UNC will host its second annual NC Clean Tech Summit Feb. 19-20. The event highlights the latest innovations, trends and challenges and North Carolina’s central role in the growing clean-technology industry. Hosted by UNC’s Institute for the Environment (IE) and the Center for Sustainable Enterprise (CSE) at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, the summit focuses on three themes:
- The military and renewable energy
- Smart cities and sustainable communities
- The future of electricity in the Southeast
Highlights of the summit include:
- Keynote addresses by General (Ret.) Wesley K. Clark and Jesse Berst, founder and chair of the Smart Cities Council
- Remarks by UNC Chancellor Carol Folt, N.C. Secretary of Commerce John Skvarla, and UNC System President Tom Ross
- “The Military as a Driver of Renewable Energy” panel discussion moderated by former N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Bill Ross and featuring Chad Harrell of Lend Lease, Gen. (Ret.) Ronald Keys of the Bipartisan Policy Center, Richard Kidd of U.S. Army Energy and Sustainability, Col. Jeffrey Sanborn of Fort Bragg and Chris Tindal of the U.S. Navy
- “Adapting to a Changing Power Industry: A View from the Utilities” panel discussion with CEOs Thomas Fanning of Southern Company, Lynn Good of Duke Energy and Bill Johnson of the Tennessee Valley Authority
The NC Clean Tech Summit provides a non-partisan forum where business leaders, policy makers, entrepreneurs, educators, researchers and students convene to advance the development of the clean technology sector in North Carolina.
It features special programs for students, including the opportunity to engage with clean-tech industry leaders, sessions on graduate study opportunities in clean tech and sustainability and careers in clean tech and renewable energy.
Registration is open at http://ie.unc.edu/cleantech. The fee is only $25 for students and includes lunch on both days. The event will be held at the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education in Chapel Hill.
Sponsors of the 2015 N.C. Clean Tech Summit include ABB, Birdseye Renewable Energy, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, Duke Energy, Fifth Third Bank, O2 Energies, ScottMadden Management Consultants, Southern Company, Strata Solar, UNC Center for Law, Environment, Adaptation and Resources (CLEAR), UNC Sustainability Office and United Solar Initiative.