Please join the Colorado Rural Electric Cooperatives (CREA) and the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines as we welcome Dr. Morgan Bazilian presenting Carbon Capture Usage & Storage and Direct Air Capture at the CREA Energy Innovations Summit on Monday, October 28, 2024 in Westminster, CO.  

On October 28, CREA will host the 15th Annual Energy Innovations Summit in Westminster, Colorado. Each year, the summit is CREA’s signature event where speakers from Colorado and around the United States provide the latest updates on the state of the power industry. Over the last 15 years, the summit has featured more than 450 speakers addressing a wide range of energy issues.

CREA initiated the Energy Innovations Summit in 2010 to provide an opportunity for the staff and board directors of our members — Colorado’s electric co-ops — to hear from experts on the trends and technologies that are changing the face of power supply and delivery. Over time, CREA expanded their list of invitees to include all stakeholders in the industry: municipal and investor-owned utilities, regulators, environmental groups, legislators, think tanks, and anyone else who has an interest in these issues.

Back in 2010, they read the tea leaves and saw that the electric power industry was on the cusp of extraordinary change. To some extent, those changes began in Colorado back in 2004 with the passage of Amendment 37 by Colorado voters. That ballot measure started the shift toward renewable energy, such as wind and solar, in the portfolio of all Colorado electric utilities.

Over the past 20 years, the shift toward more renewable power and more distributed power has steadily increased in Colorado. This energy transition culminated in legislation that was passed in the 2019 legislative session that required Colorado electric utilities to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from their power supply portfolio by 80% from 2005 levels. This will result in the closure of all coal-fired power plants in Colorado by the end of this decade and the installation of thousands of megawatts of wind and solar plants as a replacement.

The energy transition in Colorado has been driven not only by government policy — that is, legislation and regulation — but also by advances in technology and co-op business models.

Here are a few examples in Colorado electric co-op country:
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, the power supplier to many of Colorado’s electric co-ops, developed a “bring your own resource” program that will allow Tri-State members to supply up to 40% of their needs with locally-owned renewable energy projects. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently approved this innovative program.

Fort Collins-based Poudre Valley REA was recently awarded $9 million through the USDA’s Powering Affordable Clean Energy Program. The funds will be used to construct two new solar and battery energy storage projects, which will add 3.5 megawatts of solar and storage, enough to power approximately 800 homes and businesses. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced this award at PVREA on June 17.

After many years of study and negotiation, Gunnison County Electric Association, a co-op headquartered in Gunnison, has been planning a hydropower project at the Taylor Reservoir that will provide carbon-free power to members of the co-op. Upon completion, the project will include the largest single-phase power generator operating in the U.S., producing about the same amount of energy annually as a 2.5-MW fixed-tilt solar array.

United Power, a Brighton-based co-op, recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new battery energy storage system. The batteries will provide 798.3 MW and 313.34 megawatt-hours of storage capacity to United Power’s distribution system across multiple sites. The system will allow the co-op to incorporate local renewable energy more efficiently.

These are just a few of the many innovative and groundbreaking projects that have been developed and are underway in Colorado electric co-op territory.

Colorado’s electric co-ops are constantly thinking about new and innovative ways of providing power and meeting the needs of their consumer-members. For 15 years, CREA’s Energy Innovations Summit has helped support that mission.

Please join Mines Pathways Exploration as they welcome Dr. Elizabeth Holley presenting Should We Mine Battery Minerals in the US? on Wednesday, October 2 at Colorado School of Mines.  

Dr. Elizabeth Holley is an exploration and mining geologist who studies the processes responsible for ore deposit genesis, as well as the geologic characteristics that determine how ore bodies are developed, mined, and reclaimed. Her interdisciplinary work examines the intersections between technical and social risks in mining, and she is a fellow of the Payne Institute for Public Policy. Dr. Holley’s Mining Geology Research Group has been supported by the National Science Foundation, CDC NIOSH, the USGS, major and mid-tier mining companies, and philanthropic foundations. Dr. Holley has worked in the industry on five continents, and she contributed to the discovery of the White Gold deposit in the Yukon. She organized nearly 200 professional development short courses for the Society of Economic Geologists, is a fellow of the society, and served as the 2022 Society of Economic Geologists Distinguished Lecturer. She currently serves on the Committee on Earth Resources for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.

Please join the Houston Strategy Forum and the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines as we welcome Payne Institute Program Manager Brad Handler, presenting CCS Projects Strategy & Execution at the Carbon Summit on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 in Houston, TX.  

Summit Context

Carbon capture and sequestration projects are much more complex than traditional industrial projects.

The uncertainty around federal and global politics, policy and regulations, financing and investments, rapidly advancing and changing technology, supply chain newer requirements and challenges, and local politics make CCS projects particularly challenging.

CCS projects are not for the faint of heart. Yet, as it happens, in every great revolution, a few pioneers blaze the trail. We salute them and appreciate them. We want to be the support group for them. To be there for them in those challenging days when progress seems difficult to achieve.

We are looking forward to a powerful discussion with:

Panel Discussion

• Mr. Kris Roberson, Chief Operating Officer, CapturePoint

• Ms. Jan Sherman, Co-founder and Chief Development Officer, Carbonvert

• Mr. Brad Handler, Program Manager, Sustainable Finance Lab, Payne Institute for Public Policy

• Mr. Jon Grimmer, President, Verde CO2

Summit Format

The summits are intense discussions between speakers and attendees, with the goal of having 80% of the attendees contribute. That is a challenging goal, however, when it happens — it is absolute magic!

At the Houston Strategy Forum, we facilitate a closed door, no press, Chatham House Rules, safe zone for candid discussions. Real discussions — no fluff. It is a vigorous format unlike anything else.

Why Attend?

Engage with CCS leaders in a thought-provoking, intense discussion on the questions facing CCS projects. Let’s have the hard discussion and get all the issues on the table. Register now. Come share notes with these pioneering and risk-taking companies.

Please join the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines as we welcome U.S. Department of Energy Deputy Secretary David M. Turk presenting Careers in Climate on Thursday, October 10, 2024 at Colorado School of Mines. 

Deputy Secretary Turk will reflect on his decades of experience working in climate and clean energy, offer advice to students pursuing careers in these fields, and speak about the U.S. Department of Energy’s approach to the climate crisis.

David M. Turk was sworn in as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy on March 25, 2021. As Deputy Secretary, Turk serves as the number two official and Chief Operating Officer of a $50 billion per year organization focused on all things energy, basic science, and nuclear security. Turk has taken a leading role in implementing President Biden’s historic clean energy legislation, including coordinating with the White House, interagency partners, and the private sector. With Secretary Granholm, he has orchestrated a major reorganization of the Department to create and staff new offices to demonstrate and deploy clean energy technologies. Turk has also focused on early-stage innovation, including the launch of a series of Energy Earthshots.

Prior to his nomination as Deputy Secretary, Turk was the Deputy Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, where he focused on helping countries around the world to make progress on their clean energy transitions. In the Obama-Biden Administration, he served for a first time in the Department of Energy, including spearheading the launch of Mission Innovation – a global effort to enhance clean energy innovation. Turk has also been a Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director at the U.S. National Security Council, Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Change at the State Department, and a Staff Director of the National Security Subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee.

Turk was born in Quito, Ecuador, and raised in Rock Falls, Illinois. He is a graduate of both the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Virginia Law School. He and his wife, Emily Turk, have three children.

Please join the Mines Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics and the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines as we host a student poster session on Methane Emissions in preparation for the Annual Meeting of the Energy Emissions Modeling Data Lab (EEMDL) on Friday, October 18, 2024 in the Marquez Hall Atrium at the Colorado School of Mines, in Golden, CO from 1:15pm-2:45pm MT.

Methane emissions are a big contributor to climate change, and something we can address in the short-term by eliminating them from oil and gas operations. Learn about innovative research in that direction in a poster session featuring work by the Energy Emissions Modeling Data Lab, a joint initiative between the University of Texas – Austin, Colorado State University and the Colorado School of Mines. 

Please join the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines as we welcome Doug Arent, Executive Director, Strategic Public Private Partnerships, NREL, for a hybrid seminar discussing his new book Our Renewable Energy Future on Tuesday, October 29, 2024 in Golden, CO.  Free lunch will be provided.

Our Renewable Energy Future delves into the clean energy technology evolution and where our energy system is going. While the book’s foundation is technology innovation, it brings a unique perspective that technology alone is not what has brought about the explosive growth of renewable energy and offers fresh insights into how technology, economics, social dynamics, policy, and geopolitics are forces affecting our energy future. This book is a culmination of Dr Arent’s lifelong passion for energy, sustainable development, and renewable energy technology. It covers the journey of evolving technology, economics, political economy and geopolitics of clean energy over the last 40 years and provides insights for the coming decades. From a technology perspective, the book traces the arc of recent innovations and synthesizes innovations across multiple interacting perspectives into a description of Our Renewable Energy Future.

Dr. Arent has over 40 years in the renewable energy sector. He was previously the Director of the strategic energy analysis center at NREL and also the joint Institute first strategy analysis. In addition to his current role, he is a distinguished at the world economic forum, and an external fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He was previously a coordinating lead author of the IPCC, has been on the oversight committee of the US global  change program and served on multiple national petroleum council studies. He holds a PhD from Princeton and an MBA from Regis University and an undergrad degree from Harvey Mudd College.

Please join the Carbon Capture Alliance and the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines as we welcome Payne Institute CCUS Program Manager Anna Littlefield, presenting Stakeholder Engagement: Lessons from on the Ground at CO₂NNECT 2024 on Sunday, September 29 – Tuesday, October 1, 2024 in Keystone, Colorado.  Anna Littlefield’s presentation is on Monday, September 30 from 1:00pm – 2:00pm MT.

CO₂NNECT 2024 is a multi-day event bringing together experts and enthusiasts in the field of carbon management. Carbon management (carbon capture, transport, storage, reuse, and removal) is one of many tools necessary to decarbonize our energy and industrial sectors, meet midcentury climate goals, and create and retain high-wage jobs. With CO2NNECT, we aim to create a space for open and productive dialogue to ensure the deployment of carbon management technologies is achieved in a responsible and timely way.

Please join the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines as we welcome Ruby Barickman, Founder, Magis Development LLC, presenting a virtual seminar titled Bridging Gaps: Renewable Energy Financing for Mining Operations on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.

Join Ruby Barickman from Magis Development LLC as she discusses her strategy for integrating renewable energy into mining operations, focusing on challenges like capital allocation and technical expertise. Ruby will explore the role of government incentives, the benefits and limitations they present, and the critical role of private financiers in bridging funding gaps. She will also highlight the importance of partnerships with local and Indigenous communities to enhance project viability and success.

Ruby Barickman is a mining entrepreneur who focuses on finding solutions to execute and expedite the energy transition. Previously, Ruby has worked in corporate development and investment roles for Orion Resource Partners, a mining-focused private equity fund. She has held various positions in strategic and mine planning, design, scheduling, and Reserves reporting globally for Freeport-McMoRan, Lundin Mining, and Rio Tinto. Ruby holds a B.S. in Mining Engineering and an M. Eng. in Mineral Resource Engineering from the University of Arizona, as well as M.S. in Finance from Georgetown University. She is a licensed Professional Engineer.

Please join Mines Pathways Exploration as they welcome Dr. Elizabeth Holley presenting Should We Mine Battery Minerals in the US? on Wednesday, October 2 at Colorado School of Mines.  

Dr. Elizabeth Holley is an exploration and mining geologist who studies the processes responsible for ore deposit genesis, as well as the geologic characteristics that determine how ore bodies are developed, mined, and reclaimed. Her interdisciplinary work examines the intersections between technical and social risks in mining, and she is a fellow of the Payne Institute for Public Policy. Dr. Holley’s Mining Geology Research Group has been supported by the National Science Foundation, CDC NIOSH, the USGS, major and mid-tier mining companies, and philanthropic foundations. Dr. Holley has worked in the industry on five continents, and she contributed to the discovery of the White Gold deposit in the Yukon. She organized nearly 200 professional development short courses for the Society of Economic Geologists, is a fellow of the society, and served as the 2022 Society of Economic Geologists Distinguished Lecturer. She currently serves on the Committee on Earth Resources for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.

Please join Mines Pathways Exploration as they welcome Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid presenting CSM in Air and Space: How Far Can We Go? on Wednesday, September 18 at Colorado School of Mines.  

Angel Abbud-Madrid is the Director of the Space Resources Program at Mines, where he leads a research and academic program focused on the human and robotic exploration of space and the utilization of its resources. He has more than 35 years of experience conducting space projects in NASA facilities, including the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station, and received the NASA Astronauts’ Personal Achievement Award for his contributions to human spaceflight. He is the President of the Space Resources Roundtable, an international organization focused on lunar, asteroidal, and planetary resources studies. Dr. Abbud-Madrid holds a B.S.E. in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
from ITESM in México, a M.S.E. in Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University, a Ph.D. from University of Colorado at Boulder, and a private pilot license for single-engine-land airplanes. At Mines, he is also the Director of the Space and Planetary Science and Engineering Area of Special Interest, Affiliate Director of the Colorado Space Grant Consortium, and faculty advisor of the AIAA student chapter, Astronomy Club, and Rocket Club.