2019 Summit
About
Convening Leaders in the Clean Tech Economy
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will host its sixth annual UNC Clean Tech Summit on Thursday, February 28, 2019 – Friday, March 1, 2019 at UNC’s Friday Center. The event will highlight the latest innovations, trends and challenges in the clean technology industry and how North Carolina is playing a key role in leading the way to a global clean energy economy. The Summit is co-hosted by the UNC Institute for the Environment and the Center for Sustainable Enterprise at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.
2019 UNC Clean Tech Summit
February 28 – March 1
UNC Friday Center, Chapel Hill
Thank you to our sponsors, students, and speakers for making this 6th annual event an impactful and engaging experience for all with record-breaking attendance!
Follow us on social media (@UNC_CleanTech) and look for ways to continue the clean tech conversation.
Speakers
Keynote
Panelists
Agenda
THEMES
- Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Farming
- Renewable Energy
- Energy Storage + Grid Modernization
- Smart + Connected Communities
- Corporate Sustainability
- Coastal Resiliency
- Energy Efficiency
- Investment + Finance
PROGRAM
- Keynote Addresses: Thought provoking addresses by clean tech industry leaders and key government officials.
- Panel Discussions: Presentations, discussions and Q & A with experts from industry, government, agriculture, communities and academia.
- Workshops: Interactive and engaging sessions to explore, learn and collaborate.
NETWORKING AND MENTORING
- The Summit Mentor Program offers students an invaluable opportunity to meet with a professional throughout the Summit.
- The Career Fair offers students and representatives from a wide variety of clean tech companies the chance to meet and make connections.
Day 1
Summit Day 1
| Thursday, February 28 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00-9:00 | Networking + Continental Breakfast |
Atrium | |
| 9:00-9:05 | Welcome | Michael Piehler, Director, Institute for the Environment | Grumman Auditorium |
| 9:05-9:10 | Kenan-Flagler Center for Sustainable Enterprise | Tracy Triggs Matthews, Associate Director, UNC Kenan-Flagler Center for Sustainable Enterprise | Grumman Auditorium |
| 9:10-9:15 | Introduction of Keynote Speaker | Master of Ceremonies Mark Laabs, Managing Director, Modern Energy |
Grumman Auditorium |
| 9:15-10:00 | Keynote Address | Julie Borlaug, Vice President Communications and Public Relations, Inari | Grumman Auditorium |
| 10:00-10:30 | Keynote Address | Sharon Allan, Chief Innovation Officer, Smart Electric Power Alliance | Grumman Auditorium |
| 10:45-12:00 | Panel and Roundtable Discussions | ||
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMING | Clean Tech and Sustainable Farming
Marianela Rodriguez, Innovation Scout Lead, BASF Mick Messman, Chief Commercial Officer, GreenLight Biosciences Emily Glenn , Business Development Director, Arbiom Ryan Rapp, Head of Product Discovery, Pairwise Plants Rad Page , Chief Commercial Officer, PlantResponse |
Redbud | |
| COASTAL RESILIENCY | Urban Resiliency
Todd BenDor, Professor and Director, PhD Program, Carolina Planning Aubrey Germ, Climate and Resilience Planner, City of Baltimore Brian Boutin, Director, Albemarle-Pamlico Program, The Nature Conservancy Will McDow, Director, Resilient Landscapes, Environmental Defense Fund |
Mountain Laurel | |
| SMART AND CONNECTED COMMUNITIES | Electric Buses
Dale Hill, Founder, Proterra Adam Fischer, Transportation Director, City of Greensboro Lang Reynolds, Manager of Electric Transportation, Duke Energy Ward Lenz, Managing Director, NC Sustainable Energy Association Melanie Henderson, Environmental Engineer, Mobile Source Compliance Branch, NCDEQ |
Azalea | |
| THE NEXUS BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT | Managing Environmental Financial Risk
Greg Characklis, Director, Center on Financial Risk in Environmental Systems| Jordan Kern, Assistant Professor, Forestry and Environmental Resources, NC State University Tony Smith, Senior Director of Finance and Warranty Operations, Strata Solar Adam Hise, Origination Associate, Scout Clean Energy |
Windflower | |
| ENERGY STORAGE AND GRID MODERNIZATION | Solar 2.0: Moving Towards Dispatchable Power
Steve Ihnot, Chief Financial Officer, juwi Joel Olsen, CEO, O2 emc Jochen Bard, Division Director, Energy Process Technology, Fraunhofer IEE Brian O’Hara, Senior Vice President Strategy and Government Affairs, Strata Solar Ivan Urlaub, Executive Director, NC Sustainable Energy Association Kenneth Jennings, Director, Renewable Strategy and Policy, Duke Energy |
Dogwood | |
| IMPORTANT INNOVATIONS IN ENERGY | Energy Innovation to Support the Department of Defense and the Military Mission
Michael McGhee, Executive Director, U.S. Army Office of Energy Initiatives Tim Tetreault, Energy and Water Program Manager, Department of Defense (ESTCP) Jim Sides, Regional Energy Program Manager, Marine Corps Installations East Susan Cohen, Associate Director, Institute for the Environment |
Bellflower | |
| CLEAN TECHNOLOGY AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL | Bioenergy as a Rural Economic Development Tool
Jochen Tilger, Managing Director, Tilger Biofuels Gus Simmons, Vice President, Director of Bioenergy, Cavanaugh Associates Paul Ulanch, Executive Director, Crop Commercialization Program, NC Biotechnology Center John Lemire, Director of Transmission Resources, North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives Kraig Westerbeek, Senior Director, Smithfield Renewables |
Sunflower | |
| 12:00-1:15 | Luncheon | Trillium | |
| 12:25-12:30 | Welcome | Kevin Guskiewicz, Interim Chancellor, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill | |
| 12:30-12:35 | Introduction of Keynote Speaker | Master of Ceremonies Mark Laabs, Managing Director, Modern Energy |
|
| 12:35-1:15 | Keynote Address | Michael S. Regan, Secretary, N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) | |
| 1:00-4:30 | Resume Roundup | UNC Environmental Resource Program (ERP) staff will provide walk-up, on-the-spot resume feedback for students to help prepare for the career fair on Friday. | Atrium |
| 1:30-2:45 | Panel and Roundtable Discussions | ||
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMING | Alternative Proteins
Soren Lund, Head of Strategic Growth F+B, Novozymes Angel Turner, Senior Data Scientist, Growers Michael Fotinatos, Strategic Implementation Specialist, The Good Food Institute David Swintosky, Interim CFO, Improved Nature Aaron Dossey, President, Founder, All Things Bugs/GrioPro Cricket Powder |
Bellflower | |
| COASTAL RESILIENCY | Ecologically Valuable and Delicious: The Oyster Paradox
John Preyer, Co-founder, President and COO, Restoration Systems Michael Piehler, Director, UNC Institute for the Environment Jeff Warren, Research Director, North Carolina Policy Collaboratory Ashley Smyth, Assistant Professor, Biogeochemistry, University of Florida |
Windflower | |
| SMART AND CONNECTED COMMUNITIES | Think Global, Act Local: The Cutting Edge Role of Local Governments in Promoting Clean Tech
Jeff Hughes, Director, Environmental Finance Center, UNC Scott Morrissey, Senior Director, Sustainability, Denver International Airport Mary Tiger, Sustainability Manager, OWASA |
Dogwood | |
| THE NEXUS BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT | Financial Institutions Driving Sustainability
Lisa Shpritz, SVP, Environmental Business Operations, Bank of America Tracy Triggs Matthews, Associate Director, UNC Kenan-Flagler Center for Sustainable Enterprise Melissa Malkin-Weber, Sustainability Director, Self-Help Credit Union and Ventures Fund |
Sunflower | |
| ENERGY STORAGE AND GRID MODERNIZATION | Energy Storage: a Utility Perspective
Jonathan Landy, Business Development Manager, Duke Energy Kevin Hernandez, Director, ScottMadden Penn Markham, Engineer, Distribution Planning and DG Integration, Dominion Energy Charlie Bayless , VP Senior Regulatory Counsel, NC Electric Membership Corporation |
Mountain Laurel | |
| IMPORTANT INNOVATIONS IN ENERGY | State of Small Modular and Next Gen Nuclear Power Production
Jeffrey Merrifield, Energy Section Leader and Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman Cheryl Collins, Director of Sales, NuScale Power Jeff Whitt, Director of Advanced Reactors and Government Services, Framatome Jon Ball, Executive Vice President, Nuclear Power Plants, GE Hitachi Nicholas Smith, Principal Engineer, Southern Company |
Azalea | |
| CLEAN TECHNOLOGY AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL | Clean Technology Innovation Between Raleigh and Charlotte
Susan Sanford, Executive Director, Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster Bob Irvin, Executive Director, Joules Accelerator Andrea Eilers, Program Manager, Energy and Environment, Triangle J Council of Governments Matt Zapp, Town Manager, Town of Benson Devin Nieusma, Business Development Associate, State of Place |
Redbud | |
| 2:45-3:00 | Break | ||
| 3:00-4:15 | Panel and Roundtable Discussions | ||
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMING | Transparency in Ag Value Chain from Farmer to Consumer
Courtney Bell, President and Founder, Ungraded Produce Andy Kennedy, Interim Director, IFT Global Food Traceability Center Katy Jones, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer, FoodLogiQ Matthew Campbell, Research Associate, PhD Candidate, Marine Aquaculture Research Center, NC State University |
Bellflower | |
| COASTAL RESILIENCY | Coastal Resilience, Marshes, and Nature-Based Solutions
Todd Bridges, Senior Research Scientist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Carolyn Currin, Research Ecologist, NOAA, National Ocean Service Sam Whitin, New England Operations Manager, EA Engineering, Science and Technology Susan Cohen, Associate Director, UNC Institute for the Environment |
Windflower | |
| SMART AND CONNECTED COMMUNITIES | Smart Water
Mike Myers, President, Envirolink Travis Smith, Director of Smart Water Strategy, Sensus Greg Koch, Technical Director, Environmental Resources Management (ERM) Matt Zapp, Town Manager, Town of Benson |
Azalea | |
| THE NEXUS BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT | Innovations in Corporate Social Responsibility
Zane Lichtneger, Principal Sustainability Analyst, Global Environmental Program, SAS Nathan Daigle, Global Director, Environment, Health and Safety, Cree Erin McElligott, Business Consultant, Three Zeros Cindy Shea, Director, Sustainability @UNC Katherine Lane, Environmental Engineer, Unilever |
Sunflower | |
| ENERGY STORAGE AND GRID MODERNIZATION | Grid Congestion
Jinxiang Zhu, Senior Principal Consultant, ABB Brian Bednar, President and Founder, Birdseye Renewable Energy Kevin Meagher, President, Power Analytics Charlie Askey, Group Leader Energy and Renewables, Timmons Group |
Mountain Laurel | |
| IMPORTANT INNOVATIONS IN ENERGY | Carbon Capture and Utilization
Justin Ong, Program Director, ClearPath Brian Murray, Director, Duke University Energy Initiative, Duke University Bill Throndset, Senior Manager, BioAg Fermentation, Novozymes Damian Beauchamp, Principal 8 Rivers |
Dogwood | |
| CLEAN TECHNOLOGY AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL | Leveraging Opportunities for Entrepreneurs in the Agtech Space
Doug Cameron, Senior Managing Director, US-China Green Fund Doug Calaway, CEO, Your Local Greens Jai Templeton, Former Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture, AgLaunch Stephen Ross, Representative, Deputy Majority Leader, North Carolina General Assembly Scott Johnson, Vice President, Agriculture Sector Development, NC Biotechnology Center Karen Levert, CEO Ag TechInventures |
Redbud | |
| 3:00-3:30 | Fraunhofer: Lessons from Germany | Jochen Bard, Division Director Energy Process Technology, Fraunhofer Institute | Boardroom *Limited seating (video recording) |
| 4:15-4:30 | Break | ||
| 4:30-5:00 | Coastal Wrap Up and Synthesis from the Day | Michael Piehler, Director, Institute for the Environment
Susan Cohen, Associate Director, Institute for the Environment |
Windflower |
| 4:30 – 4:50 | Industry Perspective: SolarKeynote Introduction |
Markus Wilhelm, Co-founder and CEO of Strata Solar | Grumman Auditorium |
| 4:50 – 5:30 | Keynote Address | Alfred Griffin, President, NY Green Bank | |
| 5:30-6:30 | Student Workshops | Sam Polino, Clean Energy + the Young Professional
Jordan Meer, Clean Energy Investing 101 |
Mountain Laurel
Azalea |
| 5:30-7:30 | Reception | Atrium | |
| 6:45-7:15 | Keynote Address, “TED Talk” style in the Atrium | Lloyd Yates, EVP Customer and Delivery Operations and President, Carolina Region | Atrium |
- Subject to change
Day 2
Summit Day 2
| Friday, March 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00-9:00 | Networking + Continental Breakfast |
Atrium | |
| 9:00-9:15 | Welcome
Molchanov Scholars |
Michael Piehler, Director, Institute for the Environment
Terry Magnuson, Vice Chancellor, UNC Research |
Grumman Auditorium |
| 9:15-9:20 | Introduction of Keynote Speaker | Master of Ceremonies Brian Bryce, Attorney at Law, The Law Offices of F. Brian Bryce, Jr. |
Grumman Auditorium |
| 9:20-9:50 | Keynote Address | Jim Haskins, Smart and Connected Communities, Cisco | Grumman Auditorium |
| 9:50-9:55 | Introduction of Keynote Speaker | Master of Ceremonies Brian Bryce, Attorney at Law, The Law Offices of F. Brian Bryce, Jr. |
Grumman Auditorium |
| 9:55-10:25 | Keynote Address | Philip Mezey, Chief Executive Officer, Itron | Grumman Auditorium |
| 10:30-11:00 | Mentor Meet-and-Greet with Philip Mezey | An up close and personal opportunity to ask questions and learn about this CEO’s non-traditional career path | Grumman Auditorium |
| 10:30-11:00 | Mentor Meet Up | Atrium or Willow Lounge | |
| 11:00-12:15 | Panel and Roundtable Discussions | ||
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMING | Innovations to Stem Food Waste
Lucyna Kurtyka, Senior Scientific Program Director, Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) Charlotte Sedlock, Sustainability Team, Apeel Sciences Amy Cooke, Teaching Associate Professor, Director of Undergraduate Studies, UNC Environment, Ecology and Energy Program Leila Costa, Sustainability Architect, Universities, Sodexo Travis Frey, Vice President, Science and Innovation, WISErg Corporation |
Windflower | |
| RENEWABLE ENERGY AND RURAL COMMUNITIES | Community Considerations in the Clean Energy Transition
Jacquie Ayala, Energy Campaign and Outreach Coordinator, NC Justice Center DeAndrea Salvador, Founder and CEO, Renewable Energy Transition Initiative (RETI) Carolyn Fryberger, Economic Development Manager, NCGrowth at Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise Curtis Wynn, President and CEO, Roanoke Electric Cooperative Jonas Monast, Assistant Professor, Director, Center on Climate, Energy, Environment, & Economics (CE3) |
Azalea | |
| SMART AND CONNECTED COMMUNITIES | Electrification of the Transportation Economy: The Final Frontiers
Lang Reynolds, Manager of Electric Transportation, Duke Energy Joe Milazzo, Executive Director, Regional Transportation Alliance Joe Forbes, Chairman, Causam eXchange Dale Hill, Founder, Proterra Matthew Coleman, Key Account Manager, Georgia Power Company, a subsidiary of Southern Company |
Bellflower | |
| THE NEXUS BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT | Impact Investing
Pavel Molchanov, Senior Vice President and Equity Research Analyst, Raymond James & Associates Chris Wedding, Managing Partner, IronOak Energy Capital Tom Darden, Founder and CEO, Cherokee Joshua Humphreys, President and Senior Fellow, Croatan Institute David Kirkpatrick, Managing Director and Co-Founder, SJF Ventures |
Dogwood | |
| INNOVATIONS IN WATER AND ENERGY | What Will Define the Next Generation of Green Buildings
John Nichols, Director of Energy Analytics and Informed Design, Moseley Architects Brian Vaughn, Business Analyst, STRATIS IoT Ryan Snow, Director, Market Transformation + Development, U.S. Green Building Council Traci Rose Rider, Assistant Professor of Architecture, Doctor of Design Faculty, NC State University College of Design Keith Pehl, President and CEO, Optima Engineering |
Mountain Laurel | |
| WIND ENERGY: THE FUTURE OF WIND IN THE SOUTHEAST | Wind Supply Chain
Katharine Kollins, President, Southeastern Wind Coalition Ulrich Tombuelt, Chief Operations Officer, SAERTEX USA Emmanuel Martin-Lauzer, Business Development Director, Nexans High Voltage USA Tom Flaherty, Operations Leader, Global Supply Chain, GE Onshore Renewables Jennifer Mundt, Senior Policy Advisor, NCDEQ |
Redbud | |
| CHANGING ENERGY LANDSCAPE | Trends in Clean Energy Media Coverage
Kate Sheppard, Senior Enterprise Editor, Huffington Post Lyndsey Gilpin, Editor and Publisher, Southerly Elizabeth Ouzts, Freelance Journalist, Southeast Energy News Kristi Swartz, Reporter, Energywire Julian Spector, Staff Writer, Greentech Media |
Sunflower | |
| 12:15-1:30 | Luncheon | Trillium | |
| 12:40 | Introduction of Clean Tech + Innovation Program Social Media Interns
Keynote Introduction |
Reginald Holley, Principal and Founder, The Longmire Group | Trillium |
| 12:45-1:30 | Luncheon Keynote Address | DeAndrea Salvador, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Renewable Energy Transition Initiative (RETI) | Trillium |
| 12:45-1:30 | Luncheon Workshop | The Art of the Possible, Women Helping Women Pursuing STEM Careers
Leah Brown, CEO, CORDS – Community-Centric Opioid Research and Data Services Johnna Frierson, Director of Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University Jyotika Sharma, Manager Business Analysis, Biogen Marisa Scavo, Project Developer, Cypress Creek Renewables Patricia Parker, Department Chair, Associate Professor, UNC Department of Communication |
Dogwood |
| 1:45-3:00 | Panel and Roundtable Discussions | ||
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMING | Healthy Soils
Susanne Kjemtrup, Independent Consultant, Phyta Biotech Consulting Lakisha Odom, Scientific Program Director, The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research Julianne Bielski, Chief Technology Officer, RX Maker Roian Atwood, Director of Sustainability, VF Jeanswear Gabriele Oronato, Principal and Chief Agronomist, International Farming Corporation |
Windflower | |
| RENEWABLE ENERGY AND RURAL COMMUNITIES | Renewable Energy + Agriculture
Brooks Mixon, Grounds Maintenance Manager, Sun Raised Farms Olivia Eskew, Sustainability Coordinator, Cypress Creek Renewables Tom Butler, Owner, Manager, Butler Farms Alex Cerwin, Global Strategy and Insights Manager, Novozymes North America Steve Kalland, Executive Director, NC Clean Energy Technology Center |
Bellflower | |
| SMART AND CONNECTED COMMUNITIES | Cities Leading the Way on Carbon Reduction
Angie Fyfe, Executive Director, ICLEI, Local Governments for Sustainability Amol Naik, Chief Resilience Officer, City of Atlanta Tobin Freid, Sustainability Manager, Durham City and County Dionne Delli-Gatti, Director, Southeast Clean Energy, Environmental Defense Fund |
Dogwood | |
| THE NEXUS BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT | Looking Ahead to 2030: How to Make NC a Leading Center for Agriculture and Food Technology
Adam Bergman, Senior Vice President, Clean Tech Banking and Head of AgTech Practice, Wells Fargo Charlie McNairy, Chief Executive Office, Chief Information Officer, International Farming Corporation William Aimutis, Director, NC Food Innovation Food Lab |
Sunflower | |
| INNOVATIONS IN WATER AND ENERGY | Women Innovating the Water Industry
Francine Durso, Senior Project Manager, NCDEQ Nicola Hill, Water Planning Analyst, HDR Carol Folt, Chancellor from 2013-2019, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Stacey Berahzer, CEO and Founder, IB Environmental Carol Rosenfeld, Senior Project Director, Environmental Finance Center, UNC School of Government Dawn Nall, Program Manager, Southwest Environmental Finance Center |
Redbud | |
| WIND ENERGY: THE FUTURE OF WIND IN THE SOUTHEAST | Wind Energy in the Southeast
Katherine Ross, Partner, Parker Poe Don Giecek, Senior Development Manager, Apex Clean Energy Amber Hewett, Offshore Wind Energy Campaign Manager, National Wildlife Federation Craig Poff, Director of Development, Kitty Hawk Offshore Wind, Avangrid Renewables |
Mountain Laurel | |
| CHANGING ENERGY LANDSCAPE | Energy Storage in N.C.: Future Considerations
John Szoka, Conference Leader, N.C House of Representatives Diane Cherry, Director of Engagement, NC Sustainable Energy Association Joseph DeCarolis, Associate Professor, Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, NC State University Kenneth Jennings, Director, Renewable Strategy and Policy, Duke Energy Brad Ives, Associate Vice Chancellor, Campus Enterprises, UNC Chapel Hill |
Azalea | |
| TECHNOLOGY TRENDS | Utility of the Future: Emerging Trends in Technology
Carl Wilkins, Executive Advisor, Vice President, Distribution and Asset Operation, Quanta Technology Ken Dulaney, Director of Industry and Innovation, FREEDM Systems Center Gary Rackliffe, Vice President, Smart Grids, ABB |
Wintergreen | |
| 3:00-5:00 | Career Fair | Atrium | |
Sponsors
Contributions and sponsorships make it possible for us to bring together attendees and speakers to explore key issues in the Southeast’s clean tech industry.
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In accordance with the UNC Institute for the Environment’s commitment to sustainability, the UNC Clean Tech Summit is proud to be a Carolina Green event.