Energy Storage
Still a Pipe Dream?
Location: South Bay Room
Time: 11:30am – 12:30pm
Panel Description
We’d all like to see a world powered mostly by renewables. But is it possible? Energy storage technology holds the key to the solution. Energy storage could help improve the economics and feasibility of alternative energy, making it a more reliable supplement to fluctuating and peak energy needs. With professionals from companies with actual commercialized products, early-stage startups, and academia, this panel will explore cost-effective solutions to address a core problem facing today’s electric grid.
Moderator
Cate Powers, Communications Specialist, Edelman
Cate Powers is a communications professional at Edelman with nearly a decade of experience. Cate specializes in developing and executing corporate and product public relations programs in the clean technology, alternative energy, corporate social responsibility and enterprise technology markets. Cate has worked with brands such as Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard, Hitachi Data Systems, Recurrent Energy, SunPower, SolarReserve, The X PRIZE Foundation, and Shell WindEnergy. Through her experience, Cate has worked with CEOs and executive leadership teams to create and up-level thought leadership platforms through messaging development, media strategy, social media channels and digital engagement.
Cate graduated from Fort Lewis College in Colorado with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications, with an emphasis in Journalism.
Panelist
Hector Esquer, P.E., LEED AP, PMP, POWER Engineers, Inc.
Mr. Esquer is an experienced Project Manager at POWER Engineers skilled in energy use analysis, power engineering, construction of combined heat and power systems (CHP), energy efficiency projects, and renewable energy technologies. He has managed EPC turn-key projects for a variety of energy, commercial, military, and hospitality clients. Mr. Esquer is experienced in contractor selection, project construction, and commissioning. Mr. Esquer has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from San Diego State University and is a LEED Accredited Professional.
Panelist
Tom Georgis, Senior Vice President of Development, SolarReserve
Tom Georgis is Senior Vice President of Development at SolarReserve where he leads the company’s efforts to develop large-scale solar thermal and photovoltaic energy projects in the Americas and Asia. He manages SolarReserve’ project development portfolio of over 3000 MWs in the United States and is leading the company’s expansion into China, Australia, and Latin America.
Georgis has over 20 years of development and operational experience in the energy, technology, and government service sectors, holding several senior management positions, with expertise in the areas of structuring transactions for energy and infrastructure projects, negotiating with lenders and advising investors in all aspects of energy project acquisition and project development including: storage and transportation capacity sales, gas and alternative fuel power generation, natural gas pipeline arrangements and power purchase agreements.
Prior to joining SolarReserve, he was a Managing Director of International at GlobalTec Solutions, a privately held technology company where he was responsible for all aspects of the company’s international expansion. Georgis was a Principal and Managing Director at Exodus Energy LLC, a Houston-based privately held power and natural gas firm. While at Exodus, he focused on the development and acquisition of energy assets, acting as lead developer on several multi-million dollar innovative technology energy facilities, including natural gas storage, offshore LNG regasification and petroleum coke gasification. Prior to Exodus, he was a manager at Enron Corporation, where he was responsible for developing and structuring energy asset projects internationally, negotiating and closing over 500 MW of power generation agreements.
Georgis also served nine years as a Naval Special Warfare Officer in the United States Navy. He graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelors of Arts degree in International Studies and obtained a Masters of Business Administration degree from the Anderson School at the University of California Los Angeles.
Panelist
David Castle, Project Manager, Market Strategy and Resource Planning, Southern California Edison
David Castle joined Southern California Edison in 2010 as a Project Manager in the Market Strategy and Resource Planning group. He leads cross-functional teams to analyze emerging issues facing California’s electrical system and develop strategic recommendations to guide future business operations. In this role, David is coordinating SCE’s response to emerging State and Federal regulatory policies on energy storage systems. His other projects include evaluating potential operational enhancements to existing resources in SCE’s generation fleet, to prepare for an electrical grid that requires increased flexibility to manage higher penetrations of intermittent renewable energy. David holds an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management, a Master of Public Policy from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, and a BA from Harvard University. Originally from San Francisco, David currently lives in Los Angeles.
