Plenary Session

Welcome and ARPA-E Overview

Speakers:
  • Rick Shangraw, Senior Vice President, ASU Knowledge Enterprise Development, Arizona State University
  • Arun Majumdar, Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy, U.S. Department of Energy - download pdfdownload






Remarks from Representative Harry Mitchell, U.S. House of Representatives






Morning Breakout: Investing in Energy Innovation

With new breakthrough technologies and emerging start-ups, the time seems right to invest in energy innovation. This panel will discuss what the new energy sector has in common with the IT and biotech sectors, what kinds of certainty are needed in the market for investment to increase, and how entrepreneurs can attract investment.

Location: Global Room, Second Floor
Moderator: Paul Kedrosky, Editor, Infectious Greed and Senior Fellow, Kauffman Foundation

  • Tom Cain, Managing Partner, SAIL Venture Partners
  • Jim Croce, President and CEO, Nevada Institute for Renewable Energy Commercialization
  • Sean Greene, Associate Administrator for Investment and Special Advisor for Innovation, U.S. Small Business Administration
  • Joel Kurtzman, Senior Fellow, Milken Institute






Developing State Policies for Energy Innovation

State policies vary widely yet have great potential to be at the forefront of encouraging energy research, development, deployment and adoption. These policies can provide a platform for innovation, economic development and job creation.

Location: Ingenuity Room, Third Floor
Moderator: Mark Muro, Co-Director, Brookings Mountain West, Senior Fellow and Policy Director, Metropolitan Policy Program, Brookings Institution

  • Thomas Bowles, Science Advisor to New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, New Mexico Governor’s Office
  • Kris Mayes, Chairman, Arizona Corporation Commission
  • Rick Naimark, Deputy City Manager, City of Phoenix
  • Tom Plant, Director, Colorado Governor’s Energy Office






Corporate Partnering to Bring Energy Innovation to Scale

Large companies that already have a foothold in the market can help entrepreneurs, small businesses, and other companies to enter the energy sector more successfully. By acting as lead customers, by entering joint ventures, and through their own investment arms, some companies are establishing best practices to bring energy innovation to scale.

Location: Convergence Room, First Floor
Moderator: Lesa Mitchell, Vice President of Advancing Innovation, Kauffman Foundation

  • Gary Dirks, Director, LightWorks, Arizona State University
  • Russ Frew, Vice President of Programs and Technology, Lockheed Martin
  • James Mulroy, Technical Director of the Advanced Security and Directed Energy Systems Product Line, Raytheon Missile Systems
  • Brook Porter, Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers






Innovation Panel

New partnerships, new companies, and new organizations can help us find solutions to critical energy, environmental and economic challenges. While innovation has been the economic driver of the U.S. economy for decades, we need to transform entire institutions and entire industries as well.

Location: Convergence Room, First Floor
Moderator: Nick Donofrio, Former Executive Vice President of Innovation & Technology, IBM; Senior Fellow, Kauffman Foundation

  • Tom Baruch, Founder and Managing Director, Energy and Materials, CMEA Capital
  • Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University
  • Ginger Lew, Senior Advisor, National Economic Council
  • Arun Majumdar, Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy, U.S. Department of Energy






Deep Dives

Building Research and Technology Leadership in the Southwest

Solar Energy Panel

The solar energy session will spotlight regional innovators that are applying world-class R&D and technologies towards the production of solar energy solutions. Discussion will focus on new research directions and how to promote solar technology development in the Southwest.

Location: Convergence Room, First Floor
Moderator: David Danielson, Program Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency– Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

  • Roger Angel, CEO, REhnu; Regents Professor of Astronomy and Optical Sciences, University of Arizona - download pdfdownload
  • Bud Annan, Solar Technology Institute, Science Foundation Arizona - download pdfdownload
  • Joe Armstrong, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Ascent Solar - download pdfdownload
  • Christiana Honsberg, Chief Scientist, Solar Power Laboratory, Arizona State University - download pdfdownload






Advanced Fuels Panel

The advanced fuels session will spotlight regional innovators that are applying world-class R&D and technologies towards the production of energy-dense liquid fuel alternatives to traditional petroleum-based resources. Discussion will focus on the scientific and technological challenges associated with a variety of advanced fuel production strategies.

Location: Ingenuity Room, Third Floor
Moderator: Eric Toone, Program Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency– Energy, U.S. Department of Energy - download pdfdownload

  • Devens Gust, Professor and Director, Center for Bio-Inspired Solar Fuel Production, Arizona State University - download pdfdownload
  • Mike Lynch, Chief Scientific Officer, OPX Biotechnologies, Inc. - download pdfdownload
  • Wim Vermaas, Professor, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University - download pdfdownload






Energy Storage Panel

The energy storage session will spotlight regional innovators that are applying world-class R&D and technologies towards the production of energy storage solutions. Session will explore various storage technology areas and discuss which applications have the strongest play for the Southwest.

Location: Global Room, Second Floor
Moderator: Mark Johnson, Program Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency– Energy, U.S. Department of Energy - download pdfdownload

  • John Affinito, Chief Technical Officer, Sion Power
  • John Boyes, Director, Energy Programs, Sandia National Laboratories - download pdfdownload
  • Cody Friesen, Founder, Fluidic Energy and Associate Professor, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University






Building Industrial Leadership in the Southwest: Manufacturing and Deploying Technologies at Scale

Solar Energy Panel

The solar energy session will discuss areas where the Southwest may have a competitive advantage in solar versus the U.S. as a whole, China, and the rest of the world. Discussion will focus on the “wins” in development and production and how the region can increase its role as a test bed for new technologies worldwide.

Location: Convergence Room, First Floor
Moderator: Dave Danielson, Program Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency– Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

  • Nolan Browne, Managing Director, Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems - download pdfdownload
  • Sean Gallagher, Vice President of Market Strategy and Regulatory Affairs, Tessera Solar - download pdfdownload
  • Richard Hayslip, Associate General Manager, Salt River Project






Advanced Fuels Panel

The advanced fuels session will explore challenges and opportunities for scaling advanced fuels production, with a focus on the Southwest region. Discussion will focus on issues concerning capital costs and financing, infrastructure, and supply chain challenges.

Location: Ingenuity Room, Third Floor
Moderator: Eric Toone, Program Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency– Energy, U.S. Department of Energy - download pdfdownload

  • Tom Hicks, Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Navy - download pdfdownload
  • John Steedman, European Lead for Venturing, BP Alternative Energy - download pdfdownload
  • Dave Thompson, CEO, Diversified Energy - download pdfdownload






Energy Storage Panel

The energy storage session will explore how to encourage an energy storage industry in the Southwest, including technology development and manufacturing. Discussion will focus on how to encourage integration with wind and solar project development as well as key barriers to deployment.cussion will focus on the “wins” in development and production and how the region can increase its role as a test bed for new technologies worldwide.

Location: Global Room, Second Floor
Moderator: Mark Johnson, Program Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency– Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

  • Massoud Amin, Director, Technological Leadership Institute, University of Minnesota - download pdfdownload
  • Grover Coors, Research Scientist, Ceramatec - download pdfdownload
  • Konrad Jarausch, Technical Analyst, Renewable Energy and Clean-Tech, Passport Capital - download pdfdownload






Closing Panel – Energy Innovation: From Concept to Market

Location: Convergence Room, First Floor
Moderator: Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University

  • Nick Donofrio, Former Executive Vice President of Innovation and Technology, IBM and Senior Fellow, Kauffman Foundation
  • Paul Kedrosky, Editor, Infectious Greed and Senior Fellow, Kauffman Foundation
  • Ginger Lew, Senior Advisor, National Economic Council
  • Arun Majumdar, Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy, U.S. Department of Energy