17th Annual VerdeXchange VX2024 Marketmakers' Conference
VX2024 Where Clean & Green Tech Marketmakers Meet To Accelerate & Scale Investments In The New Energy Economy
May 12-15, 2024
LOS ANGELES—For 17 years VerdeXchange has gathered accomplished clean, green, and blue tech entrepreneurs, energy & water companies, advanced vehicle manufacturers, software & hardware developers, public policymakers as well as: procurers, innovative financiers, and environmental stewards "under-one-roof" to assess what's in-market, about to be in-market, and what's needed in market to propel the global, multi-trillion dollar verde economy.
Join global market leaders at VerdeXchange VX2024 on May 12-15, 2024, at the Omni Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles, to examine how cities, states, and regions, in collaboration with public and private partners and community stakeholders, should and will leverage the $1.1 trillion in US infrastructure funding now flowing, after decades of neglect, to optimize economic recovery, maximize transformational climate infrastructure investments, and accelerate growth of the global clean energy economy.
VX 2024 Day 1 Program: Monday, May 13, 2024
7:00 AM
Registration and Breakfast
7:45 AM
VX2024 Welcome
Stephen Cheung, President & CEO, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation
8:10 AM
Morning Plenary I
No More Demos: Shovel-Ready Projects to Equitably Meet the Climate Imperative
Moderator: Jim Kelly, Director, S&C Electric
Panel:
David Hochschild, Chair, California Energy Commission
Mark Pestrella, Director, LA County Public Works
Ted Bardacke, Executive Director, Clean Power Alliance
8:55 AM
Morning Plenary II
Status Report: Realizing the Grid's Net-Zero Promise
Moderator: Marybel Batjer, Partner, California Strategies
Panel:
Maryam Brown, President, SoCalGas
Darcie Houck, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
Carla Peterman, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer, Pacific Gas & Electric
9:45 AM - 10:35 AM - Concurrent Panels
-ENERGY-
California's Gut Check Moment: Future of Distributed Energy Resources
Moderator: Eliot Abel, Pivot Energy
Panel:
Kate Unger, CalSSA
Raghav Urali, PowerFlex
Derek Chernow, Western US Regional Director, Coalition for Community Solar Access
-WATER-
Our Water's Future: Recycled Water
Moderator: David Nahai
Panel:
Felicia Marcus, Stanford University Fellow, Water & the West
Mark Gold, Director of Water Scarcity Solutions, NRDC
Katy Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles City Council
Richard Katz, LADWP Commission President
-TRANSPORTATION / INFRASTRUCTURE-
Windows of Opportunity for Clean Transport in the U.S. & California
Moderator: Hilary Norton, Commissioner, California Transportation Commission
Panel:
Gideon Kracov, Boardmember, California Air Resources Board and South Coast Air Quality Management District
-POLICY/FINANCE-
Next Generation Investment in Clean Energy & Climate Solutions
Moderator: Kathleen Brown
Panel:
Daniel Weiss, Angeleno Group
Tom Soto, Impact Investor D4IR-JMS Impact Partners
Joaquin Silva, Managing Partner, Energy Innovation Capitall
Janna Sidley, Board Member, LACERS, and Commissioner, Little Hoover Commission
Responder: Michelle Demers, Founder and CEO, Boundless Impact Research & Analytics
10:45 AM - 11:35 AM - Concurrent Panels
-ENERGY-
Making Sense of Regulations and Funding Opportunities at the State and Federal Level
Moderator: Arnab Pal, Sr. Advisor & Consultant, US Department of Energy Loan Program Office
Panel:
Dan Adler, Deputy Director for Climate Finance, California I-Bank
Ean Mulligan, Birch Creek Renewables
Hillary Hebert, HMH Energy
Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer
-WATER-
Digital Waters: Soft and Hardware to facilitate integrated systems.
Moderator: Paige E. Samblanet, Associate, Brownstein Hyatt Faber Schreck
Panel:
Pete Perciavalle, Stantec
Brian Jordan, Tetra Tech
Liz Crosson, Chief Sustainability Officer, Metropolitan Water District
-SUSTAINABILITY / INFRASTRUCTURE-
Charging Up EV Charging in LA County & California
Moderator: Ruben Aronin, SVP, Better World Group
Panel
David Hochschild, Chair, California Energy Commission
Adam Lane, Waymo
Ariel Fan, CEO, Greenwealth Energy
Michelle Kinman, Senior Vice President of Market Transformation, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubaotor
Samantha Lustado, Senior Geospatial Analyst, ARUP Charge4All
-POLICY/FINANCE-
Getting Ready for New Global, National & State Climate Disclosure Rules
Moderator: Ross Zelen, Chief Committee Consultant, CA Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies
Panel:
Mike Wallace, Chief Decarbonization Officer, Persefoni
Marca Hagenstad, Principal, Stantec
Michele Demers, CEO and Founder, Boundless Impact Research and Analytics
11:40 AM - 12:20 PM - Concurrent Panels
-WATER-
VX 2024 Water Charrette (By Invitation)
Hosted by:
Adel Hagekhalil, General Manager, Metropolitan Water District
Mark Pestrella, Director, LA County Public Works
Martin Adams, Gerneral Manager & Chief Engineer, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
-ENERGY-
How AI and Data Impact the Energy Transition
Moderator: Hilary Herbert, Clean Energy Regulatory / Policy Consultant, HMH Energy Consulting Inc.
Panel:
Raj Prasad, Vice President Transformation, Stantec
Brian Goldman, Principal Compliance Analyst, Sonoma Clean Power
Minh Le, General Manager, Los Angeles County Internal Services
- BUILT ENVIRONMENT-
University Sustainability
Moderator: Cecilia Estolano, CEO & Founder, Estolano Advisors and CEO, Better World Group
Panel:
Nurit Katz, Chief Sustainability Officer, UCLA
-ENERGY-
Resiliency & Preparedness in Extreme Climate Uncertainty
Moderator: Jim Kelly, Director, S&C Electric
Panel
Carla Peterman, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer, PG&E Corporation
Rob Lempert, Director, RAND Pardee Center for Longer Range Global Policy and the Future Human Condition
Heather Rosenberg, Los Angeles Resilience Lead, Arup
12:42 PM - 2:00 PM
Luncheon Plenaries
Introduction: Stephen Cheung, President & CEO, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation
Special Remarks by Tamotsu Saito, Chairman of Japan New Energy & Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
Luncheon Plenary
Energy Affordability: Yes, We Can Afford to Go Green!
Moderator: Jim Kelly, Director, S&C Electric
Panel:
Steven Powell, President and CEO, Southern California Edison
Siva Gunda, Vice Chair, California Energy Commission
Martin Adams, General Manager, LADWP
2:00 PM - 2:20 PM
Post-Luncheon Plenary
Water Resiliency At Scale
Introduction: Robert Hertzberg, Sr. Advisor, Mission Possible Partnership
Presentation: Susan Kennedy, Chairman and CEO, Cadiz Inc
2:35 PM - 3:20 PM - Concurrent Panels
-ENERGY-
You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Measure: Methane Mitigation
Moderator: Ross Zelen, Principal Consultant, California Joint Committee on Climate Change Policies
Panel:
Ana Bandea, Director of Methane Results, M Insights
Riley Duren, CEO, Carbon Mapper
Mark Nechodom, Senior Director for Science & Technology, Western States Petroleum Association
-WATER-
Accelerating Water Resilience through Infrastructure Finance in California
Moderator: Kathleen Brown, Former Treasurer, State of California
Panel:
Matt Horton, Director, Center for Regional Economics & California Center, Milken Institute/Accelerator for America
Bob Hertzberg, Sr Advisor, Mission Possible Partnership
Mark Pestrella, Director, Los Angeles County Public Works
-POLICY/FINANCE-
A Just Energy Transition—Climate Equity & Environmental Justice
Moderator: Rick Cole, Councilmember, City of Pasedena
Panel:
William Funderburk, Board Member and Senior Advisor, PermaCity Foundation
Darcie Houck, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
Yasmin Abraham, Co-Founder and President, Kambo Energy Group - Canada
-ENERGY-
India's Climate Agenda
Moderator: Gunjan Bagla, CEO, Amritt Inc.
Panel:
Dr. Srikar Reddy, India’s General Council, Cousulate of India San Francisco
Siva Gunda, Vice Chair, California Energy Commission
Anil Tammineedi, Partner, Angeleno Group
Paul Rosen, NASA
3:30 PM - 4:20 PM - Concurrent Panels
-ENERGY-
Integrating ESG Data: Delivering Impact Beyond Megawatts
Moderator: Eliot Abel, Senior Vice President, Corporate Clean Energy Solutions, Pivot Energy
Panel
Mike Wallace, Chief Decarbonization Officer, Persefoni
Michael Lombardo, CEO, GlideFast Consulting
-WATER-
The Future of Water at Home: The 50L Home LA Pilot Project
Moderator: Ben Stapleton, Executive Director, U.S, Green Building Council California
-POLICY/FINANCE-
Clean Energy Jobs: Is the Workforce Training Ecosystem Evolving to Meet the Challenges?
-POLICY/FINANCE-
Pitch Session: LAEDC/WTCLA International Cleantech Companies
Moderator: Stephen Cheung, President & CEO, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation
4:25 PM - 5:15 PM - Concurrent Panels
-POLICY/FINANCE
Reality Check: Speed Bumps to Successful Implementation to Hitting Clean Energy Goals
Moderator: Jim Kelly, Director, S&C Electric
Panel
Coby Skye, Fmr Deputy Director Los Angeles County Public Works, Blue Sky Environmental Consulting
Rick Cole, Councilmember, City of Pasedena
Bob Hertzberg, Sr. Advisor, Mission Possible Partnership
-TRANSPORTATION / INFRASTRUCTURE
Future of Clean Trucks: How to Kickstart the Clean Truck Market in the U.S. and California
Moderator: Terry O'Day, Chief Operating Officer, In-Charge Energy
Panel:
Hector De La Torre, Board Member, California Resource Board
-POLICY/FINANCE-
Pitch Session Part II: Consul Generals’ Response
Moderator: Stephen Cheung, President & CEO, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation
6:30 PM - Canada Dinner (By Invitation)
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VX 2024 Day 2 Program: Tuesday, May 14, 2024
7:15 AM
Registration and Breakfast
7:45 AM - 7:55 AM
Welcome
Stephen Cheung, President & CEO, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation
David Abel, Chairman, VerdeXchange
8:10 AM - 9:00 AM
Plenary
Will Metropolitan LA. Be Ready for the '28 Olympics?
Moderator: Katherine Perez, Pricipal and Los Angeles Office Leader, ARUP
Panel:
Stephanie Wiggins, Chief Ececutive Officer, LA Metro
Andrea Ambriz, General Manager, Expo Park
9:10 AM - 10:00 AM - Concurrent Panels
-ENERGY- HYDROGEN SUPERTRACK
VerdeXchange H2 Supertrack (9:10AM to 4:15PM)
Hydrogen Market Update
Moderator: Tyson Eckerle, Senior Advisor for Clean Infrastructure and Mobility, Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development
Panel:
Elise Zoli, Partner, Energy and Climate Solutions, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Paul Nelson, Managing Partner, Saoradh Enterprise partners (SEP)
Daniel Garcia, Eco Engineer
Mirei Isaka, Director Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology Office, New Energy and Industrial Technology Developmment Organization (NEDO Japan)
Maressa Brennan, Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, U.S. Department of Energy
-ENERGY-
Building Decarbonization: A Status Report
Moderator: Sara Neff, Head of Sustainability, Lendlease Americas
Panel:
Liane Randolph, Chair, California Air Resources Board
Panama Bartholomy, Director, Building Decarbonization Coalition
Erin McConahey, Pricipal, ARUP
Alex Hall, CEO, Concrete AI
-TRANSPORTATION /INFRASTRUCTURE-
Accelerating the Sustainability of our Air & Sea Ports
Moderator: Janna Sidley, Board Member / Partner, Los Angeles City Employees Retirement / Ichor Strategies (Fmr - General Counsel to the Port of Los Angeles)
Panel:
Michael Galvin, Director, Waterfront and Commerical Real Estate, Port of Los Angeles
Erin Cooke, Sustainability + Environmental Policy Director, San Francisco International Airport
-TRANSPORTATION / INFRASTRUCTURE-
Complete & Safe Streets
Moderator: Jacob Lipa, Founder and Principal, Lipa Consulting
10:10 AM - 11:00 AM - Concurrent Panels
-ENERGY- HYDROGEN SUPERTRACK (9:50 - 10:20 AM)
Building H2 Cities and Municipal Alliances
Moderator: TBA
Panel:
Riley Saito, Energy Specialist and the Deputy Director, County of Hawaii
Kunihito Yamamoto, Namie Town, Japan
Jason Caudle, City Manager, City of Lancaster
-ENERGY- HYDROGEN SUPERTRACK (10:30 - 11:00 AM)
H2 Technology and Innovation
Moderator: TBA
Panel:
Jimmy Chen, Managing Director, SECA - Stanford Energy Corporate Affilates, Precourt Institute for Energy.
Jack Brouwer, Director National Fuel Cell Research Center, UC Irvice
Erika Pham, Senior Manager / Strategy, Mote Hydrogen
Lorraine Paskett, Executive Director, Advanced Clean Hydrogen, Air Products and Chemicals Inc.
- BUILT ENVIRONMENT-
Olympics Legacy Parks, Culture & Placemaking
Moderator: Aura Vasquez, Fmr Commissioner, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Panel:
Joe Edmiston, Executive Director, Snata Monica Mountains Conservancy
Andrea Ambriz, General Manager, Exposition Park
Mia Lehrer, Commissioner, Studio MLC / Los Angeles Dpeartment of Water and Power Board
-SUSTAINABILITY-
Maximizing Verifiable Environmental Benefits
Moderator: Rita Kampalath, Acting Chief Sustainability Officer, Los Angeles Country Chrief Sustainability Office
Panel:
Mark Gold, Director of Water Scarcity Solutions, Natural Resrouces Defense Council
Leslie Moulton-Post, President and CEO, Environmental Science Associates
Michael Colvin, Director, California Energy Program, Environmental Defense Fund
-URBAN/ INFRASTRUCTURE-
What is the New Right of Way- Where Digital Impacts the Physical
Moderator: Yuval Bar-Zemer, Principal, Linear City Development LLC
Panel:
Miguel Sangalang, Deputy Mayor for Budget and Innovation, City of Los Angeles
Heather Repenning, Executive Officer of Sustainability Policy, LA Metro
11:10 AM - 11:50 AM - Concurrent Panels
-TRANSPORTATION / INFRASTRUCTURE-
Urban Air Hubs - New Aviation Mobility
Moderator: Ryan Altoon, CEO, Sustainable Cities LLC, Chair - Urban Land Institute Los Angeles
Panel:
Leah Goold-Haws, President and CEO, Long Beach Economic Partnership (LBEP)
Emilien Marchand, Director of Ecosystem Partnerships, Wisk
Cecelia Estolano, CEO and Founder, Estolano Advisors, CEO of Better World Group
-WASTE & RECYCLING-
What’s Needed to Bring Carbon Capture (CCS) to Scale in Line with California's Goals
Moderator: Virgil Welch, Partner, Caliber Strategies
-URBAN/ INFRASTRUCTURE-
How is A.I. Impacting Urban Transport?
Moderator: Phil Recht, Partner, Mayer Brown
-ENERGY- HYDROGEN SUPERTRACK
Hydrogen: Project Finance Update
Moderator: Kathleen Brown, Fmr Treasurer, State of California
Panel:
Takaki Sakai, Managing Director, Mitisubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG)
Ricky SaKai, Senior Vice President Investments, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) America Inc
Michele Della Vigna, Managing Director, Head of Natural Resources Team, Goldman Sachs
12:00 PM - 1:35 PM
Luncheon Plenary
California's Path to Carbon Neutrality
Plenary Speaker: Liane Randolph, Chair, California Air Resources Board
Introduction: Sara Neff, Head of Sustainability, Lendlease Americas
1:45 PM - 2:10 PM
Post-Luncheon Plenary
Game Changers: Meet the Market Makers
2:15 PM - 2:45 PM
Recognition: Hydrogen Cities: Meeting the Energy Transition Moment
Moderator: Lex Heslin, CEO, ENSO Infrastructure LLC
Video Congratulations from Sunita Satyapal at DOE and Kathryn Barger, 5th District Supervisor, LA County Board of Supervisors
Introducing: Lancaster, CA Mayor Rex Parris - “Green Mayor of the Year Award!”
2:30 PM - 3:25 PM - Concurrent Panels
-ENERGY- HYDROGEN SUPERTRACK
California's Hydrogen Hub
Moderator: Joy Langford, Chief Community Officer, (ARCHES)
Panel:
Angelina Galiteva, Board Member, California ISO (ARCHES)
Tyson Eckerle, Senior Advisor for Clean Infrastructure and Mobility, Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development
-ENERGY-
Energy Storage Comes of Age: Scaling the North America Battery Industry
Moderator: TBA
Panel:
Sumreen Rattan, Co-Founder and COO, Moment Energy
Ronan Bilak, President, Clean Tech Geomechanics Inc
- BUILT ENVIRONMENT-
Housing Affordability Deconstructed/ Rethinking the Urban Planning Paradigm
3:45 PM - 4:30 PM - Concurrent Panels
- BUILT ENVIRONMENT-
How Planning with Digital Twins Will Change Cities & The World
Moderator: Tom Small. Culver City Forward
Panel:
Myrna Bitner, CEO, RUNWITHIT Synthetics
- BUILT ENVIRONMENT-
HLA Passed: What's Next?
Moderator: Ava Bromberg, President and CEO, Creative Urban Solutions, Inc.
Panel
Michael Schneider, Founder, Streets for All
Randall Winston, LA Mayor’s Office, Infrastructure
Jessica Meaney, Investing in Place
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VX 2024 Day 3 Program: Wednesday, May 15, 2024 (By Invitation Only)
7:45 AM
Bus Pick Up: Omni Hotel to San Pedro Bay Ports
8:30 AM - 9:45 AM
Boat Tour: San Pedro Bay Ports
9:45 AM - 10:00 AM
Bus to Alta Sea
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Tour of Alta Sea and Programing