DABE Summer Event 2017 - National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) - Tour of NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility with reception and presentation.

Each year, the Denver Association of Business Economists (DABE) thanks its members for their support of expanding economic knowledge in the community by providing a fun setting for both socializing and learning about economic–related issues. Join us this year for food and drinks, as well as an informative presentation, at the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). The reception will be preceded by a tour of NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility.

NREL, located in Golden, Colorado, is the United States' only federal laboratory dedicated to research, development, commercialization, and deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. As economists and analysts, this event provides a unique opportunity to learn about the development of renewable energy and its impacts on the economy and the nation's energy future.

Tour of Energy Systems Integration Facility.

NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) is the nation's premier facility for research, development, and demonstration of the components and strategies needed to optimize our entire energy system. ESIF was strategically designed to meet crucial research objectives for integrating clean energy technologies into the grid in a way that is safe, efficient, cost-effective, and respectful to the surrounding environment. The ESIF also has unique capabilities to support the integration of energy carriers such as electricity, thermal, fuels, and water with infrastructure such as transportation and communications.

Due to space constraints, the tour of the ESIF will be limited to the first 40 people who register for the tour. Priority for tours will be given to DABE members, and each DABE member may bring one guest. Further, there is a cap of three individuals per organization for the tour. If there are spots remaining after all DABE members have had a chance to register, nonmembers will given the remaining spots on the tour, based on order of registration. There will be a waiting list with spots allotted in the event that individuals cancel.

The tour will begin at approximately 5:15 pm. Please visit this link to register for the tour.

It is important that you attend your tour if you RSVP so that the limited spots available do not go unfilled.

The reception and presentation following the tour is open to all members and nonmembers, regardless of whether they attend the tour. Individuals not on the tour can socialize during the tour. Food and drink will be available. The presentation will start around 6:30.

Presentation

Speaker 1: David Mooney, Director for NREL's Strategic Energy Analysis Center, will discuss renewable energy trends, technologies, and markets in the U.S. and Colorado.

Dave is currently working at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory leading NREL’s Strategic Energy Analysis Center. Analysis at NREL aims to increase understanding of the interactions and roles of energy policies, markets, technologies, environmental impacts, economic impacts, and infrastructure in the deployment of clean energy technologies. Prior to his current role, Dave was the Laboratory Program Manager for Solar Technologies, where he was responsible for managing and coordinating NREL’s $70M solar R&D portfolio. While at NREL, Dave also led efforts to identify and address technical issues associated with the large-scale deployment and integration of renewable and efficiency technologies into the existing energy infrastructure. In this role, he led 180 researchers conducting $100M in R&D annually. In these roles, Dave has testified as an expert witness before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Energy and Environment as well as before multiple state legislatures.

From 2007 to 2008 he was assigned by NREL to support the DOE’s office of the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. On the assignment he conducted analysis of EERE’s technology portfolio to quantify energy, environmental, and economic benefits and served as technical counsel to the Deputy Assistant Secretaries. Dave has also worked as the director of business development for a U.S. PV company where he was responsible for launching manufacturing and systems businesses, business planning, and raising investment capital. Dave is a 29-year veteran of the renewable energy industry, has a Ph.D. in condensed matter physics from the University of Arkansas and a B.S. in engineering physics from the University of Tennessee.

Speaker 2: Kristin Gray, NREL's Technology Transfer Director, will discuss NREL's support for business startups involved with renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

Kristin is a technology transfer expert with more than 25 years of experience. She was instrumental in establishing the first Office of Technology Transfer at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory and served four years as the university's technology transfer director. In that role she negotiated more than 50 license agreements and managed a portfolio of more than 300 inventions, 88 issued patents, and 70 license agreements with corporate partners, federal government agencies, and educational institutions.

Food: Heavy Appetizers
Drinks: Assorted soda and water will be provided.

Registration Information and Important Details (***Please Read***)

Reservations, and prepayment for nonmembers, are required using the registration system at the top of the page. Registration is FREE if you’re a DABE member! (DABE Corporate Memberships are limited to a maximum of five free attendees.) Registration is $20 if you’re a nonmember or you can pay regular rate of $55 and the $20 will be waived.

Individuals must register by 2pm Monday, July 17, and must bring a government issued photo I.D. (such as a driver's license) to show to NREL Security upon arrival.

Attendees who are foreign nationals (this includes Canadian citizens, permanent resident aliens and resident aliens) will need to complete a Foreign National Data Card and submit it to Sarah.Barba@nrel.gov at NREL electronically by July 5. This form is attached at the bottom of the page.

Everyone who is attending the reception, regardless of whether they are on a tour, needs to RSVP at the top of this page. Please RSVP by 2pm Monday, July 17.

Getting to NREL and Site Map

NREL's Site Entrance Building is located at 15003 Denver West Parkway in Golden, CO. NREL is accessible by car and by bus on the RTD route 20 from Aurora and Denver. Route 20 travels along 20th Avenue and ends at the NREL Education Center. Visit the RTD website or call 303-299-6000 to plan your trip or for more information.

Click here to view NREL’s site map for their Golden campus.