Clean energy procurement and direct energy management have become core elements of corporate sustainability plans, aided by the improving economics of renewable energy resources. Google, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft and many other leading multi-national companies have set goals to derive 100 percent of their power from renewable energy sources. An increasing number of Fortune 500 companies, including General Motors, Johnson & Johnson and Bloomberg have signed on to the Corporate Renewable Energy Buyers Principles, aimed at securing better access to renewable energy from utility electric providers. Bank of America, Citibank, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo have recently called for more investment in clean energy. The interest in low-carbon advanced energy is not limited to large corporate actors and financial institutions; a growing number of smaller companies are also seeking out advanced energy resources to meet their businesses’ financial and sustainability objectives.
The 3rd Annual Michigan Energy Conference will explore the considerations that are driving business acquisition of advanced energy resources, how emerging clean energy technologies and business models are impacting business performance, and the extent to which access to clean energy is affecting new investment and locational decisions. Targeted at business leaders in Michigan and throughout the Midwest assessing how emerging advanced energy solutions can benefit their companies, attendees will learn first-hand the challenges of moving from passive purchasers of energy to active participants in energy markets and about the issues and choices that complicate the procurement of clean electricity, including the availability of supply from utilities and third-party providers, distribution and market barriers, and issues relating to ownership or self-generation of energy onsite. Specific panels in development include the following:
Corporate Access to Advanced Energy: The Growth of Market Demand for Clean Energy Solutions
Considerations in Building and Managing Clean Energy Portfolios
Barriers to Acquiring Clean Energy Resources
Creating the Future: Market Innovations in Corporate Energy Purchases
These panels, as well as keynotes from high profile national leaders, will explore the challenges of procuring clean energy resources, providing lessons learned and instructive best practices. They will also address the impact of prioritizing acquisition of clean energy on their workforce, customers and bottom lines.
February 2, 2016
Westin Book Cadillac Hotel
Detroit, Michigan
Source: Michigan Energy Futures Conference