A new flock of experts and industry leaders has joined the roster for GreenBeat 2009, the seminal event on the Smart Grid, on Nov. 18 and 19. We are very excited to announce this group, as it spans analysts, purse-string holders, and an inspiring new entrepreneur in the space.
Before we introduce the new cast, remember to register for your GreenBeat ticket today, while you can still get it for $525 — the offer expires on Nov. 5. Sign up and find out more information on the conference, located at the San Mateo Marriott, here. or follow us at @greenbeat2009 for all the breaking news on the event.
We’re also very pleased to announce support from the following industry leaders as sponsors: Southern California Edison, Oracle Utilities, Accel Partners, Schwartz Public Relations, and our strategic partners Vantage Communications, Matter Network and DEMO.
Joining an all-star line up, including former vice president Al Gore, leading investor John Doerr, and Cisco Smart Grid guru Laura Ipsen, we have:
Robert Gee — President of Gee Strategies. One of the earliest advocates for the development of a Smart Grid, Gee cut his teeth in the energy market on the Public Utility Commission of Texas in the early 1990s, during which time he also chaired the Committee on Electricity for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. Immediately after leaving that post in 1997, he joined the U.S. Energy Department as assistant secretary for policy and international affairs, overseeing its strategy in the Central Asia-Caspian region. Later, as the department’s assistant secretary for fossil energy, he supervised the country’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve and delved into the development of clean coal, natural gas and more eco-friendly petroleum technologies. In 2000, he returned to the private sector as vice president of development and partner relations for the Electrcity Innovation Institute (E2I), an organization that partners with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to encourage the digitization of electricity and energy data transmission. Today, he has combined all of this experience into his role as consummate Smart Grid consultant. As president of his own firm, Gee Strategies, he provides policy analysis, advocacy, and legal services to energy companies and electrical utilities looking to make the transition to a smarter grid.
Peter Wagner — Partner at Accel Partners. Focusing on information technology and energy sectors for investment, Wagner has provided backing and guidance to companies pursuing renewable energy and nuclear power development, energy storage solutions and Smart Grid infrastructure. With a long track record of lucrative public and M&A exits, especially in IT, and comprehensive knowledge of the advantages and challenges involved in funding energy efficiency enterprises, he is looking to rapidly grow Accel’s presence in the Smart Grid ecosystem. So far, Accel only has a handful of cleantech companies in its portfolio, including efficiency platforms Viridient and Infineon. But this will no doubt change in coming months.
Richard Wong — Partner at Accel Partners. Wong may have established his expertise in the mobile and enterprise software sectors, but he’s also jumped on board to make the firm’s energy holdings some of the most ambitious in the business. Just one example of his foresight in cleantech — he threw his support behind SunRun, a residential solar power company that utilizes photovoltaic panels and their interaction with the grid in bold, innovative ways. Owning and operating the panels itself, SunRun hooks its equipment into the grid, and charges residents only for the amount of power they use. The company is a natural segue into Smart Grid technology — a perfect example of how smart metering, real-time energy data transfer, and new data points will give vendors of renewable energy the boost they need to become widespread. Seeing more than simply how these innovation fit together, Wong has a bird’s eye view of how both private and federal dollars will flow into grid development moving forward. Wong will be a judge in GreenBeat 2009’s Innovation Competition, showcasing the most promising and disruptive Smart Grid technology on offer.
VentureBeat is hosting GreenBeat, the seminal executive conference on the Smart Grid, on Nov. 18-19, featuring keynotes from Nobel Prize winner Al Gore and Kleiner Perkins’ John Doerr. Get your early-bird tickets before Nov. 5 at GreenBeat2009.com.
