Agenda

Registration

Breakfast/Networking Coffee

Welcoming Remarks: Luka Powanga, Professor School of Management, Regis University; Fred Julander, President, Julander Energy;  Don McClure, Vice President, Government and Stakeholder Relations and Legal, Encana Oil & Gas USA

Introduction and Overview: Why Denver, Africa, Natural Gas and Renewables- All Together Now

Keynote Speaker 

Bill Ritter, Former Governor of Colorado, Director, Center for the New Energy Economy, Colorado State University

The Importance of Energy For Africa’s Economic Development: In Search of a Sustainable and Affordable Energy Paradigm

Session I:  Africa’s Natural Gas Resources

This panel will present an overview of the natural gas resource base in Africa, trends in natural gas exploration, and technologies, basic geology and production, trade volumes, and how natural gas is a sound foundation for sustainable economic development and growth. Discussions will cover centralized systems including the advantages of natural gas over other fossil fuels.

• Michael Brownfield, Regional Coordinator of Sub-Saharan Africa and Antarctica, US Geological Survey
• Peter Stark, Vice President Industry Relations, IHS CERA
• Azra Tutuncu, Director, Unconventional Natural Gas Institute, Colorado School of Mines
• Dag Nummedal, Director Colorado Energy Research Institute, Colorado School of Mines
• Moderator: Fred Julander, President, Julander Energy

Networking Break

Session II:  Africa’s Renewable Resources

This session will focus on renewable in emerging and developing nations including solar, wind, bio-fuels, hydro, geothermal, and energy efficiency. Decentralized energy systems including applications to rural lighting and power, cooking technologies, communication, utility/industrial scale renewable implementation and marketing challenges will also be discussed.

• Heidi VanGenderen, Director, National and Regional Outreach, American Council on Renewable Energy
• Michael Callahan, Senior Project Leader in the Deployment and Market Transformation Group, Strategic Energy Analysis Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Doug Vilsack, Elephant Energy, Attorney Davis Graham & Stubbs
• David Hendricks, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering-Emeritus, Colorado State University
• Moderator- Ron Benioff, International Program Manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Luncheon 

Keynote Speaker

John Coors, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of CoorsTek, Inc

The Challenge of 500 Million People Living in the Dark

Session III:  Natural Gas and Renewable Resources as Complementary Energy Systems and their Integration into Existing Systems

This panel will discuss how energy from natural gas and renewable sources can complement each other to form the basis for economic development. A combination of the two sources of energy can provide access to energy in urban and rural areas. The panel will also review how natural gas and renewable based energy systems can be integrated into existing energy infrastructures.

• Paula Gant, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, American Gas Association
• Bryan Willson, Director of the Clean Energy Super Cluster, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University
• Heidi VanGenderen, Director, National and Regional Outreach, American Council on Renewable Energy
• Robert Stoner, Associate Director of the MIT Energy Initiative/Executive Director of the MIT-singhus-Cambridge Low Carbon Energy University Alliance
• Moderator: David Posner, President, EnVent Energy

Networking Break

Keynote Speaker

Bryan Willson, Director Clean Energy Super Cluster, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Colorado State University

The Challenges of Implementing Energy Projects in Africa

Session IV: Challenges of Implementing Natural Gas and Renewable Energy Projects.

The panel will present the challenges pertaining to implementing energy projects in developing and emerging regions, particularly Africa.  The varying energy policies, existing institutions, human capital development and other issues that impede implementing projects in Africa and how to navigate through them will be discussed including the business opportunities that these challenges bring.

• Robert Stoner, Associate Director Energy Initiative/Executive Director of the MIT-singhus-Cambridge Low Carbon Energy University Alliance
• Ron Miller, P.E.  Energy Solutions Manager – Africa Region – Newmont Mining Corporation
• Roderick Eggert, Director School of Economics and Business Colorado School of Mines
• David Cox, Assistant Dean for full time MBA Programs, University of Denver
• Robert L. Poley, CPA
• Moderator:  Luka Powanga, Professor School of Management , Regis University

Networking Reception

This unique networking opportunity complements the conference and encourages you to have deeper discussions with those who peak your interests under a relaxed atmosphere.

Registration

Breakfast/Networking Coffee

Special Keynote 

John Maina, Executive Coordinator, Sustainable Community Development Services, Kenya

Renewable Energy Projects On the Ground in Kenya

Keynote Speaker 

Ron Bills, CEO and Chairman, EnviroFit

Energy as a Development Tool for Africa

Networking Break

Session V  Case Studies in Natural Gas and Renewable Energy

In this session actual projects in the clean energy space and the impact they have on the population in a developing country will be discussed. Case studies will be presented by experts who are currently engaged in actual projects in developing countries. Social entrepreneurs working on social enterprises and Non-Government Organizations executing projects are the presenters in this session.

• Ron Eller, President and Chief Executive Office, Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc.
• Jeff Loving ,Vice President, Axxess Energy LLC
• Stephen Katsaros,  Inventor and Founder, Nokero
• Ron Bills, CEO and Chairman, EnviroFit
• John Maina, Executive Coordinator, Sustainable Community
• Moderator: Ravi Malhotra, Founder and Chairman, iCAST

Luncheon 

Keynote Speaker

Robert Stoner, Associate Director Energy Initiative/Executive Director of the MIT-singhus-Cambridge Low Carbon Energy University Alliance

Developing Clean Energy in Africa

Session VI : Sustainable Energy Policy in Africa

This panel will examine the energy policy challenges in Africa including how the United States and other countries interface with Africa.

• Robyn McGukin, Director Clean Energy and Sustainability, MWH
• Bill Ritter, Former Governor of Colorado
• Tanuj Dearo, Director, Governor’s Energy Office, Colorado
• Matt Baker, Commissioner, Public Utilities Commission, Colorado
• Moderator  – Bruce Hutton, Dean Emeritus, Denver University

Networking Break

Session VII Wrap up: Putting it Together and Next Steps

This panel will discuss the lessons learned from the conference discussions including the challenges of implementing the projects, marketing natural gas and renewable energy products and how to engage investors and governments. The next steps will be discussed.

Session to draw on number of participants from previous sessions including John Maina, Fred Julander, Ron Bills, Bryan Wilson, David Posner, Luka Powanga, Robert Stoner and others; very short informal presentations from participants summarizing lessons and action items from the conference and then discussion

Moderator:  Bill Ritter, Former Governor of Colorado, Director, Center for the New Energy Economy, Colorado State University;

Closing Remarks 

Fred Julander, Luka Powanga and Don McClure