Annual Clean and Sustainable Energy Summit

The Clean Energy and Sustainability Analytics Center (CESAC) at Montclair State University is  proud to organize its 6th Annual Clean and Sustainable Energy Summit, with the purpose of accelerating actionable solutions in the field of clean energy. This Summit will be an invaluable opportunity to advance the evolving clean energy economy throughout the state of New Jersey, as well as the greater Northeast region, as we move towards a clean energy future.

This forum will provide a venue for informed participant-driven discussions on clean energy technology, policy, and acceptance between industry experts, policymakers, academia, investors, technology startups, environmental groups, and a wide range of stakeholders to encourage collaboration and project development while supporting state and local governments in meeting clean energy, resilience, and environmental goals.

The theme of the Summit is “Building a Resilient Future Through Regional Collaboration, Innovation, and Planning.” We will have discussions about energy innovations to explore how we can harness emerging technologies to tackle key challenges through collaboration and how we can affect ratepayer impact through analysis, modeling, and planning.

The Summit will also provide an opportunity to engage with our region’s key stakeholders to foster regional collaboration to enhance economic relationships. There will be four panels and four keynote addresses around the topics of i) Seeking Positive Ratepayer Outcomes, ii) Drivers of Electricity Demand – AI and Data Centers as a Catalyst for Energy Deployment, iii) Energy Markets and Resource Adequacy: Unlocking Innovative Finance for Energy Solutions,  and iv) Integrated Energy, Modeling and Planning. We explore how tensions between energy-transition and energy-security goals, costs and shifting demand are reshaping prospects in many industries. Are there compelling long-term opportunities in electric vehicles, data centers, heat pumps, and clean energy?

To support K-12 education, the Summit is hosting the K-12 Keep Our Planet Green artwork contest, which showcases artwork from New Jersey students and teachers for a chance to win prizes in elementary, middle school and high school categories. Further, student researchers from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Rowan University, Montclair State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Seton Hall University, Stockton University, and Stevens will showcase their work during a poster session addressing Wind Institute Fellowship projects.

Since the founding of CESAC in June 2018, the Center has continued efforts to advance the sustainable clean energy economy by providing research, analysis, education, and outreach on policies, technology, and practices. The Center’s approach is rooted in objective analysis, using science-based environmental and economic techniques for energy and environmental planning. Our work aims to provide real-world insights to regulators, businesses, and the general public. While the center fosters faculty and student research in the area of clean energy and sustainability analytics, one of our key efforts has been to facilitate collaborative discussion between energy stakeholders and policy makers. We hope that our annual summit this year will be an invaluable opportunity to address the evolving clean energy transition in New Jersey and beyond, and that together we can move together to a cleaner and more resilient energy future.

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Agenda

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Check in, Breakfast, and Networking

9:00 AM – 9:20 AM

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Pankaj Lal, Director, Clean Energy and Sustainability Analytics Center

Lora Billings, Dean, College of Science and Mathematics

9:20 AM – 9:40 AM

Keynote Address

Shawn M. LaTourette, New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Protection

9:40 AM – 10:00 AM

Keynote Address

Joseph F. Accardo Jr., Senior Vice President, State Regulatory Affairs and Centralized Services, Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G)

11:15 AM – 12:30 PM

Session 1: Seeking Positive Ratepayer Outcomes

Moderator: Upendra Chivukula, Senior Advisor CESAC and Commissioner Emeritus, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities

Presenters:

• Honorable Andrew Zwicker, Chair, New Jersey Senate Legislative Oversight Committee
• Robert Glover, Deputy Ratepayer Advocate, New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel
• Richard Henning, President and Chief Executive Officer, New Jersey Utilities Association
• Frederick DeSanti, Managing Director at MC2 Public Affairs
• Stu Widom, Sr. Manager Regulatory/Legislative Affairs at PJM Interconnection

The trends in increasing electricity rates seem to have added high-cost burdens to ratepayers across the state. We may attribute PJM’s recent capacity auction results as the primary driver of these increases because NJ utilities buy electricity supply through auctions annually. Because of the auctions, the price of electric supply will rise by between 33% and 35%. As electric supply costs account for only a portion of customers’ utility bills, ratepayers’ total monthly bills will see smaller increases of between 17% and 20%, depending on their utility provider. The impact of this year’s higher auction prices exacerbates the impact on the ratepayers affected by fixed charges for utilities, implementing policies to use cleaner sources of electricity, changing in the mix of resources, accommodating more demand for electrification, developing transmission and distribution systems, etc. Panelists will discuss structuring of basic generation service costs, and ways to advance a clean energy future equitably and that ensures the readiness of the energy grid, while continuing the commitments to reliability.

11:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Networking Break

11:20 AM – 11:35 PM

Keynote Address

Jen Becker, Executive Vice President, Clean Energy and Workforce Innovation  Partnerships

11:35 AM – 12:30 PM

Session 2: Drivers of Electricity Demand – AI and Data Centers as a Catalyst for Energy Deployment

Moderator: Marion Abdou, Commissioner New Jersey Board of Public Utilities

Presenters:

• Bob Brabston, Executive Director, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
• Benjamin Church, COO, American Power Resources Green Data
• Steve Goldenberg, Chair, Energy, Climate Change & Public Utilities Practice Group, Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla
• Michael Palmer, Director, Business Development at FuelCell Energy
• Ahmed Mousa, Utility of the Future (UOF) Manager, Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G)

The conversations around the future of data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming more urgent. Rapid growth in AI is shaping the digital landscape and data centers play a key role in keeping data onshore. Also, the rapid electrification of our economy presents both challenges and opportunities for clean energy deployment. With the growth of AI applications, as their energy footprint also grows, can constrain the availability of power without additional generation. This panel brings together technology innovators, policymakers, and utility decision-makers to discuss the business and regulatory implications, needed infrastructure investments and cost allocations, approaches to optimize energy usage and efficient load management.

12:30 AM – 1:45 PM

Lunch

Luncheon Keynote: Judith Sheft, Executive Director of New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation, and Technology

Keep our Planet Green” K-12 Artwork Contest

We’ve invited K-12 teachers across NJ schools to submit their students’ artwork based on a future based on clean and sustainable energy.

1:45 PM – 2:45 PM

Session 3: Energy Markets and Resource Adequacy: Unlocking Innovative Finance for Energy Solutions

Moderator: Rick Mroz, Commissioner Emeritus and past President, NJBPU, Senior Director for Strategic & Regulatory Affairs, Archer & Greiner

Presenters:

• Preethy Thangaraj, Deputy Director, Governor’s Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy
• Abhay Pande, Managing Director, Princeton Capital Advisors
• Larry Barth, Director Corporate Strategy, New Jersey Resources Corporation
• Jason Lemme, Managing Director, Hartree Partners
• Michael Slom, Principal/Owners, Cliffview Partners

1:45 PM – 2:45 PM

Session 3: Energy Markets and Resource Adequacy: Unlocking Innovative Finance for Energy Solutions

Identifying market and investment opportunities, staying ahead of trends, and positioning one’s organization for success in the energy economy is important. Understanding how government agencies, industry leaders, and financiers are analyzing technology, engineering, construction, scale up, operation and offtake risks can optimize project structure while meeting resource adequacy needs. Hear market insights from government agencies, industry leaders and investors regarding profitable sectors for energy utilization moving forward.

2:45 PM – 3:00 PM

Networking Break

3:00 PM – 3:20 PM

Keynote Address

Honorable Declan J. O’Scanlon Jr., New Jersey Senate

3:20 PM – 4:20 PM

Session 4: Integrated Modeling and Planning for design and implementation of energy projects

Moderator: Benjamin Witherell, Chief Economist, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities

Panelists:

• Anuradha Singh, Researcher, Clean Energy and Sustainability Analytics Center
• Philip Chao, Building Scientist & Energy Efficiency Policy Specialist, NJ Board of Public Utilities
• Scott Fischer, President and Co-Founder, Ciel Power
• Anthony Bevacqua, Supervisor, Climate Change, Clean Energy & Sustainability Element, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
• Chris Edwards, President & CEO, Somerset County Business Partnership

4:20 PM – 4:30 PM

K-12 Keep Our Planet Green Competition Winners Announcement &  Remarks

Pankaj Lal, Director Clean Energy and Sustainability Analytics Center

4:30 – 5:15 PM

Wind Institute Fellowship Poster Presentation

Poster Presentation by students from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Rowan University, Montclair State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Seton Hall University, Stockton University, and Stevens Institute of Technology

5:15 PM

Networking Cocktail Reception

Joe Fiordaliso Award Presentation

Honorable Joseph P.Cryan, Chair Higher Education,. New Jersey Senate

Download agenda as a PDF.

View directions to campus and from the parking deck to the event.