National Conservative Energy Summit 2024
CEN’s Annual National Conservative Energy Summit brings together an unparalleled group of conservative clean energy advocates, policy experts, state & federal leaders, and technical specialists from across the nation.
CEN’s annual gatherings offer attendees a chance to hear from subject experts, network, share best practices, and develop strategies to forge a clean energy future rooted in conservative principles.
Houston, Texas
August 19 – 21, 2024
The Houstonian Hotel
Agenda
Subject to change
Unless otherwise specified, all programming will take place in the Forest Ballroom on the First Floor.
| Monday, August 19, 2024 | |
| 1:00 PM | Registration Opens – Forest Ballroom, First Floor |
| 2:00 PM | Welcome Remarks & Opening Keynote “The State of Energy Today” • John Szoka, CEO – Conservative Energy Network • Pat Wood, CEO – Hunt Energy Network |
| 3:00 PM | Spotlight on the Texas Advanced Nuclear Reactor Working Group Keynote remarks by Texas PUC Commissioner Jimmy Glotfelty |
| 3:20 PM | The Next Generation of Nuclear Energy Panel moderated by Commissioner Jimmy Glotfelty • Maria Korsnick, President & CEO – Nuclear Energy Institute • Andrew Harmon, Vice President of Operations & Business Development – Natura Energy • Dr. Rusty Towell, Next Lab Director – Abilene Christian University |
| 4:00 PM | Emerging Technologies “Clean Tech Pitch Contest” Moderator: Jason Ethier, Founder of Energy Tech Nexus Contestant: CLS Wind | Kent Johnson, CEO Contestant: Helix Earth Technologies | Blake Mistich, Director of Business Development Contestant: US Geometals | Brian Mueller, CTO Contestant: Cavern Energy Storage | William Taggart, Founder & CEO Contestant: Moonshot Hydrogen | Rene Ramirez, Founder |
| 5:00 PM | Break |
| 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Summit Sponsors Welcome Reception The Manor House @ The Houstonian Hotel |
| Tuesday, August 20 | |
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast Buffet – Juniper Ballroom, Second Floor (return to Forest Ballroom for programming) |
| 8:30 AM | “Life is unpredictable. Your power shouldn’t be.” Keynote remarks by John Berger, CEO – Sunnova Energy |
| 9:00 AM | Transforming Transmission: A Conversation About “What If We Could…” Keynote remarks by Michael Skelly, CEO – Grid United |
| 9:15 AM | Unlocking the Full Potential of Transmission Reform Panel moderated by Michael Skelly, CEO – Grid United • Christina Hayes, Executive Director – Americans for a Clean Energy Grid • Danielle Russo, Executive Director – Center for Grid Security • Daniel Wolf, Manager – US Policy & Advocacy at Breakthrough Energy • Steve Caminati, Vice President – Pattern Energy |
| 10:00 AM | Disrupting Our Energy Future Keynote remarks by Amory Lovins, Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Rocky Mountain Institute • Fireside Chat with Josh Brooks, Director of Policy – Advanced Energy United |
| 11:00 AM | “Geothermal Anywhere – The Heat Beneath Our Feet” Panel moderated by Barry Smitherman, Chairman – Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance • Cindy Taff, CEO – Sage Geosystems • Sarah Jewett, Vice President of Strategy – Fervo Energy • Terra Rogers, Director, Superhot Rock Energy – Clean Air Task Force |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch & Learn: Artificial Intelligence, Manufacturing, and Load Growth – Juniper Ballroom, Second Floor Panel moderated by Salome Garcia, Senior Policy Principal – Advanced Energy United • Stephen Butler, Georgia Conservatives for Clean Energy • John Karakoulakis, The Western Way • Nick Murray, South Carolina Conservatives for Clean Energy |
| 1:00 PM | Building Bridges: A Roadmap for Conservatives and Environmentalists to Collaborate on Clean Energy Solutions Panel moderated by Doug Lewin – Stoic Energy Consulting • Alex Bozmoski, Vice President of Programs – DEPLOY/US • Colin Leyden, Energy Lead – Environmental Defense Fund • Marilu Hastings, Executive Vice President – The Mitchell Foundation • Drew Bond, Co-founder, President & CEO of C3 Solutions |
| 2:00 PM | Incentivizing Innovation: The Role of Tax Credits in Sustainable Aviation Fuels Panel moderated by Samantha Dravis, COO – AxAdvocacy • Neil Hansen, SVP of Global Energy Products – Exxon/Mobil • Emily Skor, Chief Executive Officer – Growth Energy |
| 2:30 PM | Embracing Circularity: Breakthroughs in Clean Energy Recycling Technologies Panel moderated by Garvin Heath, Principal Engineer at NREL • Cody Earle, Vice President, Pitbull Shredding Solutions • Harsh Desai, Chief Commercialization Officer – Zeno Power • Nick Cain, Director of Government Affairs – SOLARCYCLE • Tiffiany Moehring, Head of Communications and Marketing – American Battery Technology Company |
| 3:30 PM | Clean Energy Permitting Reform in the State of Minnesota Panel Discussion moderated by Sarah Spence, Midwest Regional Director – Conservative Energy Network • Kayla Christensen, Executive Director – Minnesota Conservative Energy Forum • George Damian, Director of Government Affairs – Clean Energy Economy Minnesota • Beth Soholt, Executive Director – Clean Grid Alliance |
| 4:00 PM | Fireside Chat: How the United States and Texas Can Reduce Emissions by Expanding Energy Choice • Heather Reams, CEO – Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions • Congressman Randy Weber (R – Texas) |
| 5:00 PM | Break |
| Wednesday, August 21 | |
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast – Juniper Ballroom, Second Floor (return to Forest Ballroom for programming) |
| 8:30 AM | Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE): Putting PACE To Work In Your Region Dub Taylor, Board Member – PACE Nation & COO – Texas PACE Authority |
| 9:00 AM | Spotlighting the Conservative Climate Caucus • Britt Zwierzchowski Tisler, COO – Conservative Energy Network • Congresswoman Miller-Meeks, R – Iowa |
| 9:30 AM | Spotlight on Texas’ Aggregated Distributed Energy Resource Pilot Project Keynote remarks by Jason Ryan, Executive Vice President – CenterPoint Energy & ADER Task Force Chairman |
| 9:45 AM | Innovating for Energy Independence: Virtual Power Plants in Action Panel discussion moderated by Jason Ryan, CenterPoint Energy • Amy Heart, SunRun • Bill Barnes, NRG Energy • Matt Boms, Advanced Energy United & TAEBA • Arushi Sharma Frank, Luminary Strategies • Drew Higgins, KPMG |
| 10:30 AM | Wind, Solar, and Battery Storage: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities Panel moderated by Michael Jewell, Conservative Energy Network • Drew Christensen, Apex Clean Energy • Marshall Conrad, Strata Clean Energy • Mark Stover, TX Solar Power Association |
| 11:15 AM | Innovations in Carbon Capture and Sequestration: Paving the Way to a Sustainable Future Panel moderated by Charles McConnell, Reliable Energy Alliance, UH Center for Carbon Management • Steve Everley, Senior Managing Director, Energy & Natural Resources – FTI Consulting • Amir Hermes, New Energy Business Development Manager – SLB • Katherine Romanak, Research Professor – The University of Texas at Austin |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch – Juniper Ballroom, Second Floor |
| 1:00 PM | Hydrogen Tomorrow: Fueling the Future Panel moderated by Susan Shiflett, Ex. Dir. – Texas Hydrogen Alliance • Des Carlisle, Executive Director – Southeast Hydrogen • Ravi Handadi, Director-Energy & Transition Ventures – ABB Energy Industries • Hesston Klenk, Director Government Relations – AES Clean Energy • Laura Merten, Policy Manager – Apex Clean Energy |
| 2:00 PM | Delivering Power to the People Keynote remarks by Bret Biggart – Founder and President, Freedom Solar |
| 2:30 PM | Pundits, Prognostications and Predictions: The Impact of 2024 Elections at the State and Federal Levels Panel moderated by Jacquie Baly, Founder & President, BalyProjects • Mark Jones, PhD The Baker Institute, Rice University • Chris Wilson, WPA Intelligence • Dave Carney, Governor Abbott Chief Political Strategist |
| 3:30 PM | Tales From The Field: A Land & Liberty Story, Empowering Economic Change through Renewable Energy • Bradley Pischea, National Director – Land & Liberty Coalition® • Nathan Dull, Senior Field Manager – Land & Liberty Coalition® |
| 4:00 PM | Documentary Film Sneak Peek: “Renewing Texas” Gaston Davis, Samuel Davis and John Davis – Pecan Spring Ranch |
| 4:45 PM | Closing Remarks |
| 5:00 PM | Conference ends |