The Arizona Solar Summit brings together people and organizations to advance the solar industry on both the regional and national levels, creating a network to propel Arizona to national prominence in the industry.

The fourth annual Arizona Solar Summit, part of the 2014 Sustainability Solutions Festival, will focus on introducing innovative policies, programs and technologies that are critical to reshaping Arizona’s energy markets.

Participants will gain a better understanding of Arizona’s current energy market conditions, solar energy’s place in regional and national markets, and ideas for accelerating the penetration of clean technologies into this market.

What: Arizona Solar Summit IV

When: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 20

Where: ASU SkySong, 1475 N. Scottsdale Rd. RM 150, Scottsdale, 85257

Cost: $175 standard registration; $75 non-profit and community partners; $35 student registration

Registration: https://www.regonline.com/azsolarsummitIV

Media Opportunities:

Attending members of the media will have the following opportunities to engage with speakers and participants at the Arizona Solar Summit:

• Discuss current issues at roundtable discussions
• Capture address from keynote speaker, Bill Harris, CEO and president of Science Foundation Arizona
• Observe multiple panel discussions with industry and thought leaders
• Participate in industry networking sessions
• Interact with solar energy exhibitors, including startups and research organizations
• Interview speakers following panel discussions

Agenda:

Full details are available online at http://azsolarsummit.org/summit-iv-february-2014. Highlights include:

• 7:30-9 a.m.: Roundtable discussions being led by ASU experts on a variety of renewable and solar energy topics, including policy and scientific developments at ASU, and water/energy nexus issues
• 9:15-10:30 a.m.: Kris Mayes, director of the Utility of the Future Center, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law professor and former chairman on the Arizona Corporation Commission moderating Panel I: Utility of the Future: How New Technology Is Bringing Change and Opportunity to Electric Companies and Their Customers. This panel features: 

  • Charles Bayless, North America Energy Holdings
  • Bob Graham, Southern California Edison (retired)
  • Tim Berg, Sacramento Municipal Utility District
  • Meghan Nutting, Solar City

• 10:45 a.m. - noon: Gary Dirks, director of the Global Institute of Sustainability at ASU and director of LightWorks moderating Panel II: De-Carbonizing the Energy System. This panel features: 

  • Charles Bayless, North America Energy Holdings
  • Tim Berg, Sacramento Municipal Utility District
  • Kerry Smith, W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University
  • Ellen Stechel, LightWorks, Arizona State University

• 12:20-1 p.m.: Bill Harris, CEO and President, Science Foundation Arizona, keynote speaker
• 1-1:15 p.m.: Sethuraman Panchanathan, senior vice president, Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development, ASU will give an address
• 1:30-2:45 p.m.: Harvey Bryan, professor at the Design School and School of Sustainability, ASU moderating Panel III: Deep Energy Retrofit Financing. This panel features: 

  • Daniel Hunter, account executive, Ameresco
  • Dimitrios Laloudakis, energy manager, City of Phoenix
  • Scott Muldavin, Rocky Mountain Institute

• 3-4:15 p.m.: Leisa Brug, energy policy advisor to Governor Jan Brewer and director, Arizona Governor's Office of Energy Policy moderating Panel IV: National Governors Association Policy Academy Targeting Clean Energy for Economic Development and Briefing on the Arizona Master Energy Plan. This panel features: 

  • Bennett Curry, Arizona Commerce Authority
  • Representative Frank Pratt, Arizona State House
  • Senator Bob Worsley, Arizona State Senate

• 4:15-4:30 p.m.: Closing remarks by Gary Dirks and Todd Hardy, vice president of assets, ASU Foundation for a New American University and senior economic development adviser, Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development, ASU
• 4:30-6 p.m.: Reception, Networking & Technology Showcase