New York ISO and ISO New England are pleased to present this informative and engaging conference to consider the major drivers of change in today’s electric industry. Industry participants will join government officials and other policymakers to discuss the evolving role of competition and innovation in the Northeast electricity markets, with a focus on empowering consumers. Technology vendors will be on hand to describe a variety of new products and services aimed at addressing current and future challenges.
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More than 300 energy industry leaders, regulators and policymakers came together to discuss the future of the electric system at the Energy Synergy: Competition and Innovation conference in New York City on November 1.
Hosted jointly by the New York ISO and ISO New England, the conference was an effort to promote collaboration and continue meaningful conversations about progress in the region, emerging industry trends, and challenges that are facing the grid and wholesale markets.
Several themes were apparent throughout the day, including the influence that natural gas production and prices will have on power generation; the challenges of integrating large-scale renewable resources into the grid; the impact that federal and state environmental regulations will have on the generation fleet; and how best to empower consumers and innovators to be more active participants in managing their energy consumption.
In welcoming remarks, NYISO President and CEO Stephen G. Whitley said, “Electricity is the lifeblood of modern economies and ISOs play a key role in sustaining and enhancing the health of the electric systems that support the economic vitality and serve the electricity consumers of the Northeast. The reliability of our electric grid -- and the dependability of the quality of the power it provides – is essential to our region’s success in the worldwide competition for jobs. Competitive electricity markets cultivate the innovation that is needed to keep the electric system reliable and efficient for many years to come.”
The morning opened with speaker Garry Brown, Chairman of the New York State Public Service Commission, who talked about the impact that public policy is having on the fundamental make-up of today’s power grid. He cited environmental standards and the growth of renewable resources as two major factors that are influencing wholesale electricity markets, and suggested that market changes will likely be needed as technology evolves to ensure reliability into the future.
"A lot is happening with the ISO and RTO world in terms of regional markets,” Chairman Brown said. “Anytime you try to get the Red Sox fans and Yankee fans to agree on anything it is difficult, but actually there's a lot of great work being done. Grid operators serving New York, New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the Midwest, and the province of Ontario are making progress on broader regional market initiatives. The PSC wholeheartedly supports those initiatives to reduce ratepayer costs and to try to make the system work better."
Next up was the symposium’s morning panel: “The Power of Innovation: Advancing Electric System Performance and Empowering Customers,” moderated by Consolidated Edison President and CEO Kevin Burke. Panelists representing a diverse group of viewpoints included Gabriel Alonso, CEO of EDP Renewables North America, Bill Capp, CEO of Beacon Power Corporation, Dan Delurey, Executive Director of Demand Response and Smart Grid Coalition, and John Kelly, Executive Director of Galvin Electricity Initiative. Panelists focused on how competitive markets are attracting new technologies that will give consumers access to data to help them make more informed decisions about how and when they use electricity, and the role that government will play in the research and development of new technologies.
The afternoon panel focused on the successes and remaining obstacles to creating greater competition in US power markets, and was moderated by Anastasia Song, CEO of the Haugland Group. The panel featured Richard Doying, Vice President of Operations of the Midwest ISO, Paul Murphy, CEO of the Independent Electricity System Operator of Ontario, Andrew Ott, Senior Vice President at PJM Interconnection, Stephen Whitley, President and CEO of New York ISO, and Gordon van Welie, President and CEO of ISO New England.
Gordon van Welie noted that while competitive wholesale electricity markets have provided significant benefits, including new generation, demand resources, and much-needed transmission upgrades, changes in power system economics, technology, and regulatory policies are driving a transformation in the region’s power system. New England is striving to stay ahead of the curve by developing planning processes and market mechanisms that will procure the resources with the desired performance characteristics in the location where they are needed.
Many of the issues discussed at the symposium are truly global phenomena, said keynote speaker Paul Browning, President and CEO of Thermal Products for GE Energy. He noted that worldwide trends in energy include the long-term role of abundant, clean-burning, and flexible natural gas for power generation, increasing renewables installations, the need for cleaner energy to meet emerging markets’ demand, and more rapid product introduction.
In terms of global electricity demand going forward, Browning noted that modest growth is anticipated for the developed world compared to the significant growth elsewhere, with demand expected to double by 2030, mostly in emerging economies.
In addition to the keynote speeches and panel discussions, an array of technology vendors also were on hand to exhibit a variety of new products and services aimed at addressing current and future energy challenges.
ISO New England and New York ISO plan to follow-up the inaugural joint event with an ISO energy conference in Boston during the spring of 2013.
For more information, please email us at info@isoenergyconference.com or call (617) 337-9534.