By Josh Zipperman
The epicenter of renewable energy. The Great Energy Debate. The future of the Salton Sea. The energy future of the Coachella Valley. Come to the Southern California Energy Summit on October 9-10th in Palm Springs to hear the latest on these and other topics. Don’t miss this opportunity to join leaders in government, energy and business for “The Great Energy Debate: Beyond 33% & the Future of the Salton Sea”. Burke Rix Communications, organizers of the Summit, expect this year to be the best yet with a wide array of thought leaders united together to discuss the future of clean energy, green job growth, and new opportunities to create an economically vibrant and sustainable region. Last year over 600 industry and community leaders attended and this year’s keynote speakers, including Tesla Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer JB Straubel, are expected to be a big draw.
The Energy Summit kicks off on October 9th with two FREE events open to the general public; a Green Building Bus Tour and a forum on the Salton Sea. The Green Building Bus Tour is hosted by Coachella Valley Association of Governments’ Green for Life program and will showcase the valley’s most sustainable properties. Attendees will see the latest in green design features and how such improvements can be incorporated into a new home or remodel. Local green architects and contractors will be on hand to lead the tour and answer questions about everything from high efficiency air conditioning to solar technology. The tour features educational demonstrations on trend-setting ways to save energy and money. The bus tour includes a complimentary lunch and invitation to attend the Energy Summit welcome reception at the conclusion of the tour at 5:00pm.
Looking for ways to pay for your energy upgrades or new solar system? On the bus tour, Ygrene Energy representatives will be available to talk about Clean Energy CV Upgrade (www.CleanEnergyCVUpgrade.com), a new program offering 100% financing for energy and water conservation improvements. Property owners can now upgrade their property using the CV Upgrade program. From residential homes to commercial buildings, you can reduce utility bills, enjoy a more comfortable home or business, and enhance property’s value all at the same time. During the bus tour and at the Energy Summit, learn how the Clean Energy CV Upgrade program will help you finance energy and water saving projects for up to 10% of your property’s value and repay the financing along with your property taxes.
The future of the Salton Sea continues to be a major concern for the region and a free forum on day one of the Summit, Thursday, October 9th, will focus attention on this critical issue. The Salton Sea: Restoration for a Healthy Future forum is free to the public. The forum will focus on the health and environmental challenges facing the Salton Sea as well as potential economic development opportunities and restoration efforts. Don’t miss this important conversation. The forum is being held in collaboration with the Clinton Health Matters Initiative, Coachella Valley Association of Governments, Salton Sea Authority, Riverside County Economic Development Agency, County of Imperial and the Imperial Irrigation District.
The Green Building Bus Tour and Salton Sea forum along with the Energy Summit reception are being held at the Coachella Valley iHub Health and Medical Innovation Center in Palm Springs located at 2901 E. Alejo Road. Register now: www.socalenergysummit.org registration.html.
The Palm Springs Convention Center is the site for the second day of the Energy Summit on October 10th from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. The Summit, #SCES2014, will feature panel debates, interactive sessions, keynote presentations, along with our exhibit hall of cutting-edge green technologies and electric and alternative vehicle test drives and ride-alongs! The 6th annual Energy Summit features a wide array of speakers that include Tesla Motors’ JB Straubel, California Senate President pro Tempore-elect Kevin de León, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D., President Michael R. Peevey of the California Public Utilities Commission, and Microsoft’s Director of Energy and Building Technology Darrell Smith along with many others. The Coachella Valley is fortunate to be the host for this great event, a rare opportunity to hear from such a diverse group of leaders in the world of energy and sustainability.
Throughout the day, panelists and keynote speakers will focus on key issues in the great energy debate. Topics to be discussed include advancing rooftop solar, energy storage, clean transportation, energy efficiency and more! The Green for Life program will also host a “Building Green and Sustainable Communities” panel discussion. For the first time this year, the Energy Summit in partnership with Coachella Valley Clean Cities and Odyssey day will host a Ride & Drive event with electric, hydrogen and alternative fuel vehicles from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. To register for the Green for Life Green Building Bus Tour, Salton Sea Forum and the SoCal Energy Summit, please visit www.SoCalEnergySummit.org.
For more information about how to go Green for Life, please visit www.GreenforLifeCV.org or like us on Facebook and follow us on twitter at @GreenforLifeCV.
