Speakers Announced, Registration Now Open for PG&E’s 2024 Innovation Summit on Nov. 13

By Paul Doherty

PG&E has announced the speaker lineup for its 2024 Innovation Summit presented in collaboration with DISTRIBUTECH in San Jose.

The second-annual summit brings together utility peers, entrepreneurs and private industry, national research labs, academia, agency leaders and policymakers to collaborate in swiftly deploying and scaling novel solutions that bridge the gap between today’s energy system and California's electrified and decarbonized future.

The Nov. 13 event will showcase breakthrough partnerships, research and development (R&D) advancements, and provide opportunities for strategic collaboration across several key focus areas including energy supply and load management, integrated grid planning and transmission strategy, electric vehicles and vehicle-to-grid applications, climate adaptation and resilience, wildfire mitigation, electric undergrounding, and gas system decarbonization.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning applications for utilities will also be a focus of the 2024 summit. PG&E currently leverages AI and machine learning across the company for applications in meteorology, planning, inspections, monitoring, and maintenance to help detect, prevent, and respond to the risk of wildfires and achieve greater electric system resiliency.

PG&E has identified wide-ranging opportunities to further leverage AI for more automated data quality management, improved data collection and analysis, customer communications, and other applications that can augment current processes and result in improved service for customers.

The fall event will feature a keynote with Patti Poppe, PG&E Corporation CEO, along with a recorded conversation between Poppe and Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO of Microsoft.

The high-powered and diverse speaker lineup also features remarks and conversations with thought leaders in technology, energy, government and media including:

• John Engel, editor-in-chief of DISTRIBUTECH and POWERGRID International
• The Honorable Matt Mahan, mayor of San Jose
• Arshad Mansoor, president and CEO of the Electric Power Research Institute
• Shinjini Menon, senior vice president of IT, Southern California Edison
• Carlos Nouel, VP of Transformation Programs, National Grid
• Ashley Smith, chief technology and innovation officer, AES
• Darryl Willis, corporate vice president, Energy & Resources Industry, Microsoft

Additional PG&E speakers include Mike Delaney, vice president, Utility Partnerships & Innovation; Jason Glickman, executive vice president, Engineering, Planning and Strategy; and Quinn Nakayama, senior director, Grid Research, Innovation and Development.

For in-person attendees, the summit will feature an immersive showcase of new innovations and climate-tech solutions that PG&E and peer utility companies are exploring and deploying to improve and enhance operations and customer service. In-person participation will be limited to about 1,000 attendees, however virtual participation is unlimited. There will be a full hybrid experience for virtual attendees.

For the full agenda and to register for in-person or virtual attendance, visit: Summary - 2024 PG&E Innovation Summit presented by DISTRIBUTECH (cvent.com)

Visit www.pge.com/innovation for information about PG&E’s Innovation Summit 2024 and to learn more about PG&E’s efforts to accelerate energy R&D.