Program

VERGE 19 Program

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VERGE Circular Program

VERGE Energy Program

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Monday, October 21st, 2019

9:00am to 11:30am

Hiking the East Bay Hills

Activity

Redwood Regional Park: Canyon Meadow Staging Area

Join REI Outdoor Programs for a five mile hike in Oakland's Redwood Regional Park. Diverse wildlife and burbling creeks provide a beautiful backdrop for a moderate hike through the shady redwood forest. You must have purchased an All-Access pass in order to participate. Spaces are limited to 15. Sign up for the hike here.

Tuesday, October 22nd, 2019

7:45am to 8:30am

Registration & Continental Breakfast

Bookend

Exhibit Pre-Function, Lobby and Atrium

Tuesday breakfast served for VERGE All Access pass holders.

8:00am to 12:00pm

Commercial ZEV Summit (RSVP Required)

Working Session

Skyline

The VERGE 19 Commercial Zero-Emission Vehicle Summit, organized in collaboration with CALSTART, is a half-day, invitation-only working session focused on prioritizing actions that can accelerate the deployment of zero-emission commercial vehicles on California’s roads. The Summit will convene more than 100 people, including auto manufacturers, policy makers, city officials, corporate leaders, utilities, infrastructure providers and technology developers.

Refer to our Commercial Zero-Emission Vehicle Summit page for more information and to request an invitation.

8:30am to 12:00pm

Future Cities Carbon Action Challenge

Tutorial

Grand Ballroom Salon G,H

This action challenge is designed for high-impact leaders to align on most critical problems confronting cities committed to delivering on their bold 2050 carbon neutrality goals. Diverse stakeholders will propose 12-month solutions through collaborative, competitive dialogue to best address these urgent obstacles while ensuring greater resiliency and overall social equity.

Keynote speakers will be challenged to align stakeholders around the most pressing issues and essential solutions/initiatives necessary to reach carbon neutrality2050. Stakeholder participants will be challenged to collaborate, prioritize and propose winning 12-month solutions with measurable milestones. Come ready to roll up your sleeves; this is an interactive session that contains decision-making, debate and accountability.

Scaling Zero Carbon Real Estate Portfolios

Tutorial

Junior Ballroom 4

A quarter of all energy in the U.S. is used to power the commercial sector’s buildings. Any company looking for ways to reach deep decarbonization goals must take a look at its building portfolio. This interactive tutorial covers why addressing energy use in buildings is smart for operations and your bottom line, and the tools available to help transform where you work. It will cover:

Resources and tools available to renters to work with landlords on energy efficiency and clean energy
The perspective of leading real estate developers aiming to build smart, efficient buildings
How to incorporate smart energy and financing decisions in new builds
How to include your buildings in your energy strategy, and how to get internal buy-in

Foundations of the Circular Economy

Tutorial

Grand Ballroom Salon F

This half-day tutorial will provide the basics of the circular economy, from theory to action, from guiding principles to case studies spanning products, business models and system-level innovations. Much of the work in the circular economy to date has centered on deep analysis of the broader economic opportunity. This session will help translate the theory into practical opportunities for colleagues working in various functions within an organization and value chain.

Decarbonizing Logistics: Metrics, Efficiency and Collaboration

Tutorial

Junior Ballroom 2/3

Global shipping emissions are rising thanks to growing demand for consumer goods and on-demand e-commerce. But some companies are trying to decarbonize shipping — across maritime, air, ground and rail — as a way to meet sustainability goals and lower fuel costs. There's an emerging trend of retailers advocating for electric delivery from transportation providers as well as using offsets to reach short term goals. At the same time, maritime shipping companies are adopting new technologies in an effort to cut emissions in half by 2050. This tutorial, led by BSR's Clean Cargo Working Group and the Smart Freight Centre, will dive into the complex options that companies have to lower their carbon emissions associated with shipping and the metrics and collaborations needed to succeed.

How to Develop an Integrated, Forward-Thinking Energy Strategy

Tutorial

Junior Ballroom 1

Energy technology is transforming rapidly, and corporate energy management priorities need to keep up and look ahead. Companies have more options and data available than ever – which also makes the job of an energy manager more complicated than ever.

This tutorial walks through how to develop a strategic, comprehensive approach to achieve a company’s energy-related financial and environmental objectives. Following the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) guidelines, we’ll cover the six dimensions that make up an integrated energy strategy:

Vision and Goals: How to set a clear vision that is supported by credible targets that make sense of how your company operates in your supply chain
Energy Strategy Governance: Clarify accountability on who is leading and who is delivering on each goal
Data Collection and Management: Select tools to collect and understand data
Mandatory and Voluntary Reporting: How to develop a reporting program that provides action-oriented insight into the status of the integrated energy strategy to internal and external stakeholders.
Internal and External Engagement: Get internal buy-in and engage employees to see maximum benefits
Solutions: How to develop a roadmap of measures that improve energy efficiency, increase the use of low-carbon energy and fuel, and enable natural climate solutions – in your operations and together with your value chain.

In advance of the tutorial, participants are encouraged to read WBCSD’s guidelines on how to develop an Integrated Energy Strategy: https://wbcsdpublications.org/integrated-energy-strategy/

Carbon Credentials Logo

WBCSD Logo Cropped

Capture It, Store It, Use It: An Introduction to the New Carbon Economy

Tutorial

Uptown Room

The science is clear: To avoid dangerous climate change, we must not only reduce emissions but remove the excess carbon already in our atmosphere. Businesses can convert carbon dioxide from a liability to an asset, creating a new carbon economy. So what does that mean in practice? Could your business start drawing down carbon from the atmosphere? And how will that become a trillion-dollar market opportunity, as one recent report found? In this tutorial, industry experts will explain the science behind carbon removal and utilization, demystify the relevant terms and showcase the start-ups harnessing these opportunities.

8:30am to 11:30am

Deep Roots Oakland Tree Planting

Activity

Help American Forests plant trees in Oakland! Trees are nature’s best carbon sequestration technology, and urban trees provide extra benefits to cities, including keeping cities 5° to 7° cooler on hot summer days. Come help us expand the tree canopy in Oakland and learn how to calculate the benefits of trees using the i-Tree urban forestry tool. Help us make a difference in the city hosting VERGE while simultaneously learning more about the powerful role urban forests can play as a natural climate solution. Sign up for the planting activity here.

9:00am to 12:00pm

Paddling the Richmond Marina

Activity

Marina Bay Yacht Harbor

Paddle Richmond Marina's diverse and historic waterfront with REI Outdoor Programs. Explore the history of Kaiser Shipyards and Rosie the Riveter Monument by kayak and discover the rich history of and impact of the area during World War II. Venture out to Brookes Island. Skirting the nature preserve you can expect to see Caspian Terns, Herons and scenic views of the San Francisco to Mt. Tamalpais. All required gear will be provided. You must have purchased an All-Access pass to participate. Spaces are limited to 12. Sign-up for the paddle here.

12:00pm to 1:30pm

Lunch

1:00pm to 1:15pm

Are All Climate Solutions High Tech?

Booth Session

Natural Capital Partner's Expo Booth (East Hall)

A simple ceramic filter provides clean water, a carbon-dense peat forest is protected from palm oil plantation, gas is flared from New York state’s largest landfill facility: Join us to learn how some of the simplest solutions are making an impact on climate change and how a Carbon Neutral event like VERGE is supporting them.

1:00pm to 1:20pm

Microgrid Tour

Activity

Come to this interactive tour of the VERGE 19 microgrid to see how the conference is being run on a 100% renewable microgrid and learn how renewable energy can provide resilient backup power. You will hear from all the energy resource vendors and how they contribute to the power system. No sign-up needed! Meet on 10th Street five minutes prior to the tour.

1:30pm to 1:45pm

Organizer's Welcome

Plenary

West Hall

GreenBiz CEO Eric Faurot, and VP, Executive Director of VERGE, Shana Rappaport, welcome VERGE 19 participants to the event.

1:45pm to 2:05pm

The State of Climate Leadership with Governor Gavin Newsom

Plenary

West Hall

A conversation with the chief executive of the world’s fifth-largest economy about climate change, innovation and the future of California.

2:05pm to 2:15pm

VERGE Talk: Making Ecological Regeneration an Imperative for Tech

Plenary

West Hall

In the tech industry we often talk about making the world a better place, when we really mean “sell more stuff.” What would it look like instead to deploy the skills and capabilities of tech to actually create a verdant, healthy and vibrant world? Tom Chi, a founding team member of Google X, talks about the opportunities for humanity to leverage technology and become a net positive to nature.

2:15pm to 2:35pm

Decarbonizing Transportation: A Revolution Decades in the Making

Plenary

West Hall

While zero-emission vehicles have recently gained momentum, years of prescient policies, changing economics and technology advances have paved the way. Hear from leaders that have spent years guiding, navigating and sometimes battling for a transition to a decarbonized transportation system, including the lessons learned for those who will follow in these pioneering paths.

2:35pm to 2:45pm

VERGE Talk: Delivering Clean Energy at Scale

Plenary

West Hall

Businesses of all sizes and sectors are rethinking how they source and use electricity, staking their futures to distributed energy to power tomorrow’s offices, factories, retail sites and business models. The falling costs of renewable generation and new energy storage capabilities are convincing organizations that sustainable energy solutions can be both efficient and friendly to the bottom line. But implementing such solutions isn’t always easy. How can large-scale, distributed organizations tackle these on-the-ground complexities? Learn from two industry leaders working to overcome these challenges in pursuit of delivering on-site renewable power generation and innovative zero-carbon emission energy.

2:45pm to 3:15pm

VERGE Accelerate: Circular and Carbon

Plenary

West Hall

Future markets will be shaped by the next generation of entrepreneurs. VERGE Accelerate is a rapid-fire pitch competition featuring leading startups advancing the clean economy. Today’s session highlights entrepreneurs at the forefront of innovating solutions undergirding the circular and new carbon economies.

3:15pm to 3:25pm

VERGE Talk: Prosperity and Progress for All

Plenary

West Hall

Given the growing inequality and shifting demographics of the nation, without equity there can be neither progress nor prosperity. Angela Glover Blackwell, a pioneer of the environmental equity movement, has focused on innovating and improving public policy to build a nation in which all can reach their full potential. She’ll share lessons learned on her journey and her fundamental belief that we are one nation—and we rise or fall together.

3:25pm to 3:30pm

City of Oakland Welcome from Mayor Schaaf

Plenary

West Hall

The City of Oakland's Mayor Libby Schaaf welcomes the VERGE community to Oakland, announcing the City's official Clean Economy Week and speaking to the ways in which cities like Oakland are critical to accelerating the clean economy.

3:30pm to 4:00pm

Zero Waste at VERGE 19: Behind the Scenes with Waste Management

Activity

Exhibit Pre-Function

Join Waste Management on a Zero Waste Tour to understand what goes into creating a Zero Waste event like VERGE 19, from working with vendors to engaging attendees and coordinating waste services. This quick tour will provide insight into the collaboration that goes on behind the scenes. Meet at the Waste Management banner in the pre-function space (just outside of East & West Hall) at the start of the break to participate in the tour.

Networking Break

Break

Exhibit Pre-Function, Lobby and Atrium

3:35pm to 3:55pm

Microgrid Tour

Activity

4:00pm to 5:00pm

Safe and Circular: Integrating Material Health Into Circularity

Breakout

Uptown Room

Just because you can reuse something, doesn’t mean you should. As industry moves towards a circular world in which materials will ideally be used over and over, ensuring that recycled materials don’t adversely affect human health becomes ever more important. This session will illustrate key material health considerations when thinking about moving to a circular product design, reframing the material health challenge as an opportunity for successful circular design.

Regenerative Agriculture, Carbon Drawdown and the Future of Food

Breakout

OCC 204

Farmers and ranchers around the world are experimenting with new techniques that pull carbon from the atmosphere and store it in soil. These regenerative agriculture practices can boost farmers’ bottom line by improving soil health and, if scaled up, could draw down gigatons of carbon dioxide annually. Meet the food companies and farmers who are working on the first regenerative products and learn about a sector that has the potential for dramatic growth.

How Utilities and Regulators Stopped Pointing Fingers and Got Clean Energy on the Grid

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon G,H

This session features a regulator, utility and customer from the same service area in Michigan to talk about how they worked together on green tariffs, rate design to integrate more renewables, and electric vehicle infrastructure. Experts will offer insights into how companies can navigate complex dynamics and think through the systems needed to bring more clean energy to the grid.

The Corporation as Clean Energy Activist

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon C

As more companies set ambitious energy and climate targets, there’s a need for policymakers to send clear market signals that will inspire the private sector to take big, collective steps forward. What role should businesses play in influencing clean-energy policy? How can companies advance new markets and technologies, all while addressing their SDG commitments? This session will explore the growing body of organizations emerging to help unify voices from corporations, the power of private sector to inspire change, the reputational opportunities and risks and how to navigate the tough issues, such as setting an internal policy agenda and getting C-suite buy-in.

Whole Systems Mapping: Understanding Flows and Unlocking Value

Workshop

Junior Ballroom 1

Systems mapping is increasingly being used to understand the dynamics of any system – human, organizational, technical etc. Methodologies such as Waste Flow Mapping, Value Stream Mapping, Eco-Mapping can help identify and analyze opportunities for material efficiencies and waste reduction. But a whole systems approach examines a broader set of loops, including human and organizational dynamics that can either help or hinder change through ongoing reinforcement. This session will examine examples of whole system mapping and illustrate how applying this technique can help managers understand flows within an organization and unlock value from using these flows appropriately.

The Promise and Challenge of High-Performance Teams

Startup Showcase

Imagine creating a team where each member is fully engaged, motivated, excited about working with you and taking full responsibility for team success. Such high-performance teams are marked by mining clarity, a deep level of trust among team members and a willingness to support each other’s success. This one-hour session -- which is a glimpse of our three-day highly experiential workshop -- will briefly introduce a picture of what is required to succeed in working with others, the interferences that sabotage the best of intentions and efforts, and the mindset essential to be a high-performing team and team member.

The Emergence of Circular Transportation

Breakout

OCC 201

Our complex transportation networks and supply chains need to highlight circular manufacturing and principles in order to reduce emissions and meet sustainability goals. This session surveys programs addressing closed-loop, zero-emission fuel use, vehicle tire circular systems, auto remanufacturing and electric vehicle battery material recycling and reuse.

The Missing Link: Digitizing Circular Supply Chains

Breakout

Junior Ballroom 2/3

Blockchain, artificial intelligence and wireless sensors are poised to become the foundation of the new suite of services needed to power circular supply chains. For example, the notion of a digital ID that would capture product information such as its location or material composition may prove fundamental as companies transition to PaaS models. Product information is also critical to both original equipment manufacturers and recyclers as companies put in place reverse logistics systems. But these systems needn’t stop at physical products. Digitally collecting information about things like the state of farmland my enhance our ability to calculate carbon offsets and a host of other applications that make digital solutions appealing for both natural and manufactured products.

This session will take a broader look at the opportunity to digitize supply chains in a way that enhances circularity, reduces resource use and positions a whole new view of the resources at our disposal.

How Carbon Taxes and Credits Are Impacting American Businesses

Breakout

OCC 203

There was little fanfare when Congress passed a carbon removal tax credit in 2018 — so little that many people still don’t know the credit exists. Some U.S. state governments also have created incentives for carbon removal. And with climate change set to play a more prominent role in the 2020 elections, other legislative initiatives will likely follow. Hear from experts who will explain how the existing credit and future changes will impact your company.

Electric Aviation Is Taking Off

Breakout

OCC 210/11

Think electric planes and other flying vehicles are decades off? Think again. Batteries are on the cusp of being powerful enough to propel a small plane for a short hop — say, from Silicon Valley to Los Angeles. Other flying vehicles, like electric vertical take-off and landing, are being built and piloted in remote regions such as the Mojave Desert. Electric aviation is coming, and this session will explain what transportation professionals need to know about it.

Corporate Electric & Sustainable Transport Strategies

Breakout

OCC 208

There's a whole array of strategies that companies can deploy to encourage electric and more sustainable transportation to, from and around corporate campuses, including employee electric vehicle purchasing, on-campus EV charging, e-shuttle bus use, on-campus mobility options and better last mile solutions. This session will provide insights into the programs that are available to your company and the incentives you can tap into.

Growing a Circular System for Food

Breakout

Junior Ballroom 4

The linear food system is ripe for disruption. Between vast amounts of water and land used for food, deforestation caused by clearing land for crops, and heavy reliance on chemical fertilizers, waste free, regenerative and circular alternatives have a lot to offer. In a circular world, food production will improve rather than degrade the environment. Circular food systems are beginning to address this with the goal of protecting biodiversity and human health. For example, regenerative agriculture uses farming practices like intercropping and no tilling to enrich and regenerate the soil. Food companies are turning the byproducts of food production into the primary ingredients of new delicious products. And materials innovators are working to reduce waste created by the packaging our food is served in. This session will explore the potential for a circuar food system, and feature promising solutions being brought to market in the food industry.

The Next Big Thing to Be Electrified

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon A,B

As cities consider gas bans and companies work towards deep decarbonization goals, commercial and industrial applications need electric alternatives for their traditionally gas-powered appliances. This session brings together a trailblazing investor, innovator and policymaker who are thinking about an all-electric future. Join us to hear about opportunities and challenges as we electrify everything.

5:00pm to 7:00pm

Opening Reception

Networking

East Hall and 10th Street

Future of Food Showcase

Networking

Microgrid

Join us in the VERGE Microgrid for our opening reception and Future of Food Showcase. Sustainable food and drink vendors will be presenting the most innovative products and technologies that are catalyzing more sustainable, resilient food systems.

6:00pm to 6:20pm

Microgrid Tour

Activity

Wednesday, October 23rd, 2019

7:45am to 8:30am

Registration & Continental Breakfast

Bookend

Exhibit Pre-Function, Lobby and Atrium

8:30am to 9:30am

How Next-Gen Materials Will Help Reverse Global Warming

Breakout

OCC 204

There’s a lot of talk right now about the “emerging” carbon economy, but in some sectors the carbon economy is well underway. This session will introduce you to the first-mover firms that are selling and using carbon-negative textiles and advanced materials made from greenhouse gases. Speakers will explain the environmental benefits of the new materials and the potential end uses, including in clothing, packaging and furniture.

Aligning Clean Energy and Carbon Reduction Targets

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon A,B

This session looks at how energy and sustainability managers are balancing competing agendas to reduce costs and carbon. Corporate leaders will talk about how to engage stakeholders to get buy-in for ambitious initiatives, the tools and technologies available to measure and reduce emissions, and lessons learned from past programs.

The Internet of Food Waste

Breakout

Junior Ballroom 4

Reducing the billions of dollars of food waste lost every year is a priority for every step in the food and ag supply chain. Not only will it help ensure adequate food for a growing population, but there is money to be made. Internet of things (IoT) devices such as sensors on products, distribution points, trucks and trains have helped gather data that can be used to reduce and even eliminate waste. IoT analytics are advancing quickly, with new technologies designed to bring improvements to food processing, packaging, distribution and retail. This session will review some of the new IoT technologies and how companies are using them.

Keeping IT in Play: Maximizing Lifetime Value and Longevity of Assets

Breakout

Uptown Room

The material value of the e-waste discarded globally each year adds up to $62.5 billion — more than the GDP of most countries — according to the United Nations. Infrastructure growth is massive, and yet often “out of sight” as it shifts increasingly to the cloud. The potential of this rapid growth is both very positive, and at the same time on a dangerous trajectory, both in the area of e-waste and in GHG/ GWP. This breakout will explore a more circular approach to IT and e-waste management. Whether your company is decommissioning a data center, upgrading IT assets or managing other streams of e-waste that have reached the end of their usable life, learn how to unlock value, mitigate data security risks and maximize asset lifecycles.

Carbon Removal Will Create a Wealth of Opportunities. Are You Ready?

Breakout

OCC 203

We must deploy technologies that suck carbon from the air if we are to avoid catastrophic climate change. Doing so would create a huge new industry: one recent study estimated that products worth an estimated $5 trillion could be manufactured from CO2. This discussion will survey the ecosystem of opportunities in chemicals, materials and infrastructure that will emerge from the growth of this new sector.

Making Corporate Renewable Options Better, Faster, Stronger

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon G,H

Renewable power purchase agreements aren’t the only option to transform how buildings and operations are powered. As the renewables market matures, new options are emerging for buyers — ones that increase flexibility and ease the contracting process. This session looks at options to help companies meet their clean energy goals, from conventional PPAs to emerging project aggregation models and other business-model innovations.

Decarbonizing Industrial Thermal Energy

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon F

Natural gas is becoming the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. energy sector. This session takes a realistic — but urgent — look at addressing those emissions, and at market-ready solutions for these hard-to-reach emission sources, including renewable thermal energy technologies, where and how to use renewable natural gas, and how to decarbonize industry, including the steel and concrete sectors.

Building the ‘Energy Cloud’

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon C

Distributed energy resources have transformed power generation and consumption from one-way power systems to a complex, two-way "energy cloud." That means energy consumers have more considerations than ever before – including offsite and onsite renewables, energy storage and microgrids, energy efficiency and demand response. This session looks at innovations that are advancing the emerging energy cloud, and what that means for energy procurement and company operations.

Plastics and the Circular Economy

Breakout

Junior Ballroom 2/3

As plastics take over our sees and overflow our landfills, we need a completely new approach to this material. We can’t continue to use plastic in the way that we have, but eliminating it altogether makes no sense either. The vision of a New Plastic Economy includes tenets such as eliminating all unnecessary plastic packaging, reducing single use packaging, ensuring all plastic packaging can be reusable, recyclable or compostable – not just in theory but in practice, and keeping hazardous chemicals out. This session will explore what achieving a New Plastic Economy looks like in practice and how companies and organizations are partnering to make it a reality.

Circularity in the Built Environment

Breakout

Junior Ballroom 1

Buildings are the largest source of GHG emissions in cities. Beyond their energy footprints, they can be standing reservoirs of materials – or giant structures of waste. Innovations in architecture, materials science, energy usage and water usage are all enhancing circularity in the built environment. This session will bring together the perspectives of architects and materials experts to share recent innovations that enhance cost and material efficiencies in the built environment.

The State of Electric Trucks

Breakout

OCC 201

In collaboration with the North American Council for Freight Efficiency and as part of their Run on Less Regional demonstration, a panel of trucking experts will explore the state of electric trucks. Regional haul described as trucks that stay in an area with a 300-mile radius and those with dedicated routes will be early adopters of Class 8 electric HD tractors. The conditions are ripe for this to accelerate the growth of electric trucks in North America goods movement.

The Movement To Integrate Electric Buildings & EVs

Breakout

OCC 210/11

Companies, universities and even cities are beginning to embrace the “electrify everything” movement for heating and cooling buildings, as well as for powering on-campus, employee-owned and corporate fleet electric vehicles. This session will explain how these electric building and electric vehicle systems interconnect, how they can be powered cleanly, how EVs can be used as grid services, and the first steps organizations can take to deploy these dual electric programs.

Lessons Learned from Early Autonomous Vehicle Projects

Breakout

OCC 202

The first autonomous vehicle projects — both slow-moving shuttles on campuses and more widely deployed robotaxis — have been launched, and companies and city leaders are beginning to learn valuable lessons from these early programs. This session will explain the most important takeaways that organizations need to know as they investigate autonomous vehicle technology.

The Evolution of Urban Mobility

Breakout

OCC 208

Mobility-as-a-service is changing the way we move within cities, but we need mobility systems that create liveable cities, are sustainable and are inclusive of all citizens. In this session mobility providers, transportation planners, and city leaders will discuss how to build mobility and micromobility systems that can decarbonize transportation and are accessible for everyone.

9:30am to 10:00am

Networking Break

Break

Exhibit Pre-Function, Lobby and Atrium

10:00am to 10:10am

Day Two: GreenBiz Welcome

Plenary

West Hall

GreenBiz President Pete May kicks off the second day of VERGE 19.

10:10am to 10:20am

VERGE Talk: Science Fiction or the Future: Food and Other Things Made from CO2

Plenary

West Hall

Reducing carbon intensity through efficiency and alternatives in industries like energy, materials and agriculture is critical to addressing the climate crisis. It is also increasingly clear to solve the climate crisis, we’ll need to reduce greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere. This calls for a concerted effort to develop multiple world-scale carbon sinks of value to addressable markets. What are the technologies and markets that will make the carbon economy a reality? They include new approaches to convert carbon into food for our growing global population, and food to increase yield and productivity within our crops and plants.

10:20am to 10:45am

Leadership In The Clean Economy

Plenary

West Hall

Political attention and youth action around climate change ramped up in 2019, and the clean energy economy is emerging as a major source of jobs in solar, wind, energy efficiency and electric vehicles. This conversation between Michigan’s former governor and the CEO of an electric bus company will cover clean energy, economic development and the role of leadership amid the climate crisis.

10:45am to 10:55am

The Green New Deal: The Enormous Opportunity in Shooting for the Moon

Plenary

West Hall

The conversation about a Green New Deal is bold, timely and necessary, argues Saul Griffith. The most important component is the commitment to complete decarbonization. That is the destination, the moon for our moonshot. The question is: How do we get there? It turns out that it’s at least twice as easy as we think.

10:55am to 11:05am

VERGE Talk: The Promise of Blockchain for Accelerating Circular Solutions

Plenary

West Hall

Where and how will blockchain enable and accelerate solutions to critical environmental and social challenges? TheForce for Good supply chain initiative of VMware Blockchain represents a good example. The initiative, in partnership with Dell Technologies, tracks plastics recovered from the ocean through a recycling supply chain and into Dell product packaging, enabling consumers to trace it back to the ocean source to ensure its veracity.

11:05am to 11:35am

VERGE Accelerate: Energy and Transportation

Plenary

West Hall

Future markets will be shaped by the next generation of entrepreneurs. VERGE Accelerate is a rapid-fire pitch competition featuring leading startups advancing the clean economy. Today’s session highlights entrepreneurs at the forefront of innovating solutions advancing clean energy and sustainable transportation.

11:35am to 11:45am

Breathe: A Special Performance by Cassandra Lewis

Plenary

West Hall

Breathe deep and don't miss this special performance by Bay-Area singer // songwriter, Cassandra Lewis of The Foxxtones, with saxophone accompaniment by Chris Hoog of Afrolicious, featuring visuals from NASA. Love what you experience? Cassandra is reachable at [email protected].

11:45am to 11:50am

Honoring GreenBiz Emerging Leaders and Civic Spark Leaders

Plenary

11:50am to 12:00pm

VERGE Talk: How to Think Ahead in a Reckless Age

Plenary

West Hall

To be alive today is to have the power to shape the future in ways unimaginable to previous generations — whether it's engineering the planet’s climate or editing the human genetic code. The stakes are high to think ahead when our attention is focused more on the immediate. How can we best invest in the future for ourselves and generations to come? In a talk that draws on her new book The Optimist’s Telescope, Bina Venkataraman illuminates our untapped power to think longer term.

12:00pm to 1:15pm

Lunch

12:00pm

Food Waste Summit (RSVP Required)

Working Session

Skyline

The VERGE 19 Food Waste Summit is a half-day, invitation-only working session focused on accelerating the technologies, partnerships and business models that are dramatically reducing or eliminating food waste. The Summit will convene more than 100 people, including leaders from corporate and institutional foodservice operations, technology solution providers, commodity suppliers, food recovery organizations, and others from across the food and waste value chain.

Refer to our Food Waste Summit page for more information and to request an invitation.

12:15pm to 1:15pm

Roundtable Lunch: How We Can Leverage Natural Resources to Optimize Market Competitiveness

Lunch

10th Street

Every country has its unique natural conditions which may not be optimized for best use today. How can we leverage this opportunity by improving maturity of services to be delivered from places where the natural conditions are the best — reducing natural ecosystem disruption and extraneous energy use? Join us to discuss ways to optimize regional resources, including in the data center industry. We will also talk about how data can be stored in locations where natural conditions are optimal for cooling, power is renewable, and where cost is optimal for these services.

About Roundtable Lunches: Join interactive lunch discussions, moderated by an expert or thought leader, held at roundtables of up to 10 participants. These are freeform discussions, so bring your own challenges, questions, and ideas to talk through and get to know your fellow conference participants. All roundtable lunches do not have advanced sign-up – participation is first-come, first-served.

Roundtable Lunch: Co-Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth: Exploring Leverage Points for Planetary Regeneration

Lunch

10th Street

You’ve probably heard of Project Drawdown's 100 solutions to reverse global warming. Still curious about how we transform insights about solutions into real, systems change? Join Amanda Joy Ravenhill — co-founder of Project Drawdown and executive director of the Buckminster Fuller Institute (BFI) — for a conversation about key leverage points for systems change, ranging from blue carbon to transit equity, and how to get involved with BFI's new project, the Co-Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth.

Roundtable Lunch: How a Unified Government Initiative Can Grow New Thriving Green Industries

Lunch

10th Street

Across the world, for green industries, government incentives can be the ultimate behavior change-maker to attract consumers. Many of these government incentives have been developed in cooperation with the industry and the government, like the Norwegian government’s support of the growth of EV and the power-intensive data center industry. At lunch, we will explore and discuss the ways to incentivize government agencies to develop incentives for green behavior like tax cuts, investments, and specialized program.

INVITE ONLY – Roundtable Lunch: Clean Energy Equity Showcase Honoree Roundtable

Lunch

10th Street

INVITE ONLY

This roundtable lunch is open exclusively to GreenBiz’s Clean Energy Equity Showcase honorees, representatives from 10 organizations across the country that are dedicated to making clean energy accessible to all. All honorees are invited to lunch with Danny Kennedy, entrepreneur, thought leader and CEO at New Energy Nexus, the global network of clean energy incubators, accelerators and funds. Kennedy has a long track record of supporting and launching innovative startups, with a deep knowledge of the collaborations and finance available to help organizations thrive. Invitations will be extended beforehand.

Roundtable Lunch: Emerging Mobility: New Opportunities and Considerations in Planning Equitable, Sustainable Transportation Systems

Lunch

10th Street

The way that we have planned, funded and implemented mobility projects since the advent of the automobile has resulted in inequities, literally built into our communities. Emerging mobility creates an opportunity and an imperative to shift our methods and address past harms, improve future outcomes, and ensure that mobility decisions create positive impacts on cities. This roundtable will consider the opportunities, challenges and methods to ensure the shifting mobility landscape creates more equitable outcomes.

Roundtable Lunch: Mitigating Risk and Driving Sustainability Through Your Real Estate Portfolio

Lunch

10th Street

Although energy efficiency is rightly becoming top-of-mind for businesses across the country, some companies are still operating with the paradigm of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This session will look at proactive facility optimization programs that help companies achieve emissions reductions and OpEx cost cuts, while also eliminating risk. Redaptive’s Joel Ullman will explore topics including energy efficiency retrofits, “future-proofing” against the risk of inefficient/failed equipment, non-CapEx financing models, and what it all means for the future of businesses and the planet.

Roundtable Lunch: Integrating Autonomous Vehicles into a Transportation Ecosystem

Lunch

10th Street

Exciting headlines say that autonomous vehicles will transform the transportation industry in the coming years — but are we ready? The buzz about self-driving cars and fleets can ignore some key questions that must be answered first. Join us to find out: What role will autonomous vehicles play in the overall transportation ecosystem? How can cities prepare for an autonomous future, and what work needs to be done in order to move the needle forward to ensure a balanced transportation system?

Roundtable Lunch: Closing the Loop for Wind, Solar and Storage Systems

Lunch

10th Street

Early-generation wind, solar, and battery storage systems are already reaching the end of their useful lives, leaving us with the possibility of millions of metric tons of waste heading to landfills over the next 20 years. However, there are ways we can collect, process and reintroduce these materials back into supply-chains at current or even higher values. Further, it’s imperative that we design next-generation renewable systems for up-gradeability, perpetual useful life and built-in circularity. Join us to discuss how we can address these renewable energy production material end-of-life challenges at our roundtable.

Roundtable Lunch: The Road More Electrified: How to Optimize Routing And Charging Strategies for Fleets

Lunch

10th Street

Efficiency-based routing has long been a prevailing operational strategy in the trucking industry. As companies with over-the-road business models consider the transition to electrification, the lack of national or robust multi-state charging infrastructure will be a considerable barrier to adoption. Join us to discuss: Is it possible for these companies to develop over-the-road charging strategies without sacrificing routing efficiencies or breaking the bank? How can companies work together to mitigate gaps in over-the-road charging availability in the near term?

Roundtable Lunch: How Regenerative Agriculture Can Transform Farms from Carbon Sources to Carbon Sinks

Lunch

10th Street

According to Project Drawdown, regenerative agriculture has the potential to remove more than 20 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by 2050 — equivalent to suspending all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions for 3 years. But how do we know the carbon will stay in soils? And what's the best way to keep it there? Dive into the science behind the soil with filmmaker, faculty member and regenerative ag expert Peter Byck.

Roundtable Lunch: The State of Play: Solutions for Industry Decarbonization

Lunch

10th Street

“Industry” makes up a sizable part of the emissions pie chart, but the term is a catch-all. Over lunch, we’ll dive deep into the challenges in reducing those emissions across plants, factories and processes. We will discuss how industry decarbonization is unique relative to other sectors, and how this varies by types of industrial businesses. Furthermore, we will explore: What is the state of play for solutions to zero out emissions in industry, and the outlook for meeting science-based targets?

Roundtable Lunch: Carbon Economy AMA

Lunch

10th Street

Description: Wondering what’s going on behind the breathless headlines about carbon removal and its massive market potential? A leading carbon removal expert is here to answer your questions about the policies, technologies and companies that are shaping efforts to capture, utilize and store atmospheric carbon. We will demystify the tech enabling this movement, identify new policy levers and generally explain what your company should know about the emerging carbon economy.

Roundtable Lunch: Community Solar: Opportunities and Challenges in 2019

Lunch

10th Street

You might be surprised to learn that community solar is the fastest-growing segment of the solar industry today. But the incentives and timing mean that residents are interested and adopting faster than ever before. It’s also presenting a major opportunity for companies to get more involved in the space. Learn more about how leading businesses are benefiting from community solar programs at this roundtable lunch.

Roundtable Lunch: Planting Trees to Drive Climate Action, Climate Justice and Green Jobs

Lunch

10th Street

Description: The climate is changing, extreme weather events are increasing, sea levels are rising, and forests are struggling. It’s costing economies, affecting public health, and disrupting nature. It is not news that these effects disproportionately impact individuals in historically marginalized communities, particularly low-income people of color. In addition, communities with the highest tree canopy needs — aka those with the lowest urban tree cover — also tend to be those that have the highest unemployment. Come learn how American Forests is working on “Tree Equity” to drive climate action, support climate justice and create green jobs.

Roundtable Lunch: Unlocking an Intelligent, Sustainable Built Environment with IoT

Lunch

10th Street

Big data has enabled car-sharing programs, two-day deliveries, and curated music stations. It also has the potential to majorly transform homes and buildings. We’ll go into specifics about which data sources, when combined with more data and analytics, could create intelligent buildings that tell us how to make buildings last longer and improve the quality for whomever’s inside.

Roundtable Lunch: Using Blockchain to Enhance Trust, Transparency and Collaboration in Today’s Business Networks

Lunch

10th Street

Blockchain can be a tool to enhance trust, transparency and collaboration in supply chains, energy grids and financial markets — and companies are already embedding it within their operations. Experts will show you real applications in place with businesses today and detail how you can bring the power of blockchain to your own use cases. Hear directly from the people putting these solutions into place. Not a product pitch – real, actionable information straight from the source.

Roundtable Lunch: The Role of Carbon Removal Technology in Achieving Climate Goals

Lunch

10th Street

If deployed widely, CO2 emissions harvested from the atmosphere could actually lower atmospheric carbon concentrations. While still a niche part of the carbon conversation, the technology — direct air capture — is quickly becoming commercial. Join us for lunch to discuss: How should the technology be effectively explained to the public? How can the stored CO2 be quantified? What policy levers exist to expand this technology and give businesses credit for their reductions achieved?

Roundtable Lunch: Navigating the Fast-paced World of Renewable Energy and Climate Reporting

Lunch

10th Street

From CDP to SBTi, from RE100 to EV100, companies are entering and steering through a complex web of ways to codify their renewable energy and climate commitments. However, renewables and reporting don’t have to be intimidating. Join us to explore the opportunities and discuss how to avoid common pitfalls.

Roundtable Lunch: Is It “Hydrogen or Batteries” or “Hydrogen and Batteries?"

Lunch

10th Street

Every company has its own unique duty cycle, operating environment, climate goals and culture. This diversity paired with the comparative strengths of each potential energy solution results in a complex transition from basically one fuel to potentially multiple fuels with broad implications. In the clean energy transition, it can be confusing. But there are benchmarks and guidances out there to help us answer: How do we choose? Join us to learn some best practices for unique businesses and diverse sectors.

Roundtable Lunch: Microgrids: Addressing the Causes and Consequences of Climate Change

Lunch

10th Street

Microgrids are integral in protecting against the consequences of climate change — and they can even help address the causes. If you’re wondering how microgrids can help meet customer needs while also meeting sustainability goals, we’ll be exploring the necessary attributes and requirements for a microgrid. Together, we’ll discuss the best way to procure, implement and operationalize microgrids to be able to provide resilient, long-duration power during grid outages.

Roundtable Lunch: How High Tech and Ancient Knowledge Can Save Western Forests

Lunch

We are rapidly losing Western forests to climate change, disease and megafire. California alone could lose two-thirds of its forests in the next 20 years, and with them, invaluable biodiversity, carbon sequestration and water storage for the state. We’re also losing human lives and the places we love. The good news is that this is a solvable problem if we move fast and at scale. Come learn how laser cameras, satellites, Artificial Intelligence and ancient cultural practices are all coming together to restore the resilience of Western forests.

Roundtable Lunch: How Organizations Can Help Early Stage Cleantech Startups Achieve Traction and Key Milestones Critical to Their Success

Lunch

10th Street

Cleantech companies seek to leverage the power of technology in order to profitably solve the world's energy problems. But the path to commercialization is riddled with barriers that sometimes prove insurmountable to overcome. Join us to learn more about how national labs support innovators, discuss the various roles corporations can play along the path to market for bold entrepreneurs, and optimize these engagements to ensure they’re mutually beneficial.

Roundtable Lunch: How Emerging Business Models Can Grow Regenerative Agriculture

Lunch

10th Street

There has been plenty written about the importance of regenerative agriculture for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Technologies and practices have improved, but adoption is not occurring at scale. Hurdles for farmers on the ground include the lack of capital and information, as well as the lack of understanding of how the approach can increase profits. Some of these challenges can be addressed by emerging business models that bring third-party players into the frame – similar to how we scaled energy efficiency. Let’s chat about the innovative business approaches that can create regeneration at scale.

Roundtable Lunch: Where Does Water Fit in the Circular Economy?

Lunch

10th Street

Water powers all economies, and the nascent circular economy offers an opportunity to ensure that the resource is used more efficiently, safely and equitable. Join us to learn how the circular economy can improve water resources and create demand for new innovation. We will also be exploring the timely questions: Can carbon solutions also address water challenges? Are we still prioritizing the water-energy-food nexus? What can corporations, public officials, NGOs and entrepreneurs doing to change the landscape for water solutions? Join us for an engaging discussion about water's role within the VERGE 19 agenda and stated priorities.

Roundtable Lunch: "Solving for Plastics” Alone Will Not Create a Circular Economy

Lunch

10th Street

The public outcry over plastics presents an unprecedented opportunity to create game-changing solutions that cease use of the material, but we cannot stop there. A system change that solves for plastics alone will not create a viable platform for a truly circular economy, and unintended consequences may result from a short-term focus on a single material category. Yet the momentum around plastic waste provides an entry point to address the broader question of how to build a circular economy for all consumer packaging. Join Sarah Dearman from The Recycling Partnership to explore the realities of creating a circular system for packaging in the U.S.

Roundtable Lunch: Creating a New Paradigm in International Development with Clean Energy Access and Empowerment

Lunch

10th Street

Over one billion people on the planet do not have access to electricity. However, enabling access to renewable energy for globally underserved communities on the frontlines of climate change could rapidly realize regenerative progress for these communities and for the world. This is a massive opportunity to create a new paradigm for international development. Join our conversation to talk about the Global Goals, clean energy, gender empowerment, reversing climate change and creating a mutually beneficial relationship between humans and the planet.

12:45pm to 1:05pm

Microgrid Tour

Activity

1:00pm to 1:15pm

Are All Climate Solutions High Tech?

Booth Session

Natural Capital Partner's Expo Booth (East Hall)

1:15pm to 5:00pm

Low-Carbon and Electric Fleet Workshop

Workshop

OCC 208

Managers of public and private vehicle fleets are working on purchasing low- and zero-emission vehicles to meet sustainability goals and lower operating costs. But navigating the complicated landscape of what's available, which technology to use for various duty cycles, how to build out the right infrastructure and what funding sources to tap into, can be difficult and confusing. This interactive workshop, in partnership with NAFA, will seek to tackle these questions and help the growing fleet industry reach sustainability and economic goals.

1:15pm to 2:15pm

How to Build & Scale Smart, Profitable & Sustainable EV Infrastructure

Breakout

OCC 210/11

In this session attendees will learn what it takes to plan, build and operate high demand charging infrastructure that will not only create cleaner, livable cities, but is scalable, sustainable and profitable. Join technology innovators as they discuss how e-mobility models are changing the way we move within cities, and the practical realities of creating a new economy around this effort – built on a foundation of open-standards, powered by renewable energy sources, dynamically optimized and reinforced by the grid – and paving the way for the imminent electric transportation wave.

Drones & Robots: How Emerging Tech is Changing Delivery

Breakout

OCC 201

Drone delivery has been on the cusp of emerging for years, but U.S. regulations have made progress slow. At the same time, autonomous delivery bots are being piloted on city streets. What's the state of drones and robots for moving our goods in urban and rural areas and what policies are guiding these early deployments?

Exploring Advanced Materials & Green Chemistry

Breakout

Junior Ballroom 2/3

Many of the materials traditionally used across industries find their way to landfills. But innovations in materials are enabling us to make products that don’t have this end in sight. Across industries, material science has become a real hotspot for circularity. Some materials have inherently circular characteristics, whether because they biodegrade easily or can be recovered and reused or recycled. Innovations span from the disassembly of electronics for precious metals, to the use of innovative fabrics like banana leaves in apparel, to ensuring chemicals are made from products that biodegrade easily and harmlessly. What will it take to utilize these new materials at scale? Speakers from across industries provide insights.

Startup - Investor Connect Event (Invite-only)

Startup Showcase

New Energy Nexus will host startups and investors for 1-on-1 meetings in a rapid conversation format! Startup leaders will rotate among meetings with clean energy investors and leaders in a 1-hour "speed dating"-style session. Invitation only.

Building a Corporate Renewables Procurement Strategy

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon C

Hear from clean energy leader Google and software company VMWare about selecting where, when and what renewables to meet energy needs and goals. This discussion will include lessons learned from over a decade in clean energy procurement to help you develop a goal and identify and pursue assets to achieve your objectives.

Going Global Workshop: International Deals & Supply Chains (Part 1)

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon F

This workshop brings together leading companies – including Walmart, Cargill, Firmenich, Microsoft, GM, WeWork, Hewlett Packard Enterprise – and NGOs to help you promote clean energy as you navigate international markets. The session is divided into two parts:

Part 1: Tips for Doing International Deals (1:15 - 2:25)

Expanding international operations doesn’t mean you have to compromise clean energy goals. Hear how multinational leaders navigate international markets without losing sight of their organization’s clean energy or Sustainable Development Goal commitments. This interactive workshop will help companies understand the surge of renewables internationally, navigate international policy environments and leverage influence to stay on track with internal goals.

Part 2: Decarbonizing Strategies for Supply Chains (2:25 - 3:30)

How can companies leverage their procurement function to advance clean energy in their supply chain? In the second half of the “Going Global” workshop, we will looks at the structures and tools available to corporations to decarbonize suppliers and fully integrate clean energy performance into the supplier-customer relationships. Our experts will discuss their internal journey to integrate supply-chain sustainability into business processes, and share what your company can do today to align your supply chain with your energy goals.

Scaling (and Financing) Clean Energy for All

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon G,H

You can’t get to 100 percent clean energy without including everyone. This session will look at finance opportunities, innovations and markets to ensure that the clean economy will work for residents in all communities. From public-private partnerships to leveraging new financial structures, our experts look at the latest financial innovations that promote inclusivity.

The Future Is Now: Energy Blockchain and AI in Action (Part 1)

Workshop

Grand Ballroom Salon A,B

Energy blockchain, artificial intelligence and the internet of things are no longer some-day technologies. These tools are already helping organizations automate operations, maximize energy savings and source clean energy. This session will demystify and highlight real-world applications of advanced technologies, including new options for hardware and software to optimize powering buildings and manufacturing. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive.

Breaking Down Chemical Recycling, Part 1: Understanding the Technology

Breakout

Junior Ballroom 4

What's the role of advanced recycling technologies in keeping materials circulating through our economy and creating a circular economy for plastics?

There’s been a growing buzz around chemical recycling and the promise of new technologies that can fix the broken recycling system. However, the technologies, terminology and applications can be confusing and are not widely understood. This session will explore the chemical recycling landscape: the transformational technologies that turn waste plastics back into new materials, decrease reliance on fossil fuels and curb the flow of plastics into marine environments.

Part one of this two-part breakout will unpack the basics of chemical recycling, explore the landscape of technologies and discuss applications and opportunities to unleash this emerging opportunity.

Digitizing Circular Water Systems Part 1: Understanding the Ecosystem & Engaging your Value Chain

Breakout

Uptown Room

Water is one of the planet’s precious resources. Its continuous flows from liquid to solid to gas and our ability to use and reuse it make it inherently circular. It is fundamental to human health and to virtually every industry ranging from agriculture to manufacturing. It is used for cleaning, cooling, processing, powering, washing, irrigating and the list goes on. Advancements in technology are enabling better monitoring of water cycles across human and industrial processes, which makes water systems much more efficient. Digital planning and monitoring systems accelerate water’s cyclical nature, making it easier to use wastewater from one process to power another. This session will illustrate how the digitization of water systems can leverage technology to increase water efficiency and re-use, modeling the impacts of water scarcity and providing the data for effective water management.

1:15pm to 3:30pm

Meet the Startups and Investors Building the Carbon Economy

Breakout

OCC 203

A new generation of startups is commercializing technologies that transform waste greenhouse gases into fuels, chemicals, materials...even animal feed. This session will open with an overview of the startup landscape from carbon economy investors, followed by a chance to meet both the investors and entrepreneurs from startups working on some of the most significant new technologies.

Thinking Wrong, Doing Right: How to Build Support for Drawdown Initiatives Within your Company

Workshop

OCC 204

Do you want to push your company to work on carbon removal projects, but aren’t sure how to get colleagues behind the idea? In this interactive session, you’ll actively brainstorm approaches to communicating the urgent need for carbon removal and the benefits it can bring. Join two leading strategists as they use their Thinking Wrong methodology to help you generate bold and innovative new ideas to amplify your company’s climate impact.

Collaborating Towards Circularity: Tools, Tactics and Teamwork

Workshop

Junior Ballroom 1

Join this two-hour breakout workshop to participate in live, team-based exercises with other conference attendees to hone the skills, awareness and mindset that it will take to collaborate towards circularity and create transformative change for a circular economy. In addition to technology and business model innovation, shifting policies and supply chains, building infrastructure and rethinking material flows, moving from linear to circular systems will require collaboration across functions, industries and competitive boundaries.

Through simulation and experiential learning, we will explore tools for strengthening the interpersonal relationships critical to building a circular economy where waste is minimized and Interconnectedness is maximized. Learn how to apply the technical knowledge gained throughout the conference through first-hand experiences and skill-building simulations. Regardless of where you sit along the value chain — whether you are a business leader, entrepreneur, policymaker, technologist or other circular economy stakeholder — this session will tap into your own restorative and regenerative potential and deep dive into tactics of how best to engage with a wide range of stakeholders.

How Carbon Offsets Can Help Your Company Draw Down Carbon

Workshop

OCC 205

Investing in projects that pull carbon from the atmosphere is a relatively quick way to offset your company’s emissions and accelerate the spread of carbon removal technologies. Yet the offset market can be confusing. What’s the difference between avoidance and removal? How can you be sure that offset projects really remove carbon? This workshop will provide practical advice from offset experts on how to get involved in carbon removal and be confident that your investment delivers tangible benefits.

2:15pm to 2:30pm

Transition

Break

2:30pm to 5:00pm

Evolving Electricity Markets in 3D: Decarbonization, Decentralization, Digitization

Workshop

Grand Ballroom Salon C

The world is in the early stages of a multi-trillion-dollar transformation of the power sector. This session examines the forces driving the rapid evolution of electric markets, and highlights examples of how and why these changes are occurring across power markets. We look at technologies, power markets, regulatory decisions and business models to understand the “how” and “why.” We also discuss the implications for both utilities and their customers, and suggest ways to effectively deal with this accelerating rate of change.

Customer-Utility Symposium

Workshop

Grand Ballroom Salon G,H

Interested in learning how customers and utilities could better collaborate on clean energy? This two-hour roundtable workshop brings together leading minds to discuss key topics, including how to align on sustainability goals, how to drive transparency on emissions tracking, and how to collaborate on electric vehicle integration. Session includes lessons and thought-leadership from the Special Clean Power Council for Customers and Utilities, a two-year collaborative initiative that comes to a close this Fall.

2:30pm to 3:30pm

Breaking Down Chemical Recycling, Part 2: Scaling the Market

Breakout

Junior Ballroom 4

What's the role of advanced recycling technologies in keeping materials circulating through our economy and creating a circular economy for plastics?

Part two of this two-part breakout will explore the chemical recycling market opportunity, look at where chemical recycling is going and how to finance and scale this emerging market to meet the growing demand for recycled content.

How 5G Will Change Transportation

Breakout

OCC 201

The next generation of blazing fast wireless broadband networks, called 5G, is being rolled out this year and will soon start connecting cities, vehicles, street infrastructure and the cloud. Autonomous vehicles, also now emerging, will need super-fast connections to create safer environments for riders and pedestrians. Street and road infrastructure sensors connected to 5G can reduce congestion and make transportation more efficient. This session will explain how 5G could fundamentally change how transportation networks operate.

The Second Life of EV Batteries

Breakout

OCC 210/11

As the first mainstream electric vehicles age, companies are beginning to explore circular systems for moving batteries from EVs to stationary storage systems to recycling. Though it's still early days for these supply chains, big battery and automakers, investors and materials suppliers are investigating the best ways to design and implement these systems.

The Business Case for Circularity

Breakout

Junior Ballroom 2/3

Circular business models may be a better use of resources, but how do they impact the bottom line? McKinsey has estimated that in Europe alone, the circular economy to generate net economic benefit of €1.8 trillion by 2030. This comes from developing new opportunities such as Product as a Service (PaaS), switching to recycled and biodegradeable materials, recovering and repairing parts or materials to reduce total input costs, switching to organic rather than chemical inputs, etc. This session will go under the hood on how several companies calculated the business advantages of shifting to a circular model and the cost saving, business growth and other results their efforts have produced.

Corporates and Startups: Build "Win-win" Relationships

Booth Session

In addition to corporate venture capital, there are many strategic ways that early-stage companies and larger enterprises are delivering value to each other. This session will showcase the main ways both new and established companies are delivering value to their counterparts, from the viewpoint of a corporate representative, B-B entrepreneur, and professional investor.

Going Global Workshop: International Deals & Supply Chains (Part 2)

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon F

Part 1: Tips for Doing International Deals (1:15 - 2:25)

Part 2: Decarbonizing Strategies for Supply Chains (2:25 - 3:30)

The Future Is Now: Energy Blockchain and AI in Action (Part 2)

Workshop

Grand Ballroom Salon A,B

Digitizing Circular Water Systems Part 2: Tools & Technologies

Breakout

Uptown Room

3:30pm to 4:00pm

Networking Break

Break

Exhibit Pre-Function, Lobby and Atrium

Zero Waste at VERGE 19: Behind the Scenes with Waste Management

Activity

Exhibit Pre-Function

Join Waste Management on a Zero Waste Tour to understand what goes into creating a Zero Waste event like VERGE 19, from working with vendors to engaging attendees and coordinating waste services. This quick tour will provide insight into the collaboration that goes on behind the scenes. Meet at the Waste Management banner in the pre-function space (just outside of East & West Hall) at the start of the break to participate in the tour.

3:35pm to 3:55pm

Microgrid Tour

Activity

4:00pm to 5:00pm

How to Ensure Your Landlord Doesn't Blow Your Clean Energy Goals

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon A,B

If you're a renter of office, retail or industrial space, you may not know a lot about the carbon intensity of your facilities. But that doesn't mean you can't do anything to decarbonize them. This session highlights the tools, contracts and technologies tenants are using to work with property managers to power their operations more cleanly and efficiently.

Extending Product Life and the ‘Right to Repair’ Movement

Workshop

Junior Ballroom 2/3

The backlash against planned obsolescence has begun, and products makers of all types — from consumer electronics to industrial equipment — are waking up to a new world of design and service. Advocates of the “Right to Repair” movement are demanding that manufacturers prioritize the development of better maintenance paths for their products, through modular designs and broader availability of components that make repair simpler for the DIY set — and that extend product lives in the process. Policymakers are paying attention: as of early 2019, 20 states including California and Minnesota are actively considering legislation. What does this mean for makers of stuff? How does this philosophy play into circular models of production? This roll-up-your sleeves session will feature a hands on disassembly demonstration, as well as a discussion between one of the outspoken voices in the “Right to Repair” movement as well as the perspective of an electronics OEM on the implications for product design, the availability of repair components, intellectual property and more.

How Leading Companies are Funding Forestry to Act on Climate

Breakout

OCC 203

Thanks to corporate investments, a slew of new forestry projects will help remove significant amounts of carbon from the atmosphere in the coming decade. For many innovative companies, making a direct investment in a forestry project can be one of the most effective ways of offsetting emissions. To help navigate these projects’ social, economic and scientific complexities, companies are partnering with top environmental organizations. In this session, key players behind from both sides of the partnerships will discuss how they are working together to protect and restore forests, including planting millions of trees.

AI and Machine Learning for Sustainable Transportation

Breakout

OCC 210/11

Startups and big tech companies are focused on building machine learning systems that can make transportation systems operate more efficiently, cleanly and with less congestion. Investors also see big opportunity. This session will offer a taste of how AI can help solve transportation problems including accelerating the adoption and smart charging of electric vehicles, and making urban mobility more efficient.

Lithium Valley? California's Untapped Lithium and Battery Resource

Breakout

OCC 201

There's a massive deposit of untapped lithium brines under the Salton Sea near California's southern border, which could be used to make lithium-ion batteries that power cell phones, laptops and, increasingly, electric cars. A rise in domestic lithium-ion battery production could lead to a local innovation hub, green energy jobs and needed development in the region. Power companies, battery makers, policymakers, automakers and tech startups are currently investigating how to unlock this potential.

Designing a Circular City

Breakout

Junior Ballroom 4

By 2050, two thirds of the world will live in cities. However, urban centres designed for the linear economy are grappling with the effects of the current take-make-waste economy.

But circularity isn't just about materials management. As major engines for economic growth and job creation, cities are also looking to the circular economy agenda to unlock economic, environmental, and social benefits. This session will explore how city leaders are using the transition to a circular economy to rethink material flows, create jobs for their communities, providing safe and affordable places to live and improving how people and goods move throughout the city.

The Business Case for Microgrids

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon F

Microgrids have grown into a multibillion-dollar market, providing users flexible and reliable energy. Yet many companies that may be interested in building these projects have trouble making the finances pencil. This session covers companies that have pursued microgrids, and how and why it made sense for their operations.

Circular Operating Systems: Digital Infrastructure for New Models

Breakout

Junior Ballroom 1

As the circular economy gains traction we navigate not only how to design new products and services, but also what enabling infrastructure needs to be in place for these new systems to work and scale. From clothing to electronics, food, transportation, and more; Most of the tools that we need to unlock a circular future exist, the question is how we will use them. This breakout will explore the enabling infrastructure required to underpin circular models.

Remanufacturing: Tapping the Opportunity

Breakout

Uptown Room

Remanufacturing offers companies the ability to extend the life of products and keep materials at their highest and best use for longer. But it's easier said than done. Companies must recover, disassemble and repair components for resale, while maintaining performance, quality and specifications. Remanufacturing is a significant opportunity in the circular economy space, and one that is largely untapped. Hear from industry experts on how to approach remanufacturing for your company, including a discussion of new business models, design, recovery, aftermarket solutions and consumer engagement.

Buildings That Draw Down Carbon

Breakout

OCC 204

The construction industry emits billions of tons of carbon dioxide annually, and the world’s total floor space is forecast to double over the next 40 years. But this sector could help reverse global warming via a new generation of carbon-negative building materials. Construction industry insiders will introduce you to concrete that contains captured carbon and a new generation of wooden buildings that rise to 10 stories or more.

5:30pm to 7:30pm

VERGE Sunset Cruise

Networking

10 Clay St, Oakland, CA

VERGE 19 is partnering with Red and White Fleet for a Wednesday night reception on Enhydra — the first all-electric vessel of it’s kind. The Enhydra is Red and White Fleet’s first step towards its goal of reaching a zero-emissions fleet by 2025 and represents a firm commitment to sustainability, the environment and the protection of the San Francisco Bay.

The VERGE Sunset Cruise will be capped at 500 occupants and access is on a first-come-first-serve basis so please plan accordingly. To be eligible for a ticket, you must be a conference pass-holder *and visit the GreenBiz booth between 1:00 - 4:00 pm on Wednesday, October 23 to pick up your ticket.

*All-Access Pass, Cross-Conference Pass, Single Conference Pass or One-Day Pass. If you have an Interconnect Expo Pass, you must upgrade to any of the previously mentioned pass types to be eligible to attend the VERGE Sunset Cruise. To upgrade your pass, please contact us here.

8:00pm to 12:00am

VERGE After Dark Party

Networking

Mad Oak Bar, 135 12th Street, Oakland CA

Join us for VERGE After Dark — a VERGE tradition — for a fun-filled evening featuring good music, drinks and more opportunities to connect with the VERGE Community. Space is limited so plan to come early.

Thursday, October 24th, 2019

7:45am to 8:30am

Registration & Continental Breakfast

Bookend

Exhibit Pre-Function, Lobby and Atrium

8:30am to 9:30am

How to Set Your Company on a Path to Negative Emissions

Breakout

OCC 204

Many companies have committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. But could your company one day remove more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits? It seems a daunting challenge, but some companies have already committed to making it happen. Hear from the pioneering executives who are figuring out how to create climate positive companies.

Financing the Clean Energy Revolution

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon A,B

Deep decarbonization targets are growing, as states, utilities and companies aim to reach 100% clean energy. Achieving these targets will require a massive mobilization of capital and the deployment of both existing and new technologies. Our experts discuss how corporations are helping finance the clean energy revolution through instruments like bonds, corporate venture capital funds and direct equity investments.

The Forecast for Extreme Weather Technologies

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon F

What technologies are emerging to keep companies and people resilient amid growing storms droughts and other weather events? How can we make sure we're taking everyone along as we prep for more hurricanes, droughts, floods, wildfires and other calamitous events? This session looks at the emerging technologies designed to help communities and organizations be prepared and discusses how cities and companies can work together to identify and implement the tools needed to become more resilient.

How Remote Sensing, AI and Other Technologies Will Transform the Offsets Market

Breakout

OCC 203

The world’s farms and forests have the potential to draw down billions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but monitoring the progress of land-based sequestration projects can be challenging. Hear from the technologists behind the new software tools that are making it possible to track, in real-time, the carbon being removed by even hard-to-monitor locations such as remote forests and large farms. If you’re using land-based offsets to reduce emissions, or thinking about doing so, this session will explain how the new tools can increase confidence in your investment.

Energy Efficiency: Don't Do It in the Dark

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon G,H

Artificial intelligence and the “internet of things” are enabling businesses to know more about their operations than ever before. How can energy and facility managers make sense of data, save energy and choose from among all these solutions? This session looks at the options to monitor and manage energy use in buildings, and how to implement technologies effectively.

Two Steps Back: Technology, Take-Back and Reverse Logistics

Breakout

Junior Ballroom 4

Product take-back programs are commonplace at retailers keen to have customers walk their used printers and sweaters back into the store. Manufacturers commonly offer mail-in programs, and even cosmetics brands have begun accepting empty packaging for discounts on the next purchase. But all this is very old fashioned, and oftentimes the path of used items is not circular, or even sustainable. Digitizing take-back and reverse logistics — including the tracking of goods, maintaining an inventory of materials, managing pick-up and optimizing end-markets has huge potential to accelerate circularity. This session will examine efforts to modernize take-back back and reverse logistics and forge stronger links in a circular supply chain.

How Energy Storage Can Turbocharge Clean Energy

Breakout

Grand Ballroom Salon C

Energy storage has been the “next big thing” for years, but few businesses have deployed it at scale. In the past year, however, utilities have taken on massive energy storage projects and commitments. In this session, utilities that already are investing in storage share where they see value, when it makes sense and what opportunities are available for organizations that want to follow in their footsteps. It also provides an overview of the latest storage technologies and the business case for pairing energy storage and renewables to displace natural gas in grid operations.