Wednesday, March 2, 2022
UT Energy Week 2022 — Leveraging Our Strengths, Focusing on the Future
Quick Navigation
Welcome and Opening Remarks
9:00 – 9:05 AM
Welcome and Opening Remarks
The Great Energy Transition, Keynote Address
9:05 – 9:45 AM
The Great Energy Transition • View recording
Keynote Address by John Berger, CEO, Sunnova Energy International Inc.
Hydrogen Storage and the Power Sector
9:45 – 10:45 AM
Panel 3: Hydrogen Storage and the Power Sector • View recording
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.
Moderator: Evan Frye, Stranded Natural Gas Program Manager, US Department of Energy • View PDF slides
Featured Panelists:
- Peter Eichhubl, Senior Research Scientist, Bureau of Economic Geology, UT Austin • View PDF slides
- Mojdeh Delshad, Research Professor, Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, UT Austin
- Reid Larson, CEO and President, Chart Industries • View PDF slides
- Kevin Harris, Director of Sales and Business Development, Americas Hydrogen Infrastructure, Hexagon Purus • View PDF slides
10:45 – 11:00 AM
Break
Hydrogen Generation and Distribution
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Panel 4: Hydrogen Generation and Distribution • View recording
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.
Moderator: Hugh Daigle, Associate Professor, Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, UT Austin
Featured Panelists:
- Joaquin Resasco, Assistant Professor, McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, UT Austin • View PDF slides
- Lorena Moscardelli, Research Scientist, Bureau of Economic Geology, UT Austin • View PDF slides
- Edward Yu, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UT Austin • View PDF slides
- Kathy Ayers, Vice President of Research and Development, Nel Hydrogen • View PDF slides
12:00 – 12:45 PM
Break for Lunch
Improving Grid Resilience
12:45 – 1:45 PM
Panel 5: Improving Grid Resilience • View recording
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.
Moderator: Mose Buchele, Senior Correspondent, Energy and Environment, KUT Austin
Featured Panelists:
- 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
Carbon Removal Entering the Mainstream
1:45 – 2:45 PM
Panel 6: Carbon Removal Entering the Mainstream • View recording
CO2 direct air capture (DAC) has progressed rapidly, driven in part by philanthropic and corporate initiatives 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.
Moderator: Jan Mazurek, Senior Director, Carbon Dioxide Removal, ClimateWorks Foundation • View PDF slides
Featured Panelists:
- Anna Stukas, Vice President of Business Development, Carbon Engineering
- Natalie Khtikian, Vice President and Head of Business Development, ClimeWorks
2:45 – 3:00 PM
Break
Industrial Decarbonization
3:00 – 4:00 PM
Panel 7: Industrial Decarbonization • View recording
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 emissions. 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.
Moderator: Marwa Al-Ansary, GM Long Range Research and Experimentation, Shell • View PDF slides
Featured Panelists:
- Brian Korgel, Director, Energy Institute, UT Austin
- Todd Brady, Vice President, Global Public Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer, Intel Corporation
Finance of Emerging Energy Startups
4:00 – 5:00 PM
Panel 8: Finance of Emerging Energy Startups • View recording
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.
Moderator: Shawn Cumberland, Managing Partner, Energy Transition, EnCap Investments L.P.
Featured Panelists:
- 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