Annual

Imperial Valley Economic & Energy Summit

Thursday, June 15, 2023

The annual Imperial Valley Economic & Energy Summit, sponsored by ORMAT Technologies, took place June 15, 2023 at Imperial Valley College.

The 2023 Summit kicked off with a Sponsor Appreciation BBQ and Press Conference on Wednesday evening, June 14th on The Patio at Las Chabelas Restaurant in Brawley.

Every year, the Summit brings together experts and leaders from top industries and the region. This year, the full-day event covered geothermal, solar, Lithium Valley, transmission and clean transportation, including electric vehicle and battery supply chain, green hydrogen and renewable natural gas and fuels.

This year, the Summit also featured an interactive Listening Session led by California Forward in preparation for their upcoming California Economic Summit that will be hosted and centered around Imperial and Coachella Valleys in October 2023.

Attendees had ample opportunities to network and join conversations that will continue to shape Imperial Valley’s future.

Agenda

  1. June 14, 2023 at 6:00PM
    Sponsor Appreciation BBQ and Press Conference

    Sponsored by Procopio and ChemTreat

    Summit sponsors, attendees, guests, community members and media are invited to an evening reception with dinner, drinks and music followed by a press conference featuring special announcements from our sponsors.

    @ The Patio at Las Chabelas Restaurant - 749 S Brawley Ave, Brawley, CA 92227

    *No cost to Summit sponsors and media - Please contact us to RSVP.

  2. June 15, 2023 at 8:00AM
    Registration & Breakfast

    Sponsored by EnergySource Minerals and Blu Bulk Transport

  3. 9:00AM
    Welcome & Opening Speakers

    Sponsored by ORMAT Technologies and Imperial Valley College

  4. 10:00AM
    Panels - Energy, Transmission and Lithium Valley

    Morning panel discussions and presentations will cover the future of renewable energy industries in Imperial Valley, including geothermal, solar and lithium as well as address transmission and infrastructure.

  5. 12:00PM
    Lunch

    Sponsored by AT&T

  6. 1:00PM
    Panels - Renewable Fuels, Transportation and Workforce Development

    Sponsored by NGIV2 and LiUNA

    Afternoon panel discussions and presentations will cover clean transportation industries, including green hydrogen, aviation fuels and natural gas as well as address education and workforce development.

  7. 2:00PM
    Keynote Speaker

    Sponsored by Southern California Association of Governments

    Hear from Michael Bracken, Managing Partner & Chief Economist, Development Management Group, Inc.

  8. 3:30PM
    California's Abundant and Sustainable Energy Future: A Listening Session on Energy and Opportunity in Imperial Valley

    Sponsored by Gafcon

    Join us for an interactive session with California Forward and take part in conversations leading up to the 2023 California Economic Summit, which will be hosted and centered around Coachella and Imperial Valleys in October. The Listening Session is a space for participants to talk about the opportunities and barriers they’ve encountered as they develop and bring to scale solutions for a sustainable energy future in California, and the resources that they need to further advance their work. The Listening Session will include live polling and interactive group discussion. Input gathered will be used to inform statewide energy policy advocacy by building on CA FWD’s Energy Call to Action – a framework for how stakeholders can break through silos and work across sectors to advance energy solutions – and the Infrastructure Acceleration Report, developed and released in partnership with the Governor’s Office.

  9. 5:00PM
    Reception

    Sponsored by El Centro Motors, The Dahm Team Real Estate and UES

Speakers

Amado Galaviz III
Engineering Hydrogen Manager
SoCalGas
Efrain Silva
Dean, Workforce & Economic Development
Imperial Valley College
Erik Stokes
Deputy Director, R&D Division
California Energy Commission
Jamie Asbury
Energy Department Manager
Imperial Irrigation District
John McMillan
Director of Research Initiatives - Engineering & Sciences
San Diego State University
Lars Carlstrom
Founder & CEO
Statevolt
Laura McDonald
Sunrise Strategies Group
Lennor Johnson, Ed.D
President
Imperial Valley College
Dr. Micah Weinberg
CEO
California Forward
Michael Bracken
Managing Partner & Chief Economist
Development Management Group, Inc.
Michael McKibben, Ph.D.
Research Professor
University of California, Riverside
Ryan Kelley
Supervisor District 4
County of Imperial
Sally Cox
CEO
Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges
Timothy Kelley
President/CEO
Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation
Trelynd Bradley
Deputy Director of Sustainable Freight and Supply Chain Development
GO-Biz
Vince Signorotti
Vice President, Government Relations
EnergySource Minerals

Sponsors

Thank you to all of our 2023 sponsors!