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GridNEXT 2017 Pre-Conference Readiness Workshops

All Workshops are Open to the Public, Subject to Change. Space is limited.

October 23rd
8:30-9:10am

GridNEXT 1.0 Renewable Energy Project Economics

Last several years have seen significant adoption of renewable energy in the US and around the world. Technology advancements along with rapid price decline in the areas of solar, wind, energy efficiency, battery storage etc., have enabled this growth and continue to be strong drivers for future growth. Understanding the complexities of project development and becoming familiar with various available funding mechanisms are important first steps for customers wanting to pursue such projects. This workshop will introduce the concepts of project development and finance as it relates to renewable energy. The intended audience for this workshop are home and business owners considering renewable energy purchases, electric utilities, students and anyone interested in learning the basics of renewable energy project development. The workshop closes with providing a deep dive into Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program, a financing vehicle for energy efficiency upgrades or renewable energy installations for residential, commercial and industrial property owners.

Speakers

October 23rd
9:10-11:30am

GridNEXT 2.0 Energy Markets, Regulatory & Technology

This workshop will provide an overview of how ERCOT markets (and markets in general) work with respect to:

• Declining costs curves for new resources (wind, solar, storage) and the dynamics driving them

• The energy geography of ERCOT, as well as theoretical imitations for integrating renewables into a closed system such as ERCOT

• An intro to the concept of digitization as it applies to wind turbines - but also to new and existing gas-fired generation that foster further renewables integration

• Changes in how supercomputing and materials science are changing the entire energy landscape

• How the above realities likely play out in the near-to-midterm, and things to watch for, such as: things to watch for, such as convergence of modes and technologies (e.g., transportation colliding with electricity; buildings becoming batteries; and lighting networks providing security and marketing)

Speakers

October 23rd
10:00-11:30am

How Local Communities can be Designated as SolSmart *

The workshop will focus on how the designation process works for cities and challenges and tips for success. Potential topics include: 

• Permitting

• Planning, Zoning, and Development

• Inspection

• Construction Codes

The workshop will also cover recent efforts in Texas cities to pass and implement solar-ready construction codes.

Speakers

*Must Pre-Register