ClimateTech
convenes the leaders funding, creating, and deploying climate
technologies to accelerate the transition to a green economy.
New public policies backed by new public funding are fueling innovations, but the clock is figuratively, and literally, burning. We must identify, innovate, and quickly scale the solutions that will have the greatest impact on achieving net-zero objectives before it’s too late.
Electrification, AI, fusion, carbon capture, city level solutions, and radical adaptations are all on the agenda as we explore the innovations that will bring us to a sustainable future, now.
- In-person access: $2195
- Livestream access: $495
9:00 AM Welcome Remarks
James Temple Senior Editor for Energy, MIT Technology Review
9:10 AM Equity in Energy
The Inflation Reduction Act establishes crucial drivers for clean energy and environmentally conscious investments with an equity focus. Emerging investments in clean technology must not only achieve parity in social and economic engagement within the energy framework but also address and alleviate the disproportionate social, economic, and health challenges faced by those most impacted by the existing energy system.
Shalanda Baker Director, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity, U.S. Department of Energy
9:40 AM Becoming a Net-Zero Organization
Walmart is aiming for zero emissions across the company’s global operations by 2040 and committing to help protect, manage, or restore 50 million acres of land and 1 million square miles of ocean by 2030. Using renewable energy sources, electrifying its fleet, and cleaning up its supply chain are just some of the actions being taken to transform itself into a regenerative company.
Vishal Kapadia SVP for Energy Transformation, Walmart
10:05 AM Insuring a Clean Future
Climate change is destabilizing the insurance industry, driving up prices and pushing insurers out of high-risk areas around wildfire and flood zones. Insurers need to develop new models and new investment policies and become climate stewards as their industry undergoes a systemic, transformative change.
Andrew MacFarlane Head of Climate, AXA XL
10:30 AM Accounting for Climate Change
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed rule changes requiring companies to disclose greenhouse gas emissions, expected climate risks, and transition plans. Organizations will need to quickly adopt investor-grade reporting by developing their ability to measure, collect, and manage ESG data.
Steve Davis Head of Climate Science, Watershed
Networking Break (10:50 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.) Networking and refreshments for our live audience
10:50 AM Networking Break
Global City Solutions (11:20 a.m. – 12:40 p.m.)
More than half the world’s population lives in urban areas, which account for an estimated 76% of CO2 emissions from energy use. It is imperative that city officials act on climate change. These actions will not only decrease emissions, but also improve aging infrastructure and make their areas more attractive to residents and businesses.
11:20 AM Global Cities, Local Solutions
MIT’s City Science group has built an international network of labs developing climate concepts and key technologies that can be extended, deployed, and evaluated by its collaborators in their unique contexts around the globe. This session will comprise a series of 9 lightning talks from network collaborators, exploring their unique approaches to solving global climate problems at the local level. The talks include:
- Chile – Informal Innovation for Entrepreneurs
- Andorra – Creating a Circular Economy
- Germany – Ensuring Air Quality
- Taipei – Toolkit for Greener City
- Canada – Data for ClimateTech in Communities
- Shanghai – The Connected Campus
- Mexico – Water Resiliency
- Spain – Climate focused Mobility Transition
- Israel – Desert Urban Research
Kent Larson Director, MIT City Science
Lunch and Networking Break (12:40 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
12:40 PM Lunch and Networking Break
Our in-person networking lunch brings together industry leaders and experts who are interested in learning about emerging technologies and trends, exchanging thoughtful ideas and insights, and making lasting connections with peers at ClimateTech.
12:50 PM MIT City Science Open House
Take a tour of the City Science lab and see first-hand what their researchers are working on, including sensorized spaces, ultra-lightweight mobility solutions, and data-enabled decision making platforms. Learn more about the City Science Network and international community of researchers that share the common goal to enable more livable, equitable, and resilient communities.
Green Business (2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.)
Adapting to regulatory environments, scaling innovations from the lab to market, and securing financing are challenges for any business, but they are magnified for those building the new clean economy. Success requires both delivering sustainable technologies and maintaining a sustainable business.
2:00 PM Investing Dollars in Change
The value proposition of a modern, sustainable, net-zero economy has become the greatest business opportunity of our generation. The challenge lies in identifying nascent technology areas can enable breakthrough innovations and trigger sectoral tipping points that will invite further investment and accelerate adoption.
Susan Schofer Partner, SOSV; Chief Science Officer, HAX
2:30 PM Scaling Green Business
The transition to net zero is well underway, but the pace of scaling these technologies has not kept up with projections for a warming planet. Large capital requirements, technological uncertainty, and complex regulations and permitting processes are challenges every green business must resolve to profitably reduce global warming.
Frank van Mierlo CEO, CubicPV
2:50 PM Manufacturing Innovation
We unravel the strategies required to transition laboratory breakthroughs into market-ready solutions with the founder of Form Energy, A123 Systems, Desktop Metal, 24M and American Superconductor. The process always begins with an amazing idea, but success requires a systematic approach to the innovation journey.
Yet-Ming Chiang Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, MIT
Networking Break (3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.) Networking and refreshments for our live audience
3:15 PM Networking Break
This Could Change Everything (3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
Climate change is a big problem that requires bold solutions. Nuclear fusion, carbon capture, and electrifying aviation possess remarkable potential to catalyze a transformative shift in our efforts to address climate challenges on a global scale.
3:45 PM Amped Aviation
Over the past few years, the battery industry has largely used lithium-ion technology to power electric vehicles. But as lithium-ion batteries approach the theoretical limit of how much energy they can store, they remain well short of what’s required for most aircraft. For electric aircraft to fly, we’ll need to find a way to increase energy density while decreasing battery weight.
Venkat Viswanathan Associate Professor, University of Michigan; Cofounder, And Battery Aero, Aionics, and Chement
4:15 PM Making Big Magnets to Burn Some Plasma
Tokamak reactors utilize magnetic fields to heat and control plasma, enabling nuclear fusion for clean energy generation. Recent advancements in high-temperature superconductors allow smaller and more affordable tokamak fusion systems, promising limitless, local clean energy to combat climate change.
Daniel Brunner Cofounder and CTO, Commonwealth Fusion Systems
4:35 PM Carbon Capture Rocks
Rocks are some of the planet’s most vital carbon sinks. Over geological timescales, CO2 from the atmosphere binds to minerals and permanently turns to rock. Limestone is one of the most abundant rocks on the planet, capturing massive amounts of CO2. While this natural process takes generations to complete, new technology can accelerate it to just days.
Noah McQueen Cofounder & Head of Research, Heirloom
5:00 PM Closing Remarks