Together We Will Build a Better Future

Are you ready for

The Biggest Renewable Energy Event in the Caribbean

Where

Puerto Rico Convention Center

When

Thursday
Nov. 2, 2023
7:30AM to 7:30PM

What can you expect from this event?

Entrance Fee

$198

Student Rate

$165

Energy 2023 is dedicated to revolutionize the way we consume, save, generate, and store energy. Glenn International spends countless hours searching the Planet in order to bring to the region the most revolutionary solutions related to energy.

"Even a small community

can make a

big difference"

Simone Staley

Speakers

Díaz

Ignacio Díaz

Director of Sales & Marketing at Glenn International Inc. with a 30+ year career in the ENERGY Industry directs three Divisions of Glenn International — Energy, Illumination, and Telecommunications. Passionate about energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, which he believes are essential for the survival of the Region’s economy. Electric Vehicle early adopter and promoter of technology and infrastructure needed to support worldwide deployment. BS Degree in Finance and MIS, with a minor in Psychology from Marquette University in Wisconsin. Before joining Glenn International, Ignacio worked for IBM and NYNEX in several states in the USA.

David Wallace-Wells

The future is being transformed by climate change faster and more dramatically than we realized. Politics, tech, business—even our sense of human rights—will all be changed by this massive force. But how? To what degree? In his critically hailed instant New York Times bestseller, The Uninhabitable Earth, David Wallace-Wells tells the epic story of our time. His urgent talks ask the key questions for securing our future, and he reminds us that everything is within our control, so long as we resist complacency.

The Uninhabitable Earth was named to the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2019, GQ’s Best Books of 2019, the New Yorker’s Favorite Books of 2019, and was chosen as one of TIME’s 100 Must-Read Books of 2019. On top of that, Wallace-Wells will serve as a consulting producer on the HBO Max anthology series of the same name, inspired by his book. Oscar- and Emmy-winning writer Adam MacKay (The Big Short, Ant-Man) is helming the project.

Wallace-Wells is currently a columnist and staff writer at The New York Times, where he writes a weekly newsletter on climate change, technology and the future of the planet. He’s also written widely on the Covid-19 pandemic, bringing vital reporting and analysis to the science and policy coverage. He was previously the Deputy Editor at New York magazine, where he wrote a column on climate change, and where his viral cover story “The Uninhabitable Earth” was met with widespread acclaim, paving the way for his book. Formerly the Deputy Editor of The Paris Review, and a National Fellow at the New America Foundation, he was the co-host of the podcast 2038, which interrogated predictions about the next two decades.

Wallace-Wells

John Marcolini

John F. Marcolini is Senior Vice President, Networked Solutions, where he is responsible for product development, marketing, and overall strategy for Itron's global networking platforms and smart cities strategy and solutions. Mr. Marcolini was appointed to this role in July 2020. He joined Itron in January 2018 as part of Itron's acquisition of SSNI as the Vice President of product management, responsible for product strategy and lifecycle management across Itron's smart energy, smart city and IIoT portfolios.

He has more than 20 years of product management, business development, and customer delivery experience with deep technical knowledge of networking, radio frequency technologies, and IIoT. Mr. Marcolini has also spent many years working with utility customers to deliver and implement complex product deployments.

Marcolini

Pascaris

Alexis Pascaris

Alexis Pascaris is a social scientist and policy specialist with an expertise in agrivoltaic research and development. She currently serves as an Agrivoltaics and Energy-Water-Land Nexus Researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Mrs. Pascaris holds a Master of Science in Environmental & Energy Policy from Michigan Technological University and combines her academic rigor with industry experience to drive innovation at the intersection of environmental policy, solar photovoltaics, community engagement, and sustainable development. She works across academia, industry, and non-governmental organizations to advance sustainable land use, farm viability, and low-impact energy development through agrivoltaic solutions.

Hadjerioua

Dr. Boualem Hadjerioua

Boualem Hadjerioua, PhD, F. ASCE “Bo: Ha Jerry Wa” Director of River System Studies & Hydro Operations Mesa Associates, Inc. and Adjunct Professor at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. Hadjerioua is one of the leading national and international experts in water resources, waterpower technologies, and integrated river system operations and a visionary for river system development and optimization, with over 35 years of experience. Mesa Associates, Inc. is a full-service engineering firm, with approximately a thousand employees, specializing in power generation, transmission, and delivery projects in the utility industry.

Prior to joining Mesa in March 2020, he was the leader of the waterpower technology team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), from 2010 to 2020. He managed projects for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S. Department of State (DOS), focusing on developing technologies, decision-support tools, and methods of analysis that enable holistic management of water-dependent energy infrastructure and natural resources. He has served as the DOE representative to the International Energy Agency (IEA), serving as the liaison on intergovernmental initiatives and was also responsible for implementing memorandum of understanding partnership efforts. He led several DOE national task forces technical expert teams. Dr. Hadjerioua has supported DOE international affairs Office and DOS South East Asia projects, sharing tools that improve water resource integrated system analysis and hydropower generation efficiency in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

Before joining ORNL in January 2010, Dr. Hadjerioua had 19 years of experience balancing the many stakeholder demands for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) integrated river system. His unique expertise in operations, optimization, engineering, problem-solving, and decision-making for TVA’s integrated river system has earned him several presidential excellence awards. Dr. Hadjerioua is a distinguished Alumni of the University of Arizona and a Fellow with the American Society of Engineers (ASCE) and a Chairman of several professional society technical sessions and committees. He holds a PhD from the University of Arizona; he has authored more than 200 technical publications.

Abruña

Dr. Héctor D. Abruña

Professor Abruña, Émile M. Chamot Professor of Chemistry, is Director of the Center for Alkaline Based Energy Solutions (CABES) and the Energy Materials Center at Cornell (emc2). He completed his graduate studies with Royce W. Murray and Thomas J. Meyer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1980 and was a postdoctoral research associate with Allen J. Bard at the University of Texas at Austin from 1980-81. After a brief stay at the University of Puerto Rico, he joined Cornell in 1983. He was Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology from 2004-2008. His research is focused on the development and oerando characterization of energy materials for batteries, fuel cells and electrolyzers.

Prof. Abruña is a member of the National Academy of Sciences (2018), the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2007) and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2007). He has been the recipient of numerous awards including a Presidential Young Investigator Award, A. P. Sloan Fellowship, J. S. Guggenheim Fellowship and J. W. Fulbright Senior Fellow. He is the recipient of the Electrochemistry Award for the American Chemical Society (2008), the C.N. Reilley Award in Electrochemistry for 2007 and Fellow of the International Society of Electrochemistry in 2008.

Prof. Abruña received the D. C. Grahame Award from the Electrochemical Society for 2009, the Faraday Medal of the Royal Society for 2011, the Brian Conway Prize from the International Society of Electrochemistry for 2013, was named Fellow of the Electrochemical Society in 2013 and in 2017 was the recipient of the Gold Medal of the International Society of Electrochemistry. He was awarded the A. J. Bard Award of the Electrochemical Society (2019) the Frumkin Medal of the International Society of Electrochemistry (2019) and the American Chemical Society Award in Analytical Chemistry (2021). Prof. Abruña is the co-author of over 570 publications (h-index = 103) and has given over 675 invited lectures world-wide. He considers his 62 Ph.D. students and 75 Post-Doctoral associates, to date, as his most important professional achievement.

Brown

Lisa Brown

As the Senior Director for Government at Johnson Controls Inc., Lisa is responsible for growth of the market, including the development of strategies, offerings, and innovations for JCI’s government service and systems markets worldwide. Lisa leads JCI’s state infrastructure Czar initiative, state Energy Officials support & outreach and created JCI’s local government urban efficiency initiative, which combines smart city solutions with community outreach, workforce enhancement and fiscal resiliency. Lisa is consistently sought out to deliver global & NA keynote presentations and participate on Smart Government and IOT Digital Revolution panels to discuss how data can assist government to become “secure & connected”, and its relation to climate resiliency, smart infrastructure and economic growth. Often interviewed and consistently publishing, Lisa serves as an advisor for states and municipality leaders regarding federal stimulus and funding focused on resiliency and economic development. Prior to JCI, Lisa was a Vice President of AT&T’s Broadband Television division, CEO of a Dotcom incubator in the NY’s Silicon Alley, and Director of Marketing of Lifetime Medical Television. These roles provided Lisa with deep technology & telecommunications knowledge that serve as a foundation to her current IT/OT expertise.

Lisa regularly contributes to the G20 and Sustainability working groups for the World Economic Forum (WEF), as a net zero carbon emissions group advisor for Regions, Cities & Provinces; as well as sits on the Risk Allocation and Future Cities task force, and the P3 & Cities roadmap team, focused on sustainable & collaborative infrastructure initiatives globally. Previously, Lisa was the Chairman of the Smart Cities Working Group, North America (joint effort of the Smart Cities Council and Wireless Infrastructure Ass.), a board member of Smart City Works, a smart DC based accelerator, the co-chair of the Crisis & Pandemic Response Pillar for Denton’s Smart Communities think tank and advises for various government led steering committees regarding Resiliency, Social Equity & Sustainable Infrastructure, globally. Lisa is the JCI lead for state government associations, such as RGA & DGA and local government organizations, such as NLC, SCC, NACO, & USCOM, and has functioned as global ambassador for International Women’s Day. Lisa served 15 years with the Junior League of Montclair-Newark, four of those years as director of community development and outreach in Newark, New Jersey. Previously, Lisa sat on the Rumson-Fair Haven Education Foundation board, contributing locally, and was also honored as a recipient of the NY Women of Valor Humanitarian Award from St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters, which support 1.5 million food disadvantaged New Yorkers annually and is an avid fundraiser.

Kreipke

Dr. Christian Kreipke

Dr. Kreipke started his career a musician. After completing his studies in organ performance at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI he began studying medicine in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Dr. Kreipke then returned to his hometown of Detroit to receive a PhD from the Psychiatry Department at Wayne State University's School of Medicine. Following a ten-year career in medicine, Dr. Kreipke transitioned once again to work at Ford Motor Company where he is currently serving as the Brand Manager for Transit Vans.

Having spanned the gamut of manufacturing, MP&L, engineering and now brand/marketing, Dr. Kreipke has gained valuable insight into multiple aspects and challenges as we transition into the electric vehicle realm. Dr. Kreipke still utilizes his eclectic background to optimize an understanding of the subject matter and to come up with winning solutions to a myriad of issues.

Sadoway

Dr. Donald Sadoway

Donald Sadoway, Professor of Materials Chemistry in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His B.A.Sc. in Engineering Science and Ph.D. in Chemical Metallurgy are from the University of Toronto. He joined the MIT faculty in 1978.

The author of over 170 scientific papers and inventor of 32 U.S. patents, his research is on environmentally sound metals extraction technologies and on batteries for grid-scale storage and for electric vehicles. He is the founder of two companies, Ambri and Boston Metal. Online videos of his chemistry lectures hosted by MIT OpenCourseWare extend his impact on engineering education far beyond the lecture hall.

Viewed over 2,000,000 times, his TED talk is as much about inventing inventors as it is about inventing technology. In 2012 he was named by

Time magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Thibodeau

Matthew Thibodeau

Matthew Thibodeau is a Senior Vice President at Sargent & Lundy with a focus on decarbonization planning, electric power markets and regulations, project finance, renewable energy, energy storage, and grid infrastructure and microgrids. Matt has a deep understanding of the global energy landscape; he has worked on energy projects in five continents, with extensive experience throughout the U.S. and the Caribbean. He has been a key player in Puerto Rico’s energy sector since 2017.

Matt has significant expertise in the development, financing, construction, and operation of power plants, including new project financings, mergers and acquisitions, and the cost and performance of power generation technologies. He has worked with and supported numerous lenders and investors, including international development banks, commercial banks, and leading tax-equity investors. Recently, Matt has taken on a key role in energy transition projects, leading teams focused on virtual power plants, green hydrogen, and other cutting-edge technologies.

Matt holds a MBA from the University of Michigan as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Puerto Rico.

Granholm

Jennifer M. Granholm

Jennifer M. Granholm was sworn in as the 16th Secretary of Energy on February 25, 2021. Secretary Granholm is leading DOE's work to advance the cutting-edge clean energy technologies that will help America achieve President Biden’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 while creating millions of good-paying union clean energy jobs and building an equitable economy. Secretary Granholm is also overseeing DOE’s core missions of promoting American leadership in scientific discovery, maintaining the nuclear deterrent and reducing nuclear danger, and remediating the environmental harms caused by legacy defense programs. Prior to her nomination as Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm was elected Governor of Michigan, serving two terms from 2003 to 2011.

As Governor, Jennifer Granholm faced economic downturns caused by the Great Recession and meltdown in the automotive and manufacturing sectors. She successfully led efforts to diversify the state’s economy, strengthen its auto industry, preserve the manufacturing sector, and add emerging

sectors — such as clean energy — to Michigan’s economic portfolio. Today, one-third of all North American electric vehicle battery production takes place in Michigan, the state is one of the top five states for clean energy patents, and 126,000 Michiganders were employed in the clean energy sector

prior to COVID-19. Secretary Granholm was also elected Attorney General of Michigan and served as the state’s top law enforcement officer from 1998 to 2002.

After two terms as governor, Jennifer Granholm joined the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley as a Distinguished Professor of Practice in the Goldman School of Public Policy, focusing on the intersection of law, clean energy, manufacturing, policy, and industry. She also served as an advisor to the Clean Energy Program of the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Granholm began her career in public service as a judicial clerk for Michigan's 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. She became a federal prosecutor in Detroit in 1990, and in 1994, she was appointed Wayne County Corporation Counsel. Secretary Granholm, an immigrant from Canada, is an honors graduate of both the University of California, Berkeley and Harvard Law School.

Pallé

Julia Pallé

Julia Pallé is a leading expert on sustainability in motorsport and the international elite sport industry. As Sustainability Director at the world’s first all-electric motor racing series, Formula E, Julia certified the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship net zero carbon since inception, the first sport in the world to achieve the standard. Julia is also Sustainability Advisor for Extreme E, the all-electric SUVs series, bringing electric racing to some of the most remote corners of the planet to highlight the climate change challenges faced by different ecosystems.

Widely recognized as a leader in sustainability in global sport, Julia is a regular speaker at major events and conferences including COP26, Bloomberg, Sport Positive Summit, and FIA Smart Cities. Her industry roles include President of Sports and Sustainability international (SandSI), an international association of sustainable experts working to broadening and harmonizing the international sport and sustainability movement. Before joining Formula E and defining the sustainability strategy, Julia was sustainability executive at Michelin Motorsport. Her primary area of research has focused on Business & Sustainability, Change Management and Project Management, especially in Motorsport.

Martes

Shay Bahramirad

Dr. Shay Bahramirad is the Senior Vice President of Engineering, Asset Management, and Capital Programs at LUMA Energy, the power company responsible for electric service in Puerto Rico. In this role, she is responsible for the oversight, planning, and execution of plans to modernize the power infrastructure. This includes a foundation of developing local engineering talent, teams and processes, and the prudent deployment of new technologies. Her primary goals are the safe, reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective delivery of electricity to the people of Puerto Rico.

Dr. Bahramirad has held several positions in the sector including Vice President of Climate and Resilience at Quanta Technology, where she was responsible for assisting cities and utilities with climate change risk assessments for their assets, operations, and services and for developing investment strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Prior to that, she was Vice President of Engineering and Smart Grid at ComEd, the electric utility serving Chicago and Northern Illinois, where she had led efforts to demonstrate and deploy technologies to ensure that the distribution system would meet strategic goals related to reliability, resiliency and sustainability, while developing and implementing a broader community of the future vision including a focus on industry-informed STEM education for underrepresented communities in the industry including girls. She has been an expert witness testifying regarding several state and federal regulatory proceedings around microgrids, energy storage, investment strategies, and the interconnection of distributed energy resources.

Dr. Bahramirad is a leading figure in the industry. She is the President-elect of IEEE Power and Energy Society, an editorial board member of the Electricity Journal, US CIGRE Executive member, an adjunct professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and a founder of IEEE Women in Power. Dr. Bahramirad completed her PhD in electrical engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and has published more than 100 academic articles, as well as being the recipient of multiple US patents.

Jemaris Martes

Jemaris Martes is a Business Development Specialist at Glenn International, driving Utility-Scale Renewable Energy projects in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. With a strong commitment to collaboration and industry-leading solutions, Jemaris seeks partnerships with key stakeholders to ensure energy projects align with the region's needs and promote energy and food resilience for communities. With prior experience at GE Renewable Energy, Jemaris brings expertise in wind turbine product design, value engineering, system reliability, and data analytics. Her training through GE's Edison Engineering Development Program encompassed onshore and offshore wind, hydroelectric, grid modernization, and energy storage projects.

Beyond her professional role, Jemaris is an advocate for energy equity and climate action. As a Climate Reality Leader and Advanced Energy Group Fellow, she actively engages in stakeholder events addressing critical climate resilience challenges. In 2022, Jemaris was selected as a delegate to the UN's One Young World Conference, a global platform for young leaders advancing sustainable development practices through innovation.

Jemaris holds a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus in Energy Policy from Georgia Tech, complementing her Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez.