2008 Emerging Technologies Summit

Organizers

The involvement of organizers has been an integral part to the success of the ET Summit. We would like to thank these organizations for collaborating with ETCC on the development of the sessions as well as donating their time, expertise and manpower. Their support has been invaluable in producing an informative and enriching event.

Distributed Energy Financial Group, LLC http://www.defgllc.com

The Distributed Energy Financial Group (DEFG LLC) has three primary lines of business:

DEFG Consulting which is a management consulting firm focused on assisting clients integrate innovative EE, DR and DG energy technologies and solutions into their business. It provides business strategy, planning, rate and regulatory and customer service consulting services

EcoAlign is a full-service strategic marketing agency focused on the energy and environment space, and transforming the customer relationship. It assists clients with market research, marketing strategies, and the use of creative and innovative messaging and communication techniques
DEFG Ventures is an investment arm that provides capital and advisory services to alternative energy companies seeking angel and venture capital

DEFG’s overall mission is to bring together customers, capital providers, and companies to create exceptional value for its clients. DEFG’s clients include many of the leading utilities, vendors and equipment manufacturers, and financial firms active in the energy sector.

Demand Response Research Center http://drrc.lbl.gov

The California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program is launching a Demand Response Research Center (or "Center") led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
As a guiding principle, Center activities are multi-institutional in concept and operation. LBNL is hosting the Center; guiding Center development; and providing technical, operational and planning leadership. The Center director will solicit stakeholder input and adopt research topics accordingly. The Director will also seek the most qualified performers. A significant proportion of research will be done by researchers outside of LBNL.
Demand Response (DR) includes:

load response for reliability purposes,
load response for procurement cost minimization purposes (e.g., load bidding), and
price response by end-use customers for bill management.

Load response is typically attained through interruptible tariffs and direct load control programs. Price response can be attained through time-of-use rates, dynamic pricing, and demand bidding programs.

Two main drivers for widespread demand responsiveness are the prevention of future electricity crises and the reduction of average electricity prices. Additional goals for price responsiveness include equity, through cost of service pricing, and customer control of electricity usage and bills.

ECOS Consulting http://www.ecosconsulting.com

11 Years ago, Ecos was created to prevent pollution and save energy. Over time, that directive has expanded to include all aspects of businesses, helping them to be more efficient, climate friendly and sustainable. All of our projects must meet one or all of these criteria. Our team is unflaggingly committed to this vision.

Leveraging the Power of the Market to Create a Better Environment – Ecos enables its private, nonprofit, government and utility clients to transform markets with energy saving, climate friendly, and sustainable technologies, products and processes. We harness competitive forces in the marketplace to drive innovation and entrepreneurship for a sustainable future.

Working Together – Ecos is about people – our clients and our employees. We hire bright and resourceful people who work hard to deliver first-in-class services to our clients. Our employees are dynamic and creative, dedicated both to Ecos’ mission and the needs of our stakeholders.

Energy Solutions Center http://www.energysolutionscenter.org

The Energy Solutions Center is a 501(c)6 technology commercialization and market development organization comprised of energy utilities, public gas systems, and equipment manufacturers and vendors. The mission of the Center is to accelerate the deployment of new gas and hybrid solutions that enhance the operations and productivity of commercial and industrial energy users, and improve the comfort and reliability for residential energy users.

The Energy Solutions Center and its members identify, evaluate, and prioritize new market opportunities and implement initiatives designed to move products from R&D success to broad market acceptance. Center members have successfully brought to market a number of technologies including engine-driven air compressors, vacuum furnaces, boilers, large tonnage chillers, and small package air conditioning equipment. The Center funds, facilitates, and manages on-site technology demonstrations at end-user facilities. Additionally, the Center creates marketing materials, case studies, training manuals, decision analysis software, and other products designed to enhance the success of utility sales and marketing representatives

Energy utilities employ technical and marketing specialists responsible for building relationships with thousands of residential, commercial, industrial customers. Since these specialists form the backbone of the Center’s consortia and forums, the Center is uniquely positioned to promote gas solutions to thousands of end-users seeking to increase productivity, reliability, energy efficiency, and comfort.

A board of directors oversees the Center, which operates with an Executive Director and staff of five professionals. Offices are located in Washington, DC.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory http://www.lbl.gov

Through the Public Interest Energy Research Program, the California Energy Commission manages the Demand Response Research Center which is managed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The main objective of the Center is to develop, prioritize, conduct, and disseminate research facilitating the near-term adoption of DR technologies, policies, programs, strategies and practices, while ensuring that the research continues to be connected with the DR market and policy makers through substantial stakeholder input.

Navigant Consulting, Inc. http://www.navigantconsulting.com

New Building Institute http://www.newbuildings.org

Palo Alto Research Center http://www.parc.com

PARC works closely with other organizations – from leading global corporations and government agencies to newly formed ventures – to discover breakthrough concepts that deliver value and solve real needs.

By aligning our expertise with their strategic interests, our clients can:

strengthen innovation effectiveness;
extend scientific and technical capabilities;
anticipate and respond more quickly to emerging industry trends;
cultivate new market opportunities or business models; and
acquire intellectual property while maximizing existing assets.

Additionally, those who are involved in the PARC collaboration process gain insights into diverse innovation practices – bringing new thinking and seeding future innovation back into their own organizations

Founded in 1970 as part of Xerox Research and chartered to create “the architecture of information”, PARC was incorporated in 2002 as an independent research business. PARC has contributed to the creation of more than 30 companies and is celebrated for such innovations as laser printing, distributed computing and Ethernet, the graphical user interface (GUI), object-oriented programming, and ubiquitous computing. PARC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Xerox Corporation.

Rocky Mountain Institute http://www.rmi.org

Rocky Mountain Institute ® (RMI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was established in 1982 by resource analysts L. Hunter Lovins and Amory B. Lovins. What began as a small group of colleagues focusing on energy policy has since grown into a broad-based institution with approximately eighty full-time staff, an annual budget of nearly $12 million (over half of it earned through programmatic enterprise), and a global reach.

RMI brings a unique perspective to resource issues, guided by the following core principles:

Sacramento Municipal Utility District http://www.smud.org

For over 60 years the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) has been providing Sacramento County and parts of Placer County with a reliable source of electricity at competitive rates. SMUD is nationally recognized as a leader in renewable resources and electric transportation and provides Earth-friendly energy which preserves our natural resources and reduces pollution. SMUD’s Energy Efficiency and Customer Research Development Group is responsible for energy efficiency and transportation research and development activities and promoting emerging technologies.

UC Davis Energy Efficiency Center http://eec.ucdavis.edu

The EEC was established in 2006 with a challenge grant from the California Clean Energy Fund as the first university-based energy efficiency center in the United States to focus on the transfer of technology into the marketplace.

The EEC relies upon a strong public-private partnership and collaboration with industry, government, and our university partners to meet the demands for innovation in energy efficiency, business development, and the growing need for a trained labor force. We have strong ties with all of the primary utility companies, the private sector, and public agencies in California. EEC Leadership Sponsors serve as members of the Board of Advisors, which is composed of leaders from the California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF), California’s major utilities, venture capitalists, and businesses.

Western Cooling Efficiency Center (WCEC) http://wcec.ucdavis.edu

The Western Cooling Efficiency Center (WCEC), launched in 2007 with support from the California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF), is part of the UC Davis Energy Efficiency Center (EEC). The creation of the WCEC was inspired by various projects over the last ten years that indicate a potential to reduce cooling energy consumption in California buildings by 50 to 90%. It’s mission is to partner with stakeholders to identify and test technologies, disseminate information, and implement programs that reduce cooling system electrical demand and energy consumption in the Western United States. The western focus of the center builds upon two key climate conditions: low humidity (making evaporative cooling more attractive), and large daily temperature swings (making thermal storage more attractive). The WCEC, supported by industry affiliates including manufacturers, contractors, utilities, and the California Energy Commission, is implementing an organized process for bringing a wide range of emerging cooling technologies to market, using a combination of research, technical support and education. As an example, the WCEC recently launched the Western Cooling Challenge, a competition in which manufacturer affiliates are rewarded by retailer affiliates with purchases, and by utility affiliates with incentives, if they mass-produce rooftop cooling equipment that reduces both peak demand and energy consumption by 40% or more.