NGI Symposium — Future Energy Systems: Natural Gas in a High-Renewables, Decarbonizing World

A discussion about the future of energy around the world, grounded in real economic and engineering constraints

Energy systems around the world are changing, and these changes are expected to continue and accelerate as jurisdictions around the world work to address the challenges of population and economic growth, energy access, air pollution, and climate change. Technological developments, ranging from more efficient generators and engines, to solar energy, and energy storage, are combining with commercial opportunities and policy drivers to deliver new energy mixes for power generation, industry, transportation, and other uses. Over the coming 20, 40, or 60 years, we expect energy systems to continue to evolve, subject to real economic and engineering constraints, and to evolve differently in different parts of the world, depending on factors such as existing infrastructure, resource availability, economic strength, political pressures, and environmental and human health needs.

The Future Energy Systems symposium at Stanford University is designed to facilitate discussions and discovery of what future energy systems may look like over the coming decades in different parts of the world, based on a clear-eyed, realistic assessment of the state of energy technologies and economic realities driving energy decisions. Within this range of uncertainty in future energy systems, we seek to investigate what role natural gas will play in enabling these future energy systems and how existing, mainly fossil-fuel, energy sources will persist, be replaced, or change in their uses in the coming decades.

Agenda

Presentations (password required)

Day 1

• The Impact of Shale Gas on North American Energy Systems, Prof. Tony Kovscek, Stanford
• Economic Impacts of Climate Policy Decisions, Prof. Larry Goulder, Stanford

Panel Discussion: Gas integration in power systems with very high renewable penetration

• Dave O’Brien, ExxonMobil
• Steve Brick, CATF
• Elbert Huijzer, Alliander
• Arne Olson, Energy and Environmental Economics (E3)

Discussion: Decarbonizing Natural Gas

• George Minter, SoCalGas
• Jay Hopper, Aria Energy
• David Dankworth, ExxonMobil Research and Eng. 

Panel Discussion: Decarbonizing Natural Gas – Policy Discussion

• Moderator: Johannes Escudero, Coalition for RNG
• Deanna Haines, SoCalGas

Panel Dicussion: Gas peakers versus storage

• Scott Ison, Origin Energy
• Zach Ming, Energy and Environmental Economics (E3)

Day 2

Panel Discussion: Long-term energy storage

• Johney Green, NREL
• Yuri Freedman, SoCalGas
• Decarbonizing Energy Systems: How Do We Measure Success?, Prof. Adam Brandt, Stanford University

Panel Discussion: Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage 

• Moderator: Mark Zoback, Stanford
• Sally Benson, Stanford
• Tim Barckholtz, ExxonMobil
• Keynote: What Does the Future of Energy Look Like?, Kim Greene, Southern Company Gas
• Keynote: Energy Access, Sustainability, and Affordability, Kimball Chen, Global LPG Partnership

Energy forecasting and future energy uncertainty

• Todd Onderdonk, ExxonMobil

Keynote Speakers

• Nick Stavropoulos: President and Chief Operating Officer, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
• Kim Greene: Chairman, President, and CEO, Southern Company Gas
• Cosma Panzacchi: Executive Vice President Digital Transformation & Technology, Snam SpA
• Brian Davis: Vice President, New Energies, Shell
• Kelly Charmichael, Vice President, Environmental, NiSource
• Kimball Chen, Chairman, Global LPG Partnership

Admission: Desired Audience and Speaker Participants: Global thought leaders and experts, representing a cross-section of industry, government, inter-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, and academia.