Conference Grid

Gather with your colleagues for a delicious breakfast and lively conversations!

This course provides a comprehensive set of tools and methodologies to screen, develop, or coach innovation-based renewable energy ventures. The course walks the participants through an overview of the energy market drivers followed by the rigorous process of developing a technology based venture. The course is based around a set of tools called VentureCapitalTools® designed to assist entrepreneurs in understanding the requirements of an investor-ready deal. The course demonstrates how to lower the risk of renewable energy technology and project development in five key areas: product, markets, finance, management and execution by engaging the attendees through interactive videos and hands on exercises.

Sit down to a hot lunch and fill your stomach as you fill your contact book!

The DOE National Labs have spent years developing abundant resources for the renewable energy sector, but how informed are we outside the Lab walls? What technologies are being developed that come to market? How is this information communicated to the industry? How can you take advantage of this Federal resource? Join this panel of National Lab experts as they address the topics you want to discuss regarding the Labs, their work and how it can benefit you and your business.

All attendees are invited to celebrate the start of RETECH at the Welcome Reception! Join us in the showcase hall to network with fellow conference attendees, renewable energy global experts and our leading industry event sponsors, while enjoying complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres.

Gather with your colleagues for a delicious breakfast and lively conversations!

We all want to know what the future holds for renewables for 2014 and beyond. How will our markets trend; what role will the government play in our future; where are we headed internationally. Hear the latest research on market trends and understand what key stakeholders are predicting for our future. This is a must attend session!

Take a break to mix and mingle with fellow attendees!

Network with the more than 75 companies showcasing their technology and solutions for the renewable energy industry. The technical poster sessions will also take place in the showcase hall.

Advances in biomass continue every day creating changes in the renewable energy technology landscape. Learn about the current and future biomass technologies, what’s hot now and what will be the future of this ever-important renewable energy technology.

The DoD’s net zero goals for certain bases are well known in government and military circles, but actually getting there is still a challenge. After energy audits, energy efficiency measures, and installing solar, daytime load has reduced significantly, however many bases still have significant daytime demand that is left unmet by even large solar systems. What can be done to reach the DoD’s net zero goals? This session will examine current progress and the outlook for the future.

Utilities are seeing multiple challenges from low natural gas prices to the current economic situation. They are faced with a new value proposition while addressing old issues such as restoration and new threats such as cybersecurity. What does this mean for renewable energy technology and those who are selling it to them? Representatives from the utilities will share their insights into these issues and their affect on the renewable energy technology markets and what you can do to position your product.

You thought you completed the hard part; product development. With the current economic climate, Federal policies, the changing international scene – where’s the money? Getting your project financed can be a daunting task. Unlock the mysteries of Federal policies, incentives, public private partnerships, MLPs, REITs, and how to get your foot in the door as you move into international markets.

Sit down to a hot lunch and fill your stomach as you fill your contact book!

Regulation and policy continue to change the face of the renewable energy market. However, both can be effective agents for promoting renewables through R&D and financial programs, leasing options, tax incentives, RECs and more. Our panel will help you learn to capitalize on these opportunities to promote your business.

With the US Armed Forces’ aggressive target to become petroleum free by 2040, the DoD is leading the way in the adoption of advanced biofuels. This adoption has spurred the growth of and development of not only biofuel development but the industry, opening up doors for companies throughout the US. Learn how getting in on the ground floor with the military has led to other opportunities with not only within the government, but in the private sector as well.

Energy storage is often noted as the single most critical factor in creating a sustainable renewable energy solution. With the intermittent energy renewable solutions provide, finding proper storage during over-producing times is key. How do smart grids and advanced energy demand management play into storage solutions? Is the key to storage really about incentivizing the energy consumer to increase usage during non-peak times?

In February of 2013, the House of Representatives voted unanimously to approve H.R. 267, a piece of legislation that aimed to streamline regulations for small hydropower projects, which now sits with the Senate for approval later this year. Although small-scale hydro projects have long been challenged by federal approval process, some have been successful in hydroelectric production. Hear from a panel of those who have made hydro generation a priority, what the cost benefits are and what new turbine technologies exist. What lessons can we learn from those successful in hydro? How would the scope of the market change if this bill passes? What is the real opportunity?

Federal agencies have been mandated to purchase alternative fuel vehicles, increase consumption of alternative fuels, and reduce petroleum consumption. As the government and military continue to pave the way, what can we learn from their setbacks and successes? How can we use their research and real world experiences to put a plan into practice today?

Take an in-depth look at some of the East Coast’s premier wind installations and hear best practices that can be applied on future projects. Learn how these project developers cut through the red tape of permitting, how their project was funded and what stakeholders needed to be involved and engaged at each site.

Renewable portfolio standards, Federal and state incentives, and declining costs fo some renewables technologies are leading to increased amounts of renewables connected to the electric grid. This is producing many benefits but also posing integration issues for the utilities. The variable nature of these resources increases the need for improved forecasting tools, additional load following and ramping resources, potential changes to market practies and rules, as well as additional analysis of the feasibility of integrating increasing amounts of distributed renewable generation. Public utility commissions and Federal regulators and agencies are working to get ahead of the curve, adjusting requirements and standards to more effectively facilitate the integration of additional renewable resources without compromising the safety and security of the electric gird.

How do you convince the buyer to choose renewables over their current product? What can you do to make the residential or commercial consumer understand the benefits of buying renewable? How do you combat existing consumer perceptions of renewables? Join our panel of experts who have all “been there, done that” as they share their stories, what worked, what didn’t, and answer your questions about making sales in the renewables market.

The Federal government is playing a key role in increasing production of new EV technologies, reinforcing investment in R&D and bringing costs down by growing the overall market/demand. Learn from trendsetters at the Federal, state and local government level and their private sector partners as to the latest tech being rolled out and how they are proactively moving toward an EV future.

The U.S. utility system is at an inflection point. New technologies offer great promise to increase reliability, reduce fuel costs, minimize capital investment, and reduce environmental damage. Capturing these benefits requires a new approach to utility regulation—no matter if the power system is driven by a vertically integrated monopoly or by a restructured market. Hear from the authors of America's Power Plan, a ground-breaking report curated by the Energy Foundation, on what it will take to help utilities become drivers of a clean energy future.

We’ve all heard about the traditional financing avenues for renewables, but how many are familiar with technology performance insurance, an option available to developers of struggling and new technologies to assure investors before the project begins? What is performance insurance and how can you access it to finance your project? Learn from both insurance representatives who provide this level of assurance as well as hear a technology performance insurance success story. What did it take to secure the insurance, how did it help the project, the investors, and what were the long term results?

New and emerging technologies are growing the Waste-to-Energy (WTE) market as direct combustion is no longer the only option available. Gasification, plasma gasification, and waste-to-ethanol, are just a few of the additional opportunities available. Discover the greater role solid waste facilities are playing in the renewable energy market.

Help RETECH celebrate its 5 year anniversary on Tuesday, September 10 with more than a thousand of its closest friends! Connect with business leaders, investors, technology innovators, federal and state government officials and university educators – representing every aspect of the renewable energy industry – to discuss what’s now, new and next in Renewable Energy.

Start the final day off right! Gather with your colleagues for a delicious breakfast and lively conversations!

The drop in natural gas prices has led to a direct effect on renewables from biogas to biomass. The price of natural gas affects the infrastructure, transportation – it has created a new value proposition for the utilities. Selling renewable energy technology to utilities is not as easy as it once was. What can the renewable energy supplier do to make their product more attractive? Can renewables and natural gas co-exist?

Network with the more than 75 companies showcasing their technology and solutions for the renewable energy industry. The technical poster sessions will also take place in the showcase hall.

Constant price pressures on module manufacturers, inverter manufacturers, racking companies and installers has affected the quality and sustainability of commercial solar energy systems in the US. The industry is suffering from a lack of well defined standards, incompatibility of standards (UL vs. ETL et al), inconsistent wind loading requirements, poorly defined roof evaluation and preparation guidelines, undefined O&M requirements, and inconsistent optimal tilt angles for improved production. What steps does the industry need to take to insure quality is maintained for the long term?

From building retrofits to new designs, Federal facilities are being scrutinized for not only energy efficiency but cost savings. Renewable energy can play a key role in achieving these goals and meeting sustainable design requirements. Gather the necessary tools to assess your facility and learn from real world experiences. The DOE FEMP guidelines will be highlighted.

With the expansion of renewable energy technology opportunity has grown beyond US borders. We are seeing a boom across the globe of opportunities for US-based companies to expand internationally. Understand where the buy chain and manufacturing hot spots are located along with how the Federal government is working with businesses to encourage international trade.

Smart grids use information to improve the efficiency, reliability, economics, and sustainability of the production and distribution of electricity, but securing the data collected is also a critical part of a smart grid application. Smart grids present opportunities for greater penetration of renewable energy into our nation’s power markets, but updating legacy systems is expensive. What are some creative ways to implement smart grids on a budget? And how do smart grids solve bigger concerns on security?

Sit down to a hot lunch and fill your stomach as you fill your contact book!

Whether it is the limiting of resources, the pressure and uncertainty of the economy, or the idea of a more efficient system, some in the industry are turning toward combined technologies solutions. Understand when and why these projects work, the latest trends, and discuss the panel’s predictions for the future of combined technologies.