Panels

SusTech 2024 Panels

Time Topic
April 15, 10:30 AM

Ethics, Energy and Environment

April 15, 3:30 PM Electrifying Agriculture
April 16, 2024, 10:30 AM Novel Technologies for Sustainable Ocean Energy Generation
April 17, 2024 10:00 AM Promising Heat Pump Developments: Perspectives from the Pacific Northwest

 

Ethics, Energy and Environment

How to balance the energy demands with the concerns for anthropogenic climate change? 

April 15, 10:30 AM

Organized by IEEE  Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT)

IEEE SSIT has been bringing together diverse areas of expertise, including researchers, industry, and communities to address and collectively answer this vital societal question. Ethics takes cognizance of the intrinsic value of nature, the interconnection of all living things, and the responsibility of humans to act in accordance with ethical principles. There are three branches of Ethics namely  Libertarian, Ecological and Conservation. The panelists share their practical experience and insights in answering some of the aspects.

 


Electrifying Agriculture

April 15, 3:30 PM

Moderator: Wendy Simons, Energy Policy Analyst, Oregon Department of Energy

Panelists:

  • TBD: “Oregon E-Farms Program”
  • Marcelo Moretti, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture, OSU:  “Electricity for Weed Management”
  • Chris Toman, PhD candidate, College of Agricultural Sciences, OSU: “Agrivoltaics”

 


Novel Technologies for Sustainable Ocean Energy Generation

April 16, 2024, 10:30 AM

Organized by Bill Wilson, IEEE OES

The IEEE SusTech 2024 conference panel on “Novel Technologies for Sustainable Offshore Energy Generation” brings together leading experts, researchers, and innovators to explore groundbreaking advancements in the realm of offshore renewable energy. With the pressing need to mitigate climate change and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, offshore energy generation presents a promising avenue towards achieving sustainability goals. The panel aims to showcase emerging technologies and discuss their potential to revolutionize the offshore energy landscape while addressing environmental concerns.

Panelists:

  • Dr. Peter F. Green — National Energy Research Laboratory (NREL
  • Dr. Daniel Deng,  Pacific Northwest National Laboratories
  • Dr. Landon Mackey, C-Power, Corvallis, OR
  • Andy Stough, Windlift, Durham, NC

Panelist Bios:

Dr. Peter F. Green – National Energy Research Laboratory, Golden, CO – Deputy Laboratory Director, Science and Technology; Chief Research Officer; and Alliance Senior Vice President

In his role as deputy laboratory director for Science and Technology, Dr. Green is responsible for NREL’s science and research goals, strengthening the laboratory’s core capabilities, and enhancing NREL’s research portfolio. In addition, he oversees the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program, NREL-university interactions, and the postdoctoral research program.

Prior to his appointment at NREL, Green spent 20 years in academia and 11 years at Sandia National Laboratories, where his professional career began in 1985. He moved from Sandia to The University of Texas in 1996, where he became a professor of chemical engineering and the B.F. Goodrich Endowed Professor of Materials Engineering. In 2005, he was recruited to the University of Michigan, where he served as the Vincent T. and Gloria M. Gorguze endowed professor of engineering. He was also a professor and chair of materials science and engineering, professor of chemical engineering, and professor of macromolecular science and engineering.

He was the 2006 president of the Materials Research Society (MRS), the inaugural editor-in-chief of MRS Communications, and a divisional associate editor for Physical Review Letters. Green serves in advisory roles for national laboratories, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and scientific journals.

His awards include election to the position of fellow of a number of societies: American Physical Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), the American Ceramics Society, the American Association of Arts and Science, and the MRS. He was recognized with Secretary of Energy’s Achievement Awards in 2020 and 2023. Green was awarded the 2022 Distinguished Alumni award from Cornell University’s materials science and engineering department.

He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics from Hunter College and a master’s and doctorate in materials science and engineering from Cornell University. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

https://www.nrel.gov/

 

Dr. Daniel Deng – Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA – Laboratory Fellow in the Energy & Environment Directorate

In addition to his role at the PNNL Dr. Deng is an adjunct professor of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the University of Michigan. He directs the PNNL Bio-Acoustics & Flow Laboratory, an accredited multi-disciplinary R&D laboratory that addresses a broad range of engineering and ecological issues for marine, hydrokinetic, conventional hydropower, and wind energy systems. Dr. Deng has developed several licensed technologies related to renewable energy and energy storage. He holds 16 US patents and has coauthored over 150 journal articles.

https://www.pnnl.gov/

 

Landon Mackey – C-Power, Inc,  Corvallis OR – Systems Engineering Group Lead

Landon joined the electrical research and development team at C-Power in 2022. Prior to C-Power, Landon earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at North Carolina State University, where he developed facilitating technologies, specifically new circuit protection systems, for renewable ocean energy harvesting. While completing graduate studies, he also started a wave-powered disaster relief desalination company, Water Bros, in response to the Department of Energy Waves to Water Prize. As a U.S. Navy nuclear submarine electrician veteran, Landon has extensive experience operating and maintaining complex electrical and mechanical systems in the challenging ocean environment.

https://cpower.co/

 

Andy Stough – Windlift, Durham, NC – Chief Technology Officer

Mr. Stough serves as chief technology officer for Windlift and has been working in the field of Airborne Wind Energy (AWE) since 2009. He has been the PI for five major development projects during his tenure. The latest project is an $11M, 2-year effort to develop an airborne power generating system for customers at the Department of Defense.  He has been awarded (3) patents with multiple patents pending and has spoken at numerous conferences and other public events about AWE.

Prior to Windlift, Mr. Stough worked for Caterpillar for 10 years. He held multiple roles of increasing responsibility, culminating in the management of an engine systems team, where he managed component design and specification with an annual spend of ~$40M/year. While at Caterpillar, Mr. Stough was awarded two patents and led the technical development of a backhoe loader new product introduction program. He  also conceived and executed implementation of a system that has saved customers well over 250 million gallons of diesel fuel over the platform life. Previously, he worked at Westinghouse in manufacturing and design of stationary power generation systems, at Ericsson, and at Battelle Memorial Institute.

https://windlift.com/

 

 


Promising Heat Pump Developments:
Perspectives from the Pacific Northwest

April 17, 2024 10:00 AM

Join us for a panel discussion featuring industry experts tasked with deploying heat pumps in the Pacific Northwest. Panelists will be sharing current opportunities and challenges that they are facing. This is a great opportunity to hear updates on how technology and policy developments may offer solutions for heat pump incentive programs.

Hosted/moderated by Stephanie Kruse, P.E., a Facilities Engineer from the Oregon Department of Energy.

Stephanie Kruse, P.E., is a facilities engineer for the Oregon Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation section. Stephanie serves as a technical resource for many of the department’s energy programs, recently assisting with the development of the state Rental Home Heat Pump and Community Heat Pump Deployment programs. She is currently focused on the upcoming federally funded Home Energy Rebate programs. Stephanie has 13 years of energy related experience, including implementing energy programs in Oregon and performing energy audits on public buildings in rural Alaska.

 

Panelists:

  • Christopher Dymond, Senior Product Manager, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
  • Thomas Elzinga, Energy Services Manager, Central Electric Cooperative, Inc.
  • Rick Wittgraf, Southern Region Equipment Sales Manager, from Gensco, Inc.
Christopher Dymond (he/his) is NEEA’s senior product manager for residential HVAC systems. His work at focuses on identifying and establishing partnerships and technical basis for accelerating market adoption of high efficiency variable speed heat pump systems. He has undergraduate degrees in physics and engineering physics and a master’s degree in building systems engineering and over 25 years’ experience in emerging technology development and market adoption of energy efficiency and solar energy solutions.
Thomas Elzinga serves as the Energy Services Manager for Central Electric Cooperative, a rural electric cooperative headquartered in the high desert of Redmond, OR. Thomas manages the utility’s energy efficiency, beneficial electrification and regulatory compliance programs. He has spent his career educating members on the best practices of using electricity for homes and businesses of all types in central and western Oregon.

Rick Wittgraf is a Regional Equipment Sales Manager for Gensco Inc. Gensco Inc is a family owned, HVAC distributor located in 6 states in the PNW, and has been in business since 1948.

Gensco’s corporate headquarters is in Tacoma WA, and we have 25 branch location throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and northern California.

Rick has been with Gensco for 34 years and has been involved in the sales and distribution of many generations of Heat Pumps, along with other HVAC equipment and associated supplies. He currently lives in North Portland, and manages a large portion of the heat pump sales in Oregon and SW Washington, including 6 Territory Managers and 9 local branches.

 

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