Welcome to VERDEXCHANGE 2024
Green Marketmakers Conference
May 12 – May 15, 2024
Dear VX2024 Conference Participants,
We meet at VerdexChange 2024 at a time of great optimism tempered by caution. We all are aware that the transition to clean energy is gaining significant financial muscle from federal and state investments. That funding is already leveraging billions more in private funding and the full tsunami of money from the Inflation Reduction Act has yet to arrive. But we also face a host of persistent challenges to getting those investments into the ground to deliver the carbon reductions we need, at the rapid pace our climate plans call for.
We still face the need to streamline permitting processes and grid modernization to expand charging infrastructure and redouble our efforts at building decarbonization. The federal Justice 40 initiative requires time and resources at a new level to ensure meaningful engagement with communities to deliver equitable distribution of benefits. EV sales are slowing even as the targets call for increased market uptake. And the specter of a Trump victory this fall looms with the multiple U-turns in clean energy policy that could follow.
We have the wind in our sails but face a difficult passageway through the waters of the “Great Implementation” that will require careful navigation.
Join the conversation #VX2024
View this program online at verdexchange.org
That’s why you’re here: The array of 40+ panels and charrettes at VX2024 is designed to provide the perspectives, context and data you need to develop a realistic understanding of the forces and opportunities at play. You will hear directly from the clean tech entrepreneurs, energy & water companies, advanced vehicle manufacturers, software & hardware developers, and public policymakers. You will also find representatives from California, other states, and around the world including Japan, Canada and India.
Together, we will examine subjects from renewable energy and zeroemission transportation solutions to the energy grid and storage, decarbonizing the built environment, and water sustainability. You will be discussing the importance of ensuring the role of equity in investments, the role of green and blue hydrogen in the future transition, next-gen heavy-duty trucks and fleets, the role of carbon capture, sustainable supply chains and more.
It’s a rare opportunity over two days to gather the needed ideas, insight, and information to help chart our way to a shared goal of clean, equitable and sustainable energy and growth.
Enjoy the Conference!
DAVID ABEL
Conference Map - Omni Hotel
Roman Bilak
Terry O’Day
Rick Cole
Praful M Kulkarni
Erin Bromaghim
Coby Skye
Sunita Satyapal
Paul Nelson
Effie Turnbull Sanders
BH - Bunker Hill
WCT - Watercourt
Br - Bradbury R - Rose H - Hershey C - Crocker
Monday Morning Sessions — May 13, 2024
VerdeXchange Conference
7:45 AM VX2024 Welcome (BH)
8:10 AM
8:55 AM
Stephen Cheung, President & CEO, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation
Morning Plenary I: No More Demos: Shovel-Ready Projects to Equitably Meet the Climate Imperative (BH)
MODERATOR: Jim Kelly, S&C Electric
PANEL: David Hochschild, California Energy Commission; Mark Pestrella, LA County Public Works; Ted Bardacke, Clean Power Alliance; Aram Benyamin, LA Department of Water & Power
Morning Plenary II: Status Report: Realizing the Grid’s Net-Zero Promise (BH)
MODERATOR: Marybel Batjer, California Strategies
PANEL: Maryam Brown, SoCalGas; Darcie Houck, CA Public Utilities Commission, Caroline Choi, Southern California Edison
9:45 AM -
10:35 AM
California’s Gut Check Moment: Future of Distributed Energy Resources (C)
MODERATOR:
Eliot Abel, Pivot Energy
PANEL:
Raghav Murali, PowerFlex
Derek Chernow, Coalition for Community Solar Access
Michael Colvin, EDF
10:45 AM11:35 AM
Making Sense of Regulations & Funding Opportunities at State & Federal Level (C)
MODERATOR:
Arnab Pal, US Dept. of Energy, Loan Programs Office
PANEL:
Dan Adler, California I-Bank
Ean Mulligan, Birch Creek Renewables
Hillary Hebert, HMH Energy Fiona Ma, California State Treasureer
Our Water’s Future: Recycled Water (R)
MODERATOR:
David Nahai, President, David Nahai Consulting Services
PANEL:
Felicia Marcus, Stanford Water & the West
Mark Gold, Natural Resources
Defense Council
Barbara Romero, LA Sanitation & Environment
Richard Katz, LADWP Commission
President Liz Crosson, MWD RESPONDER: Zakir Hirani, Stantec
Digital Waters: Software & Hardware to Facilitate Integrated Systems (R)
MODERATOR
Gail Goldberg, MWD Board
PANEL:
Pete Perciavalle, Stantec
Ty Washington, LADWP
Windows of Opportunity for Clean Transport in the U.S. & California (WCT)
MODERATOR: Heather Repenning, LA Metro
PANEL:
Hilary Norton, California Transportation Commission
Gideon Kracov, CARB & SCAQMD
Luke Klipp, LA County Supervisor
Janice Hahn
Alfred Fraijo, Somos Group
Spencer Reeder, Audi
Next Generation Investment in Clean Energy & Climate Solutions (H)
MODERATOR:
Kathleen Brown, Fmr. CA State Treasurer
PANEL:
Daniel Weiss, Angeleno Group
Tom Soto, D4IR-JMS Impact Partners
Joaquin Silva, Energy Innovation
Capital
Janna Sidley, LACERS
RESPONDER: Michelle Demers, Boundless Impact Research & Analytics
Charging Up EV Charging in LA County & California (Br)
MODERATOR:
Ruben Aronin, Better World Group PANEL:
David Hochschild, California Energy Commission
Namrita Merino, Greenwealth Energy
Sumreen Rattan, Moment Energy
Michelle Kinman, LACI
Kameale C Terry, ChargerHelp RESPONDER:
Samantha Lustado, ARUP Charge4All
Getting Ready for New Global, National & State Climate Disclosure Rules (H)
Simon Zewdu, LADWP (C)
MODERATOR:
Ross Zelen, CA Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies
PANEL:
Mike Wallace, Persefoni Marca Hagenstad, Stantec Michele Demers, Boundless Impact Research and Analytics
11:40 AM12:20 PM
You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Measure: Methane (C)
Mitigation
MODERATOR:
Ross Zelen, California Joint Committee on Climate Change Policies
PANEL:
Ana Bandea, M Insights
Riley Duren, Carbon Mapper
Mark Nechodom, Western States
Petroleum Association
Erik Rodriguez, SoCalGas
University Sustainability (R)
MODERATOR:
Cecilia Estolano, Estolano Advisors, Better World Group
PANEL:
Nurit Katz, UCLA
Wendell Vaughn, Stantec
Bharat Patel, LA Community College District
Bret Kelly, Ecosystems
Zelinda Welch, USC
Resiliency & Preparedness in Extreme Climate Uncertainty (H)
MODERATOR:
Jim Kelly, S&C Electric
PANEL:
Carla Peterman, PG&E Corporation
Rob Lempert, RAND Pardee Center for Longer Range Global Policy and the Future Human Condition
Heather Rosenberg, ARUP
Tony Zavanelli, Stantec
Paul Williams, Electric Infrastructure Security Council
Infrastructure Finance Roundtable- Private event By Invitation (Boardroom)
Roundtable:
11:40 AM - 1:30 PM
VX2024 Water Charrette (WCT) (By Invitation)
CONVENERS:
Adel Hagekhalil, Metropolitan Water District
Mark Pestrella, LA County Public Works
Martin Adams, LADWP
Monday Afternoon Sessions—May 13, 2024
VerdeXchange Conference
12:30 PM
VX 2024 Luncheon Served (BH)
INTRODUCTION: Stephen Cheung, LAEDC
SPECIAL REMARKS: Tamotsu Saito, NEDO
Luncheon Plenary: Energy Affordability: Yes, We Can Afford to Go Green (BH)
MODERATOR: Jim Kelly, S&C Electric
PANEL: Caroline Choi, SoCal Edison; Siva Gunda, California Energy Commission; Martin Adams, LADWP; Carla Peterman, PG&E
2:00 PM
Post Luncheon Recognition: Water Resiliency At Scale (BH)
INTRODUCTION: Robert Hertzberg, Sr. Advisor, Mission Possible Partnership PRESENTATION: Susan Kennedy, Chairman & CEO, Cadiz Inc.
3:30 PM4:20 PM
2:30 PM3:25 PM 4:25 PM5:15 PM
How Will AI and Data Impact the Energy Transition? (C) (H)
MODERATOR:
Minh Le, LA County Internal Services Department
PANEL: Raj Prasad, Stantec
Brian Goldman, Sonoma Clean Power
Dino E. Barajas, Baker Botts
Accelerating Water Resilience Through Infrastructure Finance in California (H)
MODERATOR:
Matt Horton, Accelerator for America
PANEL:
Felicia Marcus, Stanford Water & the West
Katy Yaroslavsky, LA City Council
A Just Energy Transition: Climate Equity & Environmental Justice (Br)
MODERATOR:
Rick Cole, Pasadena City Council
PANEL:
William Funderburk , PermaCity Foundation
Darcie Houck, CPUC
Yasmin Abraham, Kambo Energy Group
India / US Climate Agenda (R)
MODERATOR: Gunja Bagla, CEO, Amritt Inc.
PANEL:
Amb. Dr. Srikar Reddy, Consul General of India-San Francisco
Anil Tammineedi, Angeleno Group
11:40 AM - 1:30 PM
VX2024 Water Charrette (Cont.)
Leveraging ESG Data in the Investment Process (C)
MODERATOR: Mike Wallace, Persefoni
PANEL:
Anil Tamineedi, Angeleno Group
Ana Moro, Bloomberg
Daniel Ingram, AON Ryan Tinus, LivCor
Lauren Faber O’Connor, Lowercarbon Capital 5:30
John Withers, Irvine Water District
The Future of Water at Home: The 50L Home LA Pilot Project (H)
MODERATOR: Ben Stapleton, US Green Building Council California
PANEL:
Terrance McCarthy, LADWP
Maureen Erbeznik, USGBC CA
Liz Crosson, MWD
Effie Turnbull Sanders, USC Responder: Garret Rapsilber, HR&A
Is the Workforce Training Ecosystem Evolving to Meet the Challenges? (R)
MODERATOR: Judith Taylor, HR&A
PANEL:
Joe Sullivan, IBEW/NECA
Denis Obiang, LADWP
Jade Clemons, AltaSea
Paul Rosen, NASA JPL Siva Gunda, CEC Praful Kulkarni, Cannon Design
Pitch Session: LAEDC/WTCLA International Cleantech Companies (WCT)
MODERATOR: Stephen Cheung, LAEDC
Reality Check: Speed Bumps to Hitting Clean Energy Goals (R)
MODERATOR: Jim Kelly, S&C Electric
PANEL:
Coby Skye, Blue Sky Environmental Consulting
Rick Cole, Pasadena City Council
Bob Hertzberg, Mission Possible Partnership
Minh Le, LA County ISD
Future of Clean Trucks: How to Kickstart the Clean Truck Market in the U.S. and California (H)
MODERATOR:
Terry O’Day, COO, In-Charge Energy
PANEL:
Salim Youssefzadeh, WattEV
Kevin Maggay, Navistar
Andrew Fisher, Gov’t of Alberta
Pitch Session II: Consul Generals’ Response (WCT)
MODERATOR: Stephen Cheung, President/CEO, LAEDC
RECEPTION TO FOLLOW
VX2024 Canada VIP Reception & Dinner (By Invitation) 1:10 PM 12:45 PM
PM
Tuesday Morning Sessions—May 14, 2024 VerdeXchange Conference
7:45 AM
VX2024 Welcome (BH)
David Abel , Chairman, VerdeXchange
Stephen Cheung, President & CEO, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation
Opening Remarks: Traci Park, LA City Council District 11
8:10 AM
Morning Plenary: Will Metropolitan LA Be Ready for the ‘28 Olympics (BH)
MODERATOR: Katherine Perez, ARUP
PANELISTS: Marcel Porras, LA Metro; Doane Liu, LA Tourism Department; Larry Chung, Southern California Edison
ULI FUTUREBUILD
Building Decarbonization: A Status Report (C)
MODERATOR:
Sara Neff, Lendlease Americas
PANEL:
Liane Randolph, CARB
Panama Bartholomy, Building Decarbonization Coalition
Erin McConahey, ARUP
Alex Hall, Concrete AI
RESPONDER:
Minh Le, LA County Internal Services Department
10:10 AM11:00 AM
An Olympics Legacy Opportunity: Parks, Culture & Placemaking (C)
MODERATOR: Aura Vasquez, Fmr. LADWP
PANEL:
Joe Edmiston, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
Andrea Ambriz, Exposition Park Mia Lehrer, Studio MLA
RESPONDER: Aaron Paley, CicLAvia
Accelerating the Sustainability of our Air & Sea Ports (H)
MODERATOR:
Praful M. Kulkarni, Cannon Design
PANEL:
Michael Galvin, POLA
David Reich, LAWA
Ellie Dean, Arup
Heather Tomley, POLB
Mark Nechodom, WSPA 9:10 AM10:00 AM
ULI FUTUREBUILD
Maximizing Verifiable Environmental Benefits (R)
MODERATOR:
Maya Kitei, 2023 Presidential Environmental Youth Award Recipient
PANEL:
Leslie Moulton-Post, Environmental Science Associates
Julian Parsley, Buro Happold
Sam Hall, Schneider Electric
Complete & Safe Streets (R)
MODERATOR:
Jacob Lipa, Lipa Consulting
PANEL:
Alex Nazarchuk, City of Santa
Monica
Yukio Gotoh, GeoSearch Inc.
Larissa De La Cruz, City of Lancaster
9:10 AM - 12:00 PM VX H2 Supertrack (WCT)
9:10 AM – 10:00 AM:
Hydrogen Market Update
MODERATOR: Lex Heslin, Enso PANEL: Elise Zoli, Wilson Sonsini
Goodrich & Rosati; Paul Nelson, Saoradh Enterprise Partners; Mirei Isaka, NEDO; Maressa Brennan, US DOE
9:50 AM – 10:30 AM:
Building H2 Cities and Municipal Alliances
What is the New Right of Way - Where Digital Impacts the Physical (H)
MODERATOR:
Yuval Bar-Zemer, Linear City Development LLC
PANEL:
Michael Sangalang, City of Bureau of Street Lighting
Heather Repenning, LA Metro
Tyler Starrine , DesignWorks
Jarvis Murray, City of LA Jonah Bliss, Curbivore
11:10 AM11:50 PM ULI FUTUREBUILD
Urban Air Hubs - New Aviation Mobility (H)
MODERATOR: Adrienne C. Lindgren, LA Cleantech Incubator
PANEL:
Leah Goold-Haws, Long Beach Economic Partnership
Emilien Marchand, Wisk
George Kivork, Joby Aviation
What’s Needed to Bring Carbon Capture & Recycling to Scale in Line with California’s Goals (C)
MODERATOR:
Coby Skye, Blue Sky Environmental Consulting
Panel:
Juan Campos, California Resources
How is A.I. Impacting Urban Transport (R)
MRDERATOR: Phil Recht, Mayer Brown
PANEL: Chris Neider, Starship Technologies
Eli Lipmen, MoveLA
Martin Francisco, BMW DesignWorks
MODERATOR: Lex Heslin, ENSO
Infrastructure LLC
PANEL: Riley Saito, County of Hawaii; Kunihito Yamamoto, Fukushima, Japan; Jason Caudle, City of Lancaster
10:30 AM – 11:15 AM:
H2 Technology and Innovation
MODERATOR: Tak Yokoo, JH2F
PANEL: Jimmy Chen, SECA; Jack Brouwer, UC Irvine; Erika Pham, Mote Hydrogen; Lorraine Paskett, Air Products and Chemicals Inc.Rachel Paterson, Ekona Power; Vijai Atavane, SoCal Gas
11:15 AM – 12:00 PM:
Hydrogen: Project Finance Update
MODERATOR: Kathleen Brown, Fmr. California Treasurer
PANEL: Takaki Sakai, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group; Ricky Sakai, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries; Tom Soto, D4IR-JMS Impact Partners
ULI FUTUREBUILD
Tuesday Afternoon Sessions—May 14, 2024 VerdeXchange Conference
Luncheon Plenary: California’s Path to Carbon Neutrality (BH)
INTRODUCTION: Sara Neff, Head of Sustainability, Lendlease Americas
SPEAKER: Liane Randolph, Chair, California Air Resources Board
1:25 PM
Post Luncheon Plenary: Game Changers: Meet the Market Makers (BH)
Sara Neff, Head of Sustainability, Lendlease Americas; Angelina Galiteva, ARCHES; Andrea Ambriz, Expo Park; Recognition: Hydrogen Cities: Meeting the Energy Transition Moment (BH) Video Congratulations from Sunita Satyapal at DOE and Kathryn Barger, 5th District Supervisor, LA County Board of Supervisors of Rex Parris, Mayor of Lancaster
2:30 PM3:25 PM
Energy Storage Comes of Age: Scaling the North America Battery Industry (C)
MODERATOR: Ken Chawkins, JCI World Wide PANEL:
Sumreen Rattan, Moment Energy Roman Bilak, Clean Tech Geomechanics Inc.
Jean Lachance, EVLO Energy Storage 3:50
The Digital Mirror: Developing Cities Housing and Resilience (R)
MODERATOR:
Thomas Aujero Small, Culver City Forward PANEL:
Paul Williams, Electric
Infrastructure Security Council
Myrna Bittner, RUNWITHIT
Synthetics
Alex Fisch, CA DOJ
Gerhard Mayer, Mayer Architects
Michael Wadden, Verses.ai
Housing Affordability Deconstructed / Rethinking the Urban Planning Paradigm (H)
MODERATOR: David Abel, The Planning Report
PANEL:
Rod Hamilton, LACCD
Mark Pisano, USC
Steve Glenn, Plant Prefab
Ada Peng, HR&A
Kevin Harrison, Ravello Holdings
2:30 PM - 4:15
HLA Passed: What’s Next? (H)
MODERATOR: Ava Bromberg, Creative Urban Solutions, Inc.
PANEL: Michael Schneider, Streets for All Makenzi Rasey, LADOT
– 3:00 PM: California’s Hydrogen Hub
MODERATOR: Joy Langford, ARCHES
SPEAKERS: Angelina Galiteva, ARCHES; 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM: CAdvancing H2 Transportation
MODERATOR: Joy Langford, ARCHES
PANEL: Justin Ward, Toyota North America; Ryan Harty, American Honda Motor Company; Ellie Dean, Arup; Danielle Squires, Alstom; Benjamin Jodecke, JP Joule Hydrogen
Janna Sidley
William Funderberk Go Tejima
Jack Brouwer
Brian Jordan
Christopher
Sheppard, P.E.
2:00 PM2:30 PM
PM
12:00 PM
3:45 PM4:30 PM
VX2024 Closing Reception
PM VX H2
PM
Super Track Continued (WCT) 2:30
Mike Wallace
Leslie Moulton-Post
Erika Pham Justin Ward
Erin Cooke
Keisuke Oku
Mirei Isaka Gunjan Bagla Matt Horton Liz Crosson Michael Galvin
Jason Caudle
Ava Bromberg Paige E. Samblanet Okko-Pekka Salmimies
Ross Zelen
Virgil Welch
Erin McConahey
Ben Stapleton Seiichiro (Ichiro) Tanigaki Ryan Altoon
Lex Heslin
Ambassador Dr. Srikar Reddy
Rachel Paterson
Jade Clemons
Emilien Marchand
Yasmin Abraham Kunihito Yamamoto
Tyler Starrine
Leah Goold-Haws
Bharat Patel
Takaki Sakai
Yukio Gotoh
Larissa De La Cruz
David Reich
Praful M Kulkarni
Jacob Lipa
Jules Radcliff
Raj Prasad
Heather Rosenberg
Kameale C. Terry
Hillary Hebert
Shun Sakaguchi Luke Klipp
Simon Bluestone
Jimmy Chen
David Brulotte
Wendell Vaughn
Robert Hertzberg
Michelle Kinman Mariana Hill Josh Newman
Larry Chung
Juan Campos
Mark Pisano
Dan Mapes
Ellie Dean Alex Nazarchuck
Ryan Harty
Joy Langford
Bret Kelly Barbara Romero
Ana Moro
John Withers
Katherine Perez
Joaquin Silva
Samantha Lustado
Kevin Maggay
Salim Youssefzadeh
Riley Saito
Jermaine Hampton
Ryan Tinus
Eli Lipmen
Chris Neider
Heather Tomley
David E Ingram
Jarvis Murray
Aura Vasquez
