Tuesday, August 1

5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Opening Reception

Rendezvous with colleagues at the opening reception in downtown Flagstaff at the historic Hotel Weatherford (established in 1897). Appetizers will be served and a no-host bar available.

Wednesday, August 2

8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Opening Plenary

Climate Change Risks, Regulations and Mitigations Strategies
In the U.S. private companies and state and local governments are leading the way in climate change policy.  These entities have recognized the risks of potential long-term global warming and are setting goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  The impact to the electric sector and rate payers to respond to climate change will be greater the longer we wait.  This session will examine the risks associated with maintaining business as usual; discuss the potential for carbon regulations and present mitigation strategies that can be implemented to reduce future costs and risks to ratepayers.  (top)

Speakers Bob Gough, Secretary, Intertribal Council on Utility Policy Joanna Prukop, Cabinet Secretary, New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department V. John White, Executive Director, Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technology

Global Energy Markets and their Affect on Renewable Energy
The development and relative cost of renewable energy in the Southwest is being impacted by economic factors well beyond our borders.  Steel prices, currency exchange rates, and high demand for wind and solar equipment in Europe and Asia have contributed to an increasingly competitive market in the U.S.   At the same time, natural gas prices have exhibited extreme volatility in recent years while coal prices have been rising dramatically as well.  This session will explore these critical factors, their inter-relationships and have a lively discussion of prognostications. (top)

Moderator Rick Gilliam, Energy Project Senior Technical Advisor, Western Resource Advocates Speakers Jeff Ghilardi, Western Sales Manager, GE Energy David Hughes, Leader, National Coal Resource Inventory, Geological Survey of Canada Gary Wayne, Vice President, Corporate Planning, PowerLight

The Water-Energy Nexus
Water and energy in the West are inextricably connected. Water is used for cooling huge electrical generating plants and electricity is used to pump water over vast distances and high elevations. Much of the water goes to agricultural operations where the interplay and costs of water and energy often determine the success of the operation. This session will examine the link of water and energy use and the costs and potential savings of both resources. (top)

Moderator Gary Deason, Deputy Director, Center for Sustainable Environments, Northern Arizona University Speakers Larry Flowers, Team Leader, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Mike Hightower, Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff, Sandia National Laboratories Mark Glauth, Principal, R3

Salt Lake City Mayor, Rocky Anderson has philosophy of "practical environmentalism" - preserving the environment while enhancing the economy and quality of life. He is one of the nation’s leading mayors on energy issues. His Salt Lake City Green program is perhaps the most comprehensive environmental program in the nation. The Mayor will talk about his initiatives on energy and climate change and how local elected officials can have a significant impact on encouraging development of clean energy resources. (top)

1:20 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions (top)

Federal and State Policy
Federal and state policy can spur interest in or retard development of renewable energy resources.  This past year Congress passed the Energy Policy Act which is a mixed bag of incentives. Speakers in this session will explain how the provision of Epact will affect the short and long term markets for renewables. The session will also examine state climate policy and initiatives which may further stimulate the demand for renewable energy. (top)

Utility Acquisition of Renewable Energy Resources: To Buy or Build
Utilities face the choice of whether to build their own electric generation plants or to purchase power from others. They can purchase power after negotiating contracts or by requests for proposals (RFPs) to which suppliers can bid their projects.As the sole buyers in the market for power purchases, utilities’ relationships with suppliers are unique. This session will focus on how utilities decide whether to “make or buy” power and whether to use a negotiated purchase or an RFP process. It will also delve into the risks and rewards in Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and how PPAs allocate risk between utility buyers and developer sellers. Finally, our experts will address the factors and considerations characterizing the best procedures for acquiring new generation resources. A panel of experts will field questions to examine these issues. (top)

Speakers Bill Golove, Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Ed Zaelke, Partner, Morgan, Lewis, Bockius, LLP Warren Byrne, President and CEO, Foresight Wind Energy LLC

3:00 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.
Networking Break (top)

3:20 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions (top)

Financing Renewables
While energy prices and demand have increase worldwide the costs of renewables have declined steadily and are expected to keep doing so through 2020.  As a result we are seeing increased investor interest in the renewable energy industry and federal activity is encouraging new ways to finance renewable energy projects for cities, towns, tribes and small businesses.  This session examines the rapidly growing area of venture capital, bonding and financing options available for renewable energy projects. (top)

Moderator Doug Fant, Attorney, Law Offices of Douglas V. Fant Speakers Neal Skiver, Senior Vice President, Energy Service Group, Bank of America Julia Sayre, Assistant Vice President, George K. Baum & Co., Alan L. Watt, Rural Development Coordinator, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development

Making Renewable Energy Projects Attractive to Utilities
A growing number of utilities have procured or are in the process of procuring renewable energy as part of their traditional resource planning mix and fulfilling their state’s RPS requirements.  What defines a successful project in the eyes of a utility?  Utilities can give insight into financial requirements, resource need and timing, resource type and attractiveness, transmission consideration, RFP requirements etc. (top)

Moderator Dick Hayslip, Assistant General Manager, Environmental and Risk Management, Salt River Project Speakers Barbara Lockwood, Manager, Renewable Energy, Arizona Public Service Bob Worsley, Chief Executive Office NZ legacy Mike DeAngelis, Program Manager of Advanced Renewables and Distributed Technologies, Sacramento Municipal Utilities District

Museum of Northern Arizona
Conference attendees can enjoy a hosted reception at one of the Southwest’s premier Museums of fine art, biology, geology and anthropology. Relax with your peers in this rustic setting among the stately Ponderosa Pines at the base of the majestic San Francisco Peaks. Catered light food and drink will be served.

Thursday, August 3

Transmission Policy and Planning
Numerous new transmission proposals are emerging in the West. Several states including Texas and New Mexico proposed or adopted transmission policies specifically aimed at supporting renewable energy development.  Extensive planning is underway by regional organizations to evaluate future transmission expansion.  At the same time, the Department of Energy is implementing policies to designate corridors on federal land and National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors under the Energy Policy Act of 2005.  This session will provide an overview of the transmission landscape and discuss unique proposals and developments to encourage transmission availability to transmit renewable energy and traditional power to load centers. (top)

Moderator Jeff Burks, Director of Environmental Sustainability, PNM Speakers Thomas Carr, Attorney & Economist, Western Interstate Energy Board Michael Milligan, Consultant, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Donald Davies, Senior Technical Engineer, Western Electricity Coordinating Council

Tribal Energy Projects in the Southwest – Lessons Learned
The U.S. Department of Energy has funded myriad tribal projects to build tribal capacity and increase the amount of renewable energy being generated on tribal lands. This session will present case studies of planned or existing renewable energy projects and benefits and challenges of developing on tribal lands. (top)

Moderator Sandra Begay-Campbell, Principal Member of the Technical Staff, Sandia National Laboratories Speakers Larry Ahasteen, Renewable Energy Specialist, Navajo Tribal Utility Authority Art Muller, Environmental and Energy Director, Citizen Potawatomi Nation Ken Garcia, General Manager, Pueblo of Laguna Utility Authority Kristen Ellis, Intergovernmental and Tribal Liaison, Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy

10:00 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.
Networking Break (top)

Costs of Wind Project Integration
Integrating wind power into the utility grid requires control area system operators and planners to accommodate an intermittent resource.  Typically this intermittency adds to the costs of the regulation and load following ancillary services and in the unit commitment process, and may change how the system is planned, for example to accommodate wind power forecasts.  These costs depend on the character and level of penetration of wind power combined with the characteristics of the generation resources and load in the control area. The purpose of this session is to present case studies that specifically identify these costs, including data from integration of actual wind energy projects. (top)

Moderator Tom Acker, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Northern Arizona University Speakers Michael Milligan, Consultant, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Abraham Ellis, Senior Transmission Planning Engineer, PNM

Renewable Energy Credit Markets and Solar Initiatives
Voluntary and mandatory Renewable Energy Credit (REC) markets continue to grow and have proven to be a positive driver for new renewable resource development in the U.S.   Currently, about 600 utilities offer green power programs to customers in thirty-four states representing more than 2,200 MW of new renewable generation capacity.  In the mandatory market, twenty-five states have passed some form of renewable portfolio standard (RPS).  In the west, this could represent more than 30 gigawatts (GW) of new renewable generation capacity by 2015.  Learn about the REC voluntary market, marketing strategies and federal procurement requirements. (top)

Moderator Randy Manion, Renewable Resource Manager, Western Area Power Administration Speakers Laura Meadors, Associate, Evolution Markets Kate Zocchetti, WREGIS Project Staff, California Energy Commission Teresa Williams, Federal Renewables Program, Manager, Western Area Power Administration Rick Gilliam, Senior Policy Analyst, Western Resource Advocates Chris Cook, General Counsel, SunEdison New Jersey Jill Cliburn, Principle, Cliburn and Associates

Senator Tom Daschle (invited)

1:20 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Closing Plenary  (top)

Western Governors’ Association – Clean and Diversified Energy Initiative
The Western Governors’ Association’ lead-initiative spent the past year evaluating the feasibility of deriving 30,000 megawatts of energy from clean energy sources by 2015 and increasing energy efficiency in the West by 20 percent by 2020.  The initiative produced extensive reports on renewable energy technologies; evaluated transmission needs to deliver the power and developed recommendation to achieve the stated goals. This initiative was the largest and most comprehensive undertaking of its kind in our region.  The recommendations, if implemented, will change the energy future for the West. This session will bring you up to date on the initiative, describe resulting resolutions and expected results of the process and illuminate how this initiative can be used to move renewables forward. (top)

Moderator Lori Faeth, Policy Advisory, Governor Napolitano Speakers William Keese, Energy Consultant and Co-Chair of CDEAC Melvin Christopher, VP Regulatory Policy, PNM Resources, Inc. Rachel Shimshak, Executive Director, Renewable Northwest Project