Agenda

21 September 2023

All times are MST

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08:00 – Registration Desk Open, Check-in & Networking Breakfast (50 min)

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08:50 – Welcome Presentation

• Adam Barber, CEO, Tamarindo

08:55 – Welcome Presentation

• Co-Headline Sponsor, Holland & Hart

09:03 – Welcome Presentation

• Co-Headline Sponsor

09:10 – Panel Discussion (45 min)

State of Onshore Wind in the US

The panel discussion will focus on the current landscape for onshore wind developers and investors in the US, where installations were down 37% year-on-year in 2022. 

Companies are facing short-term challenges, including inflation, supply chain constraints, and the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act. However, there are also long-term structural challenges for the sector, including the rise of utility-scale solar and how stable policy support via the wind production tax credit (PTC) since the mid-2010s has sparked a development boom that has caused pressure on interconnection queues and transmission grids. What are the prospects for onshore wind in the US in 2024 and beyond?

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09:55 – Panel Discussion (45 min)

The Transmission Challenge

The Inflation Reduction Act will provide further support for the development of wind and associated sectors, including green hydrogen. But it will also exacerbate long-standing challenges with the US transmission grid, including long interconnection queues and an ailing transmission infrastructure. Will the IRA and complementary legislation such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law help unblock these bottlenecks? Could more be done? And should developers be looking at ways around these grid challenges, including the use of battery storage and green fuel production technology?

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10:40 – Keynote Presentation (20 min)

11:00 – Networking Coffee Break (30 min)

11:30 – WindTech Interview/Presentation (15 min)

11:45 – Panel Discussion (45 min)

Asset management strategies

The panel will focus on which asset management strategies would enable owners and operators to maximize production, reduce costs and ensure grid reliability. Areas for discussion include:

• Impact of inflation on operational costs
• Market volatility and energy trading strategies
• Technician skills shortages
• Digital asset management technologies
• Pairing wind farms with other technology

12:30 – Panel Discussion (30 min)

Repowering: What challenges for owners and operators?

This panel will focus on repowering, including the opportunities that have arisen because of the Inflation Reduction Act and challenges for progressing projects. Talking points include:

• What do lenders need to evaluate a project for repowering finance?
• Has the IRA changed the picture for repowering projects?
• How will slim manufacturer margins affect the turbine market?
• The 80/20 rule
• Use of storage, green fuels etc.
• Permitting / transmission challenges

13:00 – Networking Lunch Break (60 min)

14:00 – WindTech Interview/Presentation (15 min)

14:15 – Fireside Chat (30 min)

Corporate PPAs: Where is the Corporate Offtake market heading?

This panel will focus on corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs) and how the market is evolving in response to growing corporate demand, new structures and market volatility.

• Why is the PPA market still dominated by a handful of tech giants?
• Are wind farms struggling to attract off-take deals against solar farms?
• How is increased volatility affecting PPA pricing and deal structures?
• How do transmission delays affect corporate offtakers’ decisions?
• Transmission: How are long queue wait times affecting PPA pricing negotiations?

14:45 – Panel Discussion (45 min)

Equity and Tax Equity

This panel will focus on the impact of changes to tax equity in the IRA, including the topic of tax equity transferability. Areas for discussion include:

• Do we have clarity on what transferability means?
• Is transferability going to have a radical impact on the tax equity market?
• What are the future prospects for traditional tax equity structures?
• Do inflation and market volatility have an impact on tax equity?
• What are the most significant trends in US equity deals?
• Do equity investors have the same concerns as tax equity investors?

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15:30 – Networking Tea Break (30 min)

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16:00 – WindTech Interview/Presentation (15 min)

16:15 – Panel Discussion (45 min)

The role of battery storage to solve the grid issues

This panel will focus on the role that battery storage can play in the portfolios of companies investing in the wind sector, both standalone and hybrid projects. Topics for discussion include:

• Will wind-and-storage schemes ever be as popular as solar-and-storage?
• How attractive are battery assets for wind developers and investors?
• Are battery assets helping reduce congestion and curtailment of wind energy; and supporting the rollout of more wind farms on grids across the US?
• Should wind operators look to other technologies, such as green fuel production, to deal with curtailment and grid challenges?

17:00 – Closing remarks and event ends

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