2024 Program
MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2024
8:00 AM | Breakfast
Join your peers for breakfast and networking.
9:00 AM | Opening Ceremonies
Welcome by Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
Master of Ceremonies, Cheeying Ho, WCS Engagement + Planning
Whistler Welcome by Mayor Jack Crompton
Annual State of the Industry by Anouk Kendall, President, Decentralised Energy Canada
9:45 AM | Opening Keynote
Gary Holden, Managing Director, Lodestone Energy Limited
Energy Resilience… Location, Location, Location
Embedding energy systems into cities, buildings and agricultural or industrial operations brings many benefits especially if industry best practices and sustainability goals are guiding the design and implementation. Gary will provide rich knowledge and experience from the frontlines of the energy transition and will share his insights into how energy companies can balance social enterprise with healthy business performance.
10:15 AM | Rediscover the Business of Energy
Next generation energy systems are increasingly decentralised and located closer to consumers. Prosumers, which are electricity consumers who also produce their own electricity, are revolutionising the electricity business. The innovation opportunities are astounding. A new value chain is emerging that will help us secure efficient, resilient, and affordable electricity in a rapidly evolving landscape.
MODERATOR
Giulia Brito Pound, Sustainability Associate , DE Canada
Dr. Sophie Adams, Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Deakin University
10:45 AM | Coffee Break
11:00 AM | 5th Annual Pitch Competition
Pitch Host, Randy Thompson, CEO, Valhalla Private Capital
Part 1. A platform designed for early-stage and growth-stage companies to showcase their innovative products and services, secure investments, and forge strategic partnerships.
12:00 PM | Lunch
1:00 PM | Scaling Up Innovation
Decarbonising the growing electricity demands depends on vast amounts of innovation supported by investment mechanisms that enable commercialisation. The strategic placement of capital into high-impact technologies and solutions is supporting the development of showcase projects and high-growth companies. Valuing partnerships between industry, indigenous communities, and municipalities is critical when scaling up innovation.
MODERATOR: Cheeying Ho
Robert Baker, Director Renewable and Alternative Energy, Alberta Innovates
Todd Sayers, Chief Operating Officer, B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy
Haley Jabusch, Partnerships Manager, Energy Transition Centre
Graeme Edge, CEO, Energy Disruptors and ScaleBlaze
2:00 PM | YVR Impact Maker
Fireside Chat with Christoph Rufenacht, Vice President, Airport Development and Asset Optimization, Vancouver Airport Authority and Frederick Morency, VP Sustainability, Strategic Initiatives & Innovation, Schneider Electric.
YVR’s journey to resiliency & sustainability and the challenges that this leader has had to overcome. How can our industry innovations help YVR progress even further.
2:30 PM | Stretch Your Legs
2:45 PM | Valuing Demand Response
How distributed energy resources can be used to reduce peak loads and improve the performance of distribution networks. Smart thermostats, smart water heaters, energy storage, electric vehicles, and cold climate heat pumps.
MODERATOR: John Rilett, Chair, Decentralised Energy Canada
Sara Mudge, Senior Technical Lead, NB Power
Brent Harris, Founder & COO, Eguana Technologies
Keith Cleland, CEO, Aqua-Cell Energy
3:45 PM | Business to Business Matchmaking
A facilitated session where you can identify and connect with strategic partners, customers and other professionals that can support your business. You will meet new business partners and negotiate real projects.
5:00 PM | Cocktail Reception
Enjoy networking, food & cocktails, and a musical performance.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2024
8:00 AM | Breakfast
Breakfast and networking.
9:00 AM | Welcome Remarks
Master of Ceremonies, Cheeying Ho, WCS Engagement + Planning
A recap of day one and welcome for day two of the program.
9:10 AM | Leveling the Playing Field
Dr. Marie Wilson, Author and Former Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
A Fireside Chat about building resilience and an economic redress to level the playing field using principles of reconciliation.
9:40 AM | Labour of Love
Engaging indigenous youth and graduates for a transitioning workforce. Multidisciplinary needs to support an ever-outsourced workforce. How multi-ticket roles might become more important than high paying jobs.
Mark Chapeskie, Vice President, Electricity Human Resources Canada
Luisa Da Silva, Executive Director, Iron and Earth
Dr. Marie Wilson, Author and former Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
10:30AM | Boozy Brunch
Enjoy a little something special with your coffee break.
11:00 AM | 5th Annual Pitch Competition
Pitch Host, Randy Thompson, CEO, Valhalla Private Capital
Part 2. A platform designed for early-stage and growth-stage companies to showcase their innovative products and services, secure investments, and forge strategic partnerships.
12:00 PM | Lunch and Nature Walk
A nature walk with Claire Ruddy, WCS Engagement + Planning to explore some of Whistlers pristine habitat and hidden natural wonders.
1:30 PM | The Unique Needs of a Resort Municipality
Fireside Chat with Mayor Jack Crompton , Resort Municipality of Whistler and David Dodge, Producer, Green Energy Futures.
2:00 PM | Designing Resilient Prosumers
The exponential growth of distributed energy resources is enabling the transformation of traditional consumers into prosumers. Architects and building engineers aid resilience in the distribution network by considering, early in the design process, how to use less energy and how to supply energy efficiently, maximizing the performance of equipment and building services. The optimal design of building integrated energy relies on local data and computer models, predicting the most suitable sources of energy, whether it is heat pumps, solar PV, RNG, hydrogen, or energy storage.
MODERATOR: Claire Ruddy, Naturalist, WCS Engagement + Planning
Andreia Guerra Dibb, Associate partner, Foster + Partners
Ramtin Rasoulinezhad, CTO, Energy Plug
Jan Buijk, CEO, AB Energy Canada
3:00 PM | Stretch Your Legs
3:15 PM | Gigawatts of Data
Challenges and opportunities with the exploding power needs of data centers and AI enabled data storage. The prosumer potential of data centers and how quantum computing can increase computing speed, increase effectiveness and drive resilience.
MODERATOR: Rhonda Jewett, VP of Operations, Arcus Power
Andrew Muir, Strategy and Transformation Director, Digital Energy & Power Products Canada, Schneider Electric
Murray Thom, Vice President, D-Wave
4:00 PM | Investor Pitch Winners
Investment prizes, audience prize, and DEF2025 prize draw.
4:30 PM | Close
7:00 PM | Marie Wilson, North of Nowhere, Book Event
Whistler Public Library in collaboration with Armchair Books
CHANGES OR CANCELLATION OF OUR PROGRAM. Circumstances beyond our control may necessitate substitutions, alterations, postponements, or cancellations to the content, format, themes, name, hosts, moderators, venue, timing or dates of DEF. We reserve the right to do so at any time and will not be liable to you for any cost incurred by you as a result.