We’re excited to host gridCONNEXT in December right after the U.S. elections,” explains Clean Edge managing director and conference co-producer Ron Pernick. “By going digital, we look forward to reaching a far larger group of business, policy, and utility leaders at the forefront of grid innovation and supporting timely presentations and virtual networking opportunities.”
About GridWise Alliance
The GridWise Alliance represents the broad and diverse group of stakeholders that design, build, and operate the electric grid. This includes electric utilities, information and communications equipment and service providers, national laboratories, academic institutions, regional transmission operators, and Independent system operators. Since 2003, GridWise and its members have been at the forefront of educating federal and state legislators and regulators on the critical need to modernize our nation’s electricity system to ensure continued economic growth and competitiveness and achieve system reliability, resilience, security, efficiency, sustainability, and affordability. For more information visit gridwise.org.
About Clean Edge
Clean Edge, Inc., founded in 2000, serves clients working to transition to a clean-energy and low-carbon economy. The firm is a developer and publisher of thematic stock indexes tracking clean energy, transportation, water, and the grid. The firm’s first index, the Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy Index, was launched with Nasdaq in 2006. Financial products tracking the firm’s indexes and universes exceed $1 billion in assets under management. Clean Edge, along with the GridWise Alliance, also co-produces the annual gridCONNEXT conference. Founder Ron Pernick is the co-author of two books, including The Clean Tech Revolution (HarperCollins, 2007), the first book to chronicle the growth and investment opportunity of clean technology. For more information visit cleanedge.com.
SOURCE gridCONNEXT