On June 9 and 10 the Advanced Energy Research and Development Center (AERTC) held its virtual Advanced Energy Conference 2021: Charting the Course for Energy, which brought together policymakers, energy researchers and entrepreneurs, and industry
leaders to discuss the future of energy. Attended by more than 800 registrants, the
event featured 56 national speakers and keynotes discussing topics such as offshore
wind, hydrogen, energy storage and digitization. The conference was hosted on a platform
that offered networking interactive opportunities, a poster session, and a virtual
exhibitor show floor featuring the New York Innovation Corral and NYSTAR Pavilion.
Speakers came from government, industry, energy providers and utilities, as well as
academia.
“The conference was a very different and unique conference reflecting a very different
and unique world we live in now. The powerhouse speakers featured in the panels demonstrated
the strength of the program, and the keynotes were point on with their talks about
an evolving energy landscape focused on renewables,” said Robert Catell, Chairman
of the AERTC Advisory Board and MC of the conference. “Our sessions were designed
specifically to stimulate and encourage discussion and follow-up collaboration.” Catell
added that the AERTC Advisory Board members assisted with program advice for the event
as well as support as major sponsors. The Advanced Energy Conference is internationally
known and has been held for the past 14 years.
“It was an exciting and timely conference. We were the beneficiaries of some amazing
speakers who were engaging, informative and knowledgeable. While we were hoping to
have an in-person event this year, circumstances prevented that, and we adapted accordingly,” said David Hamilton, COO of the AERTC as well as the conference organizer. “I am very happy with the way the team pulled together and assembled a top-notch set
of speakers and hosted an outstanding event,” he added.
Hamilton and his team spent four months reaching out and securing some of the best-known
experts in the energy fields. Speakers were mostly grouped in panels with specific questions presented to them,
with thoughts and discussion ensuing around implementation, advancement and solution.
Speakers came from government, industry, energy providers and utilities, as well as
academia, as far away as Hawaii to Colorado to Georgia. Keynotes included: Jahi Wise,
White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy; Jigar Shah, US Department of Energy;
Rajit Gadh, The Smart Grid Energy Research Center, UCLA; Commissioner Richard Glick,
EPRI; and Hanna Grene, Microsoft. There was also a special session called Diverse Perspectives of Success, a discussion about different personal challenges to success by diverse energy sector
professionals.
Speakers were mostly grouped in panels with specific questions presented to them,
with thoughts and discussion ensuing around implementation, advancement and solution.
The AERTC holds a major live Advanced Energy Conference every other year in New York
City, which typically attracts thousands of attendees over the course of three days
with 300+ speakers and keynotes. The last conference was scheduled for 2020 but was
cancelled and rescheduled five times due to COVID. At present, the next live event
will be held September 2022 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square.
The AEC 2021 sessions were all recorded and are available on the Advanced Energy Conference 2022 website, where you can also get more information about the upcoming live event, AEC 2022.
The Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center, a New York State Center of Excellence
at Stony Brook University — partnering with nearby Brookhaven National Laboratory
— represents a unique opportunity to take a national lead in the development of clean
technology, alternative and renewable energy technologies, as well as smart grid and
energy conservation.
