RALEIGH – NC State University’s Office of Professional Development and Clean Energy Technology Center are co-hosting their 17th annual State Energy Conference this week, convening hundreds of professionals from academia, government, non-profits, startups and corporate institutions.

The two-day event kicks off Tuesday on NC State’s campus and features educational sessions and technical presentations covering hot topics in the industry.

The event includes more than 30 breakout sessions and panels. Between sessions, attendees can network with exhibitors.

Keynote addresses will be delivered by NC Governor Roy Cooper, SIEMENS Distributed Energy Systems Director of Strategy and Marketing Lidija Sekaric, 38 North Solutions Chair Katherine Hamilton, and Procter & Gamble Global Product Supply Sustainability Leader James McCall.

There will also be plenary sessions covering energy policy and community-stakeholder collaboration for building energy programs.

The agenda includes six content tracks—residential homes, commercial and industrial buildings, government and institutional buildings, renewable energy, utilities and infrastructure, and grid modernization. Around 30 breakout sessions fall within these categories.

Program highlights

Here are some highlights of the topics to be discussed.

  • Smart meter installation and infrastructure in North Carolina
  • Sustainable building design and construction
  • Case studies in energy efficiency from the City of Charlotte
  • Distributed energy on college campuses, featuring NC State University’s combined heat and power system
  • The evolution of LEED technology
  • Utility business models
  • Energy accessibility and equity for low-wealth communities
  • Cybersecurity strategies to safeguard utilities from cyberattacks
  • Energy blockchain technology
  • Facility designs that promote resilience after natural disasters
  • Predictive analysis of building performance
  • Utilities’ role in electric transportation
  • Energy storage opportunities and deployment
  • Solar PV recycling in North Carolina
  • Assessing the cost-value ratio of energy projects.
  • Renewable energy using offshore wind
  • The environmental impact of the wood pellet industry
  • Secondary benefits and savings in energy efficiency projects
  • Waste management solutions, specifically turning hog waste into renewable natural gas.
  • Community-based solar installation North Carolina.

Shannon Helm, senior communications director for the NC Clean Energy Technology Center, says organizers are expecting a turnout of over 800 people “from all walks of energy.”

The theme for the event is: Connecting North Carolina’s Diverse Energy Economy. Helm says the agenda was curated by a planning committee comprised of energy professionals who selected “timely topics that are both current and forward-looking to help advance North Carolina’s energy industry.”

“We are an action-oriented conference, and we hope that attendees walk away with information from the conference that can be applied to their jobs,” Helm adds.

The conference runs April 30 through May 1 at the McKimmon Center on NC State’s campus. Online registration is closed, but walk-ins can still buy tickets on-site.

Attendees can follow along with the event hashtag, #NCenergy2019.

https://wraltechwire.com/event/2019-state-energy-conference/