AUSTIN — With summer weather approaching, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas is bringing innovators in the field to the same table.
The grid operator announced that it will host the first ERCOT Innovation Summit May 21 in Austin.
The Summit will bring together thought leaders across the energy research and innovation ecosystem to explore solutions that use innovation to impact grid transformation, ERCOT officials said.
“The Texas electric power grid is undergoing a rapid transformation with changes to the resource mix, decentralization of generation, electrification, emerging prosumers, and digitization,” said Pablo Vegas, ERCOT CEO and president. “The Summit is an opportunity for stakeholders from Texas and around the country to collectively discuss these transformation opportunities and challenges.”
According to an ERCOT press release, the Innovation Summit is open to stakeholders in the energy research and innovation ecosystems, such as market participants, vendors, regional transmission organizations and independent system operators, academia and research labs who are interested in understanding how rapid grid transformation is shaping the future of the electric grid. In-person attendance has already been filled, but those interested in attending the Summit can register online at ercot.com/summit.
When registering to stream the meetings, the form asks the person who fills it out to give their name, contact information and asks what type of ERCOT audience members they are.
The day lasts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a keynote speaker, multiple panels and three breaks scheduled.
The agenda of discussion panels will feature industry executives and experts on topics such as essential reliability services, demand flexibility, uncertainty management, energy storage resources, transmission planning and technology trends.
“The Summit will be an invaluable opportunity for stakeholders wanting to immerse in discussion, network with industry peers, and brainstorm solutions for using innovation to impact transformation,” said Venkat Tirupati, ERCOT vice president of DevOps and grid transformation.
ERCOT manages the flow of electric power to more than 26 million Texas customers, representing about 90% of the state’s electric load.
