RENEW Wisconsin energy summit to draw national experts

RENEW Wisconsin will host its seventh annual Renewable Energy Summit January 18 at Monona Terrace in Madison.

The theme of the event, "Connecting to a Powerful Future," will highlight the expansion of renewable power underway in Wisconsin, both at the customer and utility level, and the need to broaden connections to continue this momentum.

This one-day event will feature two keynote speakers: 

Abby Hopper is the CEO of the national Solar Energy Industries Association in Washington, D.C.  The solar industry has grown at a 20 percent annual clip the past five years as installation costs have declined rapidly.

This is creating great opportunities in up-and-coming markets like Wisconsin.

Hopper oversees all of SEIA's activities, including government affairs, research, communications, and industry leadership. SEIA is at the forefront of national solar advocacy, including the recent Federal tax overhaul and import tariff threat.

Jane Bloch is principal at Tusculum Consulting, where she is a clean energy communications expert. She comes to the summit to share best practices on how to effectively communicate about clean energy with different audiences.

She has spent the last decade advancing clean energy policies through strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and philanthropic investment. Bloch grew up spending her summers in the Northwoods, near Minocqua, where she learned to love canoeing and loon calls.

The event will begin with a recap of 2017 and outlook to 2018 by RENEW Wisconsin’s board chair Amy Heart and executive director Tyler Huebner.

At 9:30 a.m., three Wisconsin utility executives will participate in a panel session discussing their companies’ investments and programs for renewable energy such as wind, solar, and biogas. 

- WPPI Energy CEO Mike Peters

- Madison Gas & Electric CEO Jeff Keebler

- WEC Energy Group senior vice president Dan Krueger 

The lunch panel will feature experts from the renewable energy industry. 

- Vanessa Tutos of EDP Renewables (Houston, Texas)

- Eric Udelhofen of OneEnergy Renewables (Madison)

- Ed Zinthefer of Arch Electric (Plymouth)

- Joe Parisi, Dane County Executive

The program will feature networking opportunities with exhibitors and attendees, as well as a social hour following the close of the formal program.

Summit registration is open and more than 100 individuals and company representatives have already signed up.

Rates are $125 for Members of RENEW Wisconsin, $155 for nonmembers, $125 for government and nonprofit employees, and $35 for students and elected officials and their staff.

Membership with RENEW starts at $35 for individuals and $200 for businesses and organizations.

For more information on the 2018 program agenda, speakers, and registration, please visit   http://www.renewwisconsin.org/2018_Summit/index.html.