BloombergNEF Summit: New York
The BNEF Summit provides the ideas, insights and connections to formulate successful strategies, capitalize on technological change and shape a cleaner, more competitive future.
Tuesday, 16 April 2024
07:45
Registration and Networking Breakfast
Connect, network, and do business with fellow industry executives at the BNEF Hub and in the networking area. You can schedule 1-1 meetings via the BNEF Summit App.
09:00
Welcome Address by Bloomberg LP’s Founder- Michael Bloomberg, Founder, Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions
09:05
BNEF Talk: The Energy Transition: Think Fast and Slow- Jon Moore, Chief Executive Officer, BloombergNEF
09:20
Welcome- Dana Perkins, Host, Bloomberg Switched On Podcast, Summit Anchor, BloombergNEF
09:30
Policy Dialogue | Positioning America to Thrive in a Carbon Free 21st Century
The Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law have created a unique window of opportunity for the US to align industry and society in pursuit of a low-carbon economy. In this one-on-one with DoE Under Secretary for Infrastructure David Crane, we will discuss the choices policymakers face to ensure that public money unlocked by this legislation is spent in a way that is efficient, just and has a lasting impact on America’s energy transition.
Under Secretary Crane will also share some findings from the Innovative Grid Deployment: Pathways to Commercial Liftoff report which has just been launched.
- David Crane, Under Secretary of Energy for Infrastructure, United States Department of Energy
- Thomas Rowlands-Rees, Head of North America Research, BloombergNEF
09:50
BNEF Talk: US Climate Policy in an Uncertain Political Landscape
During the Biden Presidency, the US government has made considerable progress in implementing policies to get on track to net zero, with the Inflation Reduction Act alone to bring over $370 billion in direct support for clean technologies. Internationally, these policies are also helping the US to cement its status as a leading manufacturer of low-carbon energy products and to push for bolder action in the global climate negotiations. However, with the federal election after 1.5 years of the IRA, what are the implications of the potential political shifts for the US climate transition? Where are the risks and opportunities for companies and investors? And could a change of administration in the US jeopardize the global energy transition?
- Victoria Cuming, Head of Policy, BloombergNEF
10:05
Supply Chain Subsidies Echo Far and Wide
The Inflation Reduction Act’s many incentives have got a host of clean-tech manufacturers breaking ground in the US. A bulging pipeline of battery, solar and electrolyzer factories has sprung out of the ether. Manufacturers hail from across the world, bringing know-how and finance from East Asia to Europe. Investors are watching closely as multiple governments hammer out their own industrial strategies. What draws foreign manufacturers to the US? How much of today’s factory pipeline will get built? How is the IRA contributing to onshoring outside the US?
Moderator:- Antoine Vagneur-Jones, Head of Trade and Supply Chains, BloombergNEF
- Nigel Cockroft, U.S. General Manager, Jinko Solar
- Art Fletcher, Head of the Domestic Content & Illuminate Business Unit, Invenergy
- Scott Moskowitz, Senior Director of Market Strategy and Industry Relations, Qcells North America
- Rebecca Ward, Chief of Staff, Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains, Department of Energy
10:45
Networking Coffee Break
Connect, network, and do business with fellow industry executives at the BNEF Hub and in the networking area. You can schedule 1-1 meetings via the BNEF Summit App.
11:15
Executive Dialogue | Utilities Are at the Heart of the Energy Transition
US utilities lie at the forefront of a decarbonizing power system, striving to scale renewables and grids to meet their customers’ net-zero ambitions, as well as state and federal targets. But the path to carbon neutrality won’t be smooth. Siting and permitting challenges have lengthened project timelines, while electricity demand – which has long been flat or declining across the US – is suddenly on the rise, propelled by data centers, manufacturing and electric vehicles. That’s without mentioning the additional complication of more frequent and severe natural disasters.
Join us in dialogue with leading US utility executives as we explore how they are navigating changing consumption patterns, grid connection and permitting backlogs and securing the capital needed to reach net zero.
Moderator:- Meredith Annex, Head of Clean Power, BloombergNEF
- Justin Driscoll, President & Chief Executive Officer, NYPA
- Kristina Lund, President, Pattern Energy
- Pedro Pizarro, President & Chief Executive Officer, Edison International
11:50
Partner Spotlight: Google- Amanda Peterson Corio, Global Head of Data Center Energy, Google
11:55
Policy Dialogue | Advancing US Domestic and International Policy Opportunities Within the Energy Transition- John Podesta, Senior Climate Advisor to the President of the United States
- Annmarie Hordern, Co-anchor of Bloomberg Surveillance and Political Correspondent, BloombergTV
12:20
Networking Lunch
Connect, network, and do business with fellow industry executives at the BNEF Hub and in the networking area. You can schedule 1-1 meetings via the BNEF Summit App.
12:20
Barclay Salon 1
Accessing & Scaling Energy Innovation
Themed Lunch Hosted by Chevron
What are the hurdles in identifying important energy innovations in need of support? How can the potential to scale economically be assessed early in development? What are the challenges to scaling energy innovation, and how can industrial companies partner with the early-stage ecosystem to scale affordable, reliable and ever-cleaner energy solutions?
Lunch will be served in the Barclay Salon Pre-function area.
Moderator:- Stephanie Diaz, Associate, Technology and Innovation, BloombergNEF
- Jim Gable, Vice President of Innovation & President of Technology Ventures, Chevron
12:20
Barclay Salon 2
Building Demand for Advanced Clean Electricity Technologies
Themed lunch hosted by Google
Advanced clean electricity technologies like next-generation geothermal, advanced nuclear, clean hydrogen, and long-duration energy storage (LDES) are critical for grid decarbonization, but face a number of barriers to commercial deployment. Join Google, Microsoft and Nucor to learn about their new initiative to aggregate demand for these technologies and accelerate their commercialization by the early 2030s.
Lunch will be served in the Barclay Salon Pre-function area.
Moderator:- Kyle Harrison, Head of Sustainability Research, BloombergNEF
- Michelle Chang, Program Manager for Decarbonization Technologies, Google
- Chad Eaton, Director of Government Affairs, Nucor Corporation
- Taylor Leyden, Senior Program Manager, Renewable Energy, Microsoft
12:20
Morgan
The Future of Renewable Energy Investment and Tax Credit Transfers
Themed Lunch Hosted by Schneider Electric
The US Inflation Reduction Act has mobilized well over $100 billion in climate and energy-related investments since its passage a year and a half ago. Central to the law’s efficacy is a clause allowing organizations to transfer eligible federal tax credits for green energy projects.
This session will spotlight Schneider Electric’s recent tax credit transfer agreement with ENGIE North America. Learn about this evolving partnership, tax credit transfer eligibility requirements, and how these transfers can help public and private entities accelerate renewable energy procurement, reduce Scope 2 emissions and capture favorable risk-adjusted returns on investment.
Lunch will be served in the room.
Moderator:- Derrick Flakoll, Policy Associate, North America, BloombergNEF
- Sarah Kiriluk, Head of Acquisitions, Investment & Financial Advisory, ENGIE North America
- John Powers, Vice President, Global Renewable Energy & Carbon Advisory, Schneider Electric Sustainability Business
13:20
BNEF Talk: Scaling Investment in the Next Wave of Climate Technologies: A How-To Guide
There are many exciting climate technologies waiting to scale. But financing of them, particularly for hard-to-abate sectors, is proving difficult. This talk will provide a framework to help identify strategies to make first of a kind projects more bankable.
- Claire Curry, Head of Technology, Industry & Innovation, BloombergNEF
13:35
Partner Spotlight: Runergy- Bing Yu, Global Marketing Director, Runergy
13:40
Policy Dialogue | Climate Action and the US Treasury
The US Department of the Treasury holds the keys to implementation of major portions of the Inflation Reduction Act, in particular through its work on tax credit guidance. The institution also plays an important role in US efforts to drive global climate action through international collaboration and partnership. This conversation with Climate Counselor Ethan Zindler will focus on how to unblock and accelerate progress on climate and energy transition, both domestically and internationally.
- Ethan Zindler, Climate Counselor, US Department of Treasury
- Albert Cheung, Deputy Chief Executive Officer & Head of Global Transition Analysis, BloombergNEF
14:00
Innovation Forum: Decarbonizing the Construction and Operation of Buildings
Come hear from early-stage companies aiming to revolutionize the buildings sector. This innovation forum will feature leading companies working on new kinds of heat pumps, new building materials, new building designs, and platforms for accelerating the deployment of clean thermal conditioning systems or demand-side innovations.
- Marshall Cox, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Kelvin
- Johnny Fry, Country Manager, Celsius Energy
- Amit Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, Aeroseal
- Stephanie Diaz, Associate, Technology and Innovation, BloombergNEF
14:30
Networking Coffee Break
Connect, network, and do business with fellow industry executives at the BNEF Hub and in the networking area. You can schedule 1-1 meetings via the BNEF Summit App.
15:00
BNEF Talk: Future-Proofing Battery Supply Chains in North America
Governments the world over are acting to reduce risks across the lithium-ion battery supply chain. This talk will take stock of their efforts to date, and explore how North America can best unlock its battery-making potential.
- Ellie Gomes-Callus, Associate, Metals and Mining, BloombergNEF
15:15
Leveraging Largest-Ever Grid Investment to Enhance Resilience
In October 2023, the utility industry received one of the largest federal grants and financing amounting to $3.5 billion, with the anticipation of a second funding cycle in 2024. The funding is part of a broader effort of permitting reforms and grid enhancements to boost resilience and accelerate the integration of renewables across the US. Meanwhile, Independent System Operators across the US are now advancing billions in transmission projects, showing a shift to a more proactive approach. Are we achieving the desired level of progress? What can we anticipate post-2024 if funding decreases or is removed? How can we deploy funding effectively and which technologies can expedite progress toward achieving net zero in the US?
Moderator:- Felicia Aminoff, Associate, Grids and Utilities, BloombergNEF
- Richard Dewey, President & Chief Executive Officer, NYISO
- Angelina Galiteva, Chair, Board of Governors, CAISO
- Rohan Kelkar, Executive Vice President, Global Power Products, Schneider Electric
- Maria Robinson, Director, Grid Deployment Office, Department of Energy
15:55
New Paradigm for Offshore Wind Projects
The US offshore wind industry is grappling with challenges such as increasing capital costs, inflation, supply-chain constraints and uncertain tax credits, leading to project setbacks and cancellations. Despite the challenges, projects are still being initiated, and developers are contemplating project recalibration, bringing in a new paradigm for the industry. What lies ahead for offshore wind in the US? How does the US offshore wind market distinguish itself from other global regions? Is this a unique scenario for the US offshore market and where can opportunities be identified to expedite market growth?
Moderator:- Atin Jain, Senior Associate, Wind, BloombergNEF
- Morten Dyrholm, Global Senior Vice President, Vestas Wind Systems
- David Hardy, Group Executive Vice President & Chief Executive Officer, Americas Region, Ørsted
- Doreen Harris, President & Chief Executive Officer, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
16:25
Closing Day 1
- Dana Perkins, Host, Bloomberg Switched On Podcast, Summit Anchor, BloombergNEF
16:30
Networking Coffee Break
Connect, network, and do business with fellow industry executives at the BNEF Hub and in the networking area. You can schedule 1-1 meetings via the BNEF Summit App.
17:00
Deep-Dive Sessions – Choose Your Track
17:00
Barclay Salon 1
Track 1: Power
Optimizing Revenue for Renewable Energy Projects
Power price cannibalization and curtailment are increasingly common for onshore renewable energy projects in key US markets like Caiso, Ercot and MISO. The impacts are already evident in major US markets where renewable energy penetration levels exceed system demand on a more frequent basis. On top of this, rising renewables is leading to more curtailment both for economic reasons and due to system congestion. How are developers rethinking the revenue streams for their projects in this changing environment? What role do power purchase agreements play in a market with more-frequent negative power prices? What do future natural gas prices mean for the viability of these projects and how does exposure to specific power nodes affect site selection or asset value? How do these various factors around revenue impact equity owners in a higher-interest rate environment?
Moderator:- Pol Lezcano, Senior Associate, Solar, BloombergNEF
- Egbert De Groot, Senior Vice President, Mergers and Acquisition and Offtake origination, Boralex
- Nuno Dias Andrade, Managing Director and Head of Global Debt Finance US, Santander Bank N.A.
- John Larkey, Vice President of Power Marketing, National Grid
- Stephen Pike, Head of Enel Green Power North America, Enel Green Power North America
- Javier Rico, Solar Associate, BloombergNEF
17:00
Barclay Salon 2
Track 2: Finance
Challenges and Opportunities in Sustainable Finance Under a Polarized Landscape
Sustainable finance markets have been cannon fodder in a supercharged political and economic environment, both in the US and globally. Sustainable debt levels have stalled due to high interest rates and companies ducking greenwashing accusations. Some 18 states have passed “anti-ESG” laws across the US, limiting the sustainable investing remit of asset managers and pension funds. What does 2024 – an election year across many parts of the world and an expected period of economic stabilization – hold for the future of sustainable finance markets?
Moderator:- Jameson McLennan, Sustainable Finance Analyst, BloombergNEF
- Chris Ailman, Chief Investment Officer, CalSTRS
- Steven Rothstein, Founding Managing Director, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets
- Valerie Smith, Managing Director and Chief Sustainability Officer, Citi
17:00
Morgan
Track 3: Technologies
Long-Duration Energy Storage: Is it Now or Never?
In 2023, the US led in long-duration energy storage (LDES) installations with 38% of global energy storage capacity, but slow project development and China’s growing dominance in the project pipeline may soon leave the US’s leadership behind. Lithium-ion batteries connected to the grid will soon surpass pumped hydro storage in the US, raising questions about whether there is space for other technologies to flourish. Considering lithium-ion battery’s consolidation and supply chain dominance, especially for durations up to 12 hours, will alternative technologies become irrelevant? These technologies need to scale with realistic cost and growth targets that are able to keep them afloat and able to compete with lithium-ion batteries within this decade. This session will discuss how that may be achieved and what technologies are suitable beyond 12 hours. And can the US lead in LDES?
Moderator:- Yiyi Zhou, Clean Power Specialist, BloombergNEF
- Kate Howling, Senior Consultant, Department of Energy Loan Programs Office
- Gabe Murtaugh, Director of Markets and Technology, LDES Council
- Roxanne Tully, Principal, Piva Capital
- Curtis Vanwalleghem, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Hydrostor
18:00
Networking Reception
Connect, network, and do business with fellow industry executives at the BNEF Hub and in the networking area. You can schedule 1-1 meetings via the BNEF Summit App.