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
Agenda
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
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts
10/05/2023 at 09:00AM
Reception and dinner celebrating the 
