Wednesday 2022





UT Energy Week 2022

Leveraging Our Strengths, Focusing on the Future

Wednesday, March 2

9:00 – 9:05

Welcome and Opening Remarks

9:05 – 9:45

The Great Energy TransitionView the recording on YouTube
Keynote Address by John Berger, CEO, Sunnova Energy International Inc.

9:45 – 10:45

Panel 3: Hydrogen Storage and the Power SectorView the recording on YouTube

For a hydrogen economy at scale, proven and cost-effective hydrogen storage solutions are needed that cover short and long-term storage needs.
This will include a range of surface and subsurface storage technologies, each with specific target applications and for a range in storage durations.
This session will address current hydrogen storage technologies as well as technology development needs and opportunities from the reservoir engineering, geologic, tank design and manufacturing, and energy economic perspectives.

Evan Frye (Moderator)
Stranded Natural Gas Program Manager
US Department of Energy • Click to view PDF slides

Peter Eichhubl
Senior Research Scientist
Bureau of Economic Geology, UT Austin • Click to view PDF slides

Mojdeh Delshad
Research Professor
Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, UT Austin

Reid Larson
CEO and President
Chart Industries • Click to view PDF slides

Kevin Harris
Director of Sale and Business Development, Americas Hydrogen Infrastructure
Hexagon Purus • Click to view PDF slides

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10:45 – 11:00

Break

11:00 – 12:00

Panel 4: Hydrogen Generation and DistributionView the recording on YouTube

The use of hydrogen as a fuel requires that hydrogen be derived from another chemical compound, typically methane CH4 steam reforming (gray or blue hydrogen) or water H2O hydrolysis using renewable energy (green hydrogen). If one considers the transportation network analog for gasoline and natural gas (pipelines, pressurized tube trailers, and liquified tankers), hydrogen is currently more expensive per unit energy volume in comparison. However, there are unique opportunities for more distributed hydrogen production that could reduce end-to-end supply chain costs. This panel will focus on the hydrogen value chain from generation to distribution and associated research and infrastructure needs to balance economic efficiency and sustainability.

Hugh Daigle (Moderator)
Associate Professor
Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, UT Austin

Joaquin Resasco
Assistant Professor
McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, UT Austin • Click to view PDF slides

Lorena Moscardelli
Research Scientist
Bureau of Economic Geology, UT Austin • Click to view PDF slides

Edward Yu
Professor
Electrical and Computer Engineering, UT Austin • Click to view PDF slides

Kathy Ayers
Vice President of Research and Development
Nel Hydrogen • Click to view PDF slides

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12:00 – 12:45

Break for Lunch

12:45 – 1:45

Panel 5: Improving Grid ResilienceView the recording on YouTube

Winter Storm Uri in February 2021 highlighted the Texas government’s lack of preparedness for extreme weather, the interdependency of energy systems and networks, and the impacts of large-scale grid failures. As the electric grid evolves to incorporate more and newer types of generation and storage technologies at multiple scales, what are the technologies, regulations, and market structures that best ensure grid resilience at an affordable cost? These questions are not a Texas-only issue, but due to ERCOT’s relatively unique market design, it provides an interesting case study to discuss needed improvements.

Mose Buchele (Moderator)
Senior Correspondent, Energy and Environment
KUT Austin

Eric Gimon
Senior Fellow
Energy Innovation

Cyrus Reed
Conservation Director
Sierra Club

Caitlin Smith
Senior Director, Regulatory, External Affairs and ESG
Jupiter Power LLC

Erika Bierschbach
Vice President, Energy Market Operations and Resource Planning
Austin Energy

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1:45 – 2:45

Panel 6: Carbon Removal Entering the MainstreamView the recording on YouTube

CO2 direct air capture (DAC) has progressed rapidly, driven in part by philanthropic and corporate initiates focused on research, demonstration, and deployment. DAC has advantages because of its limited land and water requirements and ability to co-locate near CO2 storage sites to reduce long-distance transportation of the captured carbon. Although the technology is currently expensive, DAC is a critical opportunity for further research and investment. This session will cover DAC’s technological state-of-play and expectations surrounding advances in research, deployment, and public policy.

Jan Mazurek (Moderator)
Senior Director, Carbon Dioxide Removal
ClimateWorks Foundation • Click to view PDF slides

Anna Stukas
Vice President of Business Development
Carbon Engineering

Natalie Khtikian
Vice President and Head of Business Development
ClimeWorks

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2:45 – 3:00

Break

3:00 – 4:00

Panel 7: Industrial DecarbonizationView the recording on YouTube

The technical challenge of decarbonizing industrial processes is similar in scale and complexity within the respective power, agriculture, and transportation sectors. Processes incumbent to a handful of industries, like food processing, technology, and cement and steel, collectively account for a substantial portion of global emission. During this session, industry experts will discuss their visions for achieving significant demand-side decarbonization and how these strategies pave the way for other industries to follow suit. The discussion will also cover pressing technical opportunities and barriers for industrial decarbonization.

Marwa Al-Ansary (Moderator)
GM Long Range Research and Experimentation
Shell • Click to view PDF slides

Brian Korgel
Director
Energy Institute, UT Austin

Todd Brady
Vice President, Global Public Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer,
Intel Corporation

 

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4:00 – 5:00

Panel 8: Finance of Emerging Energy StartupsView the recording on YouTube

The panel brings together professionals that have deep experience in the funding of emerging energy startups. Topics will include the range of financing options that are available or appropriate for various stages of development status of new companies. Panelists will discuss their processes and factors for originating and screening potential investment opportunities; acceptance of technology and market risks; vetting management teams and building organizations; types of relationships between investors and their portfolio companies; ESG considerations (and other similar factors) both at time of investment underwriting and potential exits; and investment time horizons and monetization methods.

Shawn Cumberland (Moderator)
Managing Partner, Energy Transition
EnCap Investments L.P.

Paul Hobby
Founder and Managing Partner
Genesis Park

Mike Freeman
Chief Executive Officer
Innosphere Ventures

Ari Pribadi
Senior Managing Director, Head of Chicago and Co-Chair of D&I Committee
Marathon Capital

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