The Genesis Mission: How AI Is Rewriting the Rules of American Science and Energy

The U.S. spends more than a trillion dollars a year on R&D. What if AI could double its productivity within a decade? Dr. Dario Gil, Under Secretary for Science at the Department of Energy and director of the Genesis Mission, makes the case that we're at an inflection point as consequential as the invention of the Internet--and that the convergence of AI supercomputing, high-performance computing, and quantum computing is about to transform how the nation does science. From fusion reactors to the Texas power grid, Gil maps the breakthroughs already underway, the infrastructure being built right now, and what it will take to produce 50 to 100 "AlphaFold moments" across every domain of science in the next five years.

Taking Storage from NIMBY to YIMBY with Safety-first Sodium-Ion Batteries

Data center load growth and industrial electrification are stressing local grids faster than new generation, transmission, and distribution upgrades can be built - making energy storage a near-term necessity. Yet the on-site and urban installations that matter most for reliability and resilience are increasingly slowed by community opposition, with lithium-ion thermal runaway concerns dominating public hearings and permitting dockets.

This session reframes the problem through the lens of offering communities a lithium alternative that ensures reliable energy for the coming grid crunch without sacrificing trust or resilience. While lithium-ion battery storage can be engineered to meet stringent codes and standards, the perceived risk profile still triggers resistance, particularly in dense areas where proximity to critical infrastructure, housing, and first responders raises scrutiny.

Sodium-ion batteries are emerging as a compelling option for stationary storage because they can shift the safety conversation. While not entirely free of fire concerns, sodium-ion cells are designed in a way and with specific materials that thermal runaway occurs at higher temperatures and spreads more slowly. This makes them better suited to meet the concerns of urban fire departments and shifts the community storage narrative away from the uncontrolled fire fears that often drive local permitting debates.

Stephanie Choi Brookes of Syntropic Power will share a "safety-first" siting narrative and project framing that pairs sodium-ion's evolving performance and supply-chain advantages with community-centered permitting: clearer risk communication, emergency-response alignment, and benefits that resonate locally. Stephanie will explain how this framing can move storage from "someone else's problem" to a trusted, neighborhood-compatible reliability asset so data centers, cities, and utilities can build faster where the grid needs it most.

Beyond the Queue: Accelerating Grid Reliability Through Strategic Storage Partner

As load growth from data centers, AI infrastructure, electrification, and domestic manufacturing accelerates, grid infrastructure development is struggling to keep pace. Transmission queues now stretch for years, interconnection studies face mounting backlogs, and permitting timelines continue to expand. Even approved generation projects often cannot be delivered at the speed required by electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, and large industrial customers seeking dependable capacity in the near term. The result is mounting pressure on grid reliability and growing urgency to deploy flexible resources that can be sited and interconnected faster.

Energy storage is emerging as a critical bridge, but serving these customers requires a fundamentally different approach than traditional utility-scale procurement. Cooperatives, municipals, and industrial operators evaluate projects through the lenses of reliability, dispatch certainty, cost exposure, and operational control. Many lack large procurement teams and face distinct governance, financing, and risk constraints. They need development partners who engage early during site selection, interconnection strategy, and system configuration, rather than vendors offering standardized, late-stage proposals.

This session explores how storage developers are adapting to meet these grid infrastructure challenges. We will examine how early collaboration can streamline interconnection pathways, optimize siting to reduce transmission upgrade costs, and structure offtake agreements aligned with real operational needs. Discussion will compare behind-the-meter, co-located, and front-of-meter configurations, and analyze how dispatch optimization strategies differ in volatile markets versus contracted capacity models. We will also address how domestic supply chain dynamics and regulatory shifts influence bankability and long-term reliability.
For developers accustomed to standardized utility RFPs, engaging cooperatives and industrial customers demands new partnership models, risk frameworks, and execution strategies.

Leveraging Advanced Control Systems and Artificial Intelligence for Modern Power

Evolution of Power Plant Control and Increasing System Complexity
Over the last fifty years, the landscape of power plant control and automation has transformed significantly. Early systems, which relied on basic relay logic, have given way to sophisticated digital control platforms.
This technological progression has paralleled the rapid acceleration of electrification globally. As a result, modern utilities now face an environment of unprecedented complexity. The integration of broad interconnections, widespread adoption of renewable energy sources, and evolving operational requirements have all contributed to this heightened system complexity.

Identifying the Benefits of Fleet Wide Energy Management and Reporting Systems

This abstract examines the longstanding application of digital twins and intelligent assistants in powerhouse analysis and operation, spanning over three decades and more than 40 industrial powerhouses. While these technologies have traditionally been used to estimate operational cost benefits, practical experience underscores that a singular focus on cost reduction is insufficient. Effective powerhouse management necessitates prioritizing safety, consistent risk management for reliability, emissions and water reduction, energy performance optimization, and accommodating external operating constraints. Additionally, modern powerhouses are increasingly integrated into the grid, utilizing diverse fuel sources and operating within complex frameworks such as Real Time Pricing, demand response programs, and unique contractual arrangements, requiring Energy Management and Reporting Systems that address those requirements. This multifaceted approach is crucial for achieving sustainable and resilient powerhouse operations.

Permitting is a Political Process

Permitting for energy projects is often framed as a technical and regulatory exercise governed by statutes, studies, and agency review timelines. In reality, it is also deeply political. Community sentiment, local leadership dynamics, organized advocacy efforts, media narratives, and shifting Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) expectations can significantly influence whether a project advances smoothly or becomes entrenched in controversy. Regulatory approval alone does not guarantee success; public perception and political context frequently shape outcomes long before formal decisions are issued.

This presentation examines how recognizing permitting as a political process fundamentally changes the way project leaders approach development and community engagement. Rather than focusing exclusively on compliance milestones, successful organizations integrate early, strategic outreach as a core project function. Attendees will learn practical approaches to identifying key political stakeholders, mapping formal and informal influence networks, assessing community power structures, and engaging elected officials, civic leaders, and trusted community voices before opposition narratives take hold.

The session will also explore how misinformation spreads rapidly in today's digital environment and how proactive, transparent communication can prevent inaccurate claims from defining a project's reputation. Emphasis will be placed on cross-functional coordination among engineering, legal, executive, and public affairs teams to ensure message discipline, credibility, and responsiveness throughout the permitting lifecycle.

By treating permitting as both a regulatory requirement and a political pathway, organizations can more effectively manage non-technical risk, reduce delays, and strengthen community trust. Participants will leave with actionable strategies to navigate local political realities while maintaining transparency, accountability, and long-term community partnership.

The Storm That Changed the Playbook

Extreme weather has redrawn the risk map for the U.S. power sector, with Texas offering one of the clearest examples of how quickly operational stress can escalate into a financial and legal crisis. Winter Storm Uri exposed critical vulnerabilities in ERCOT's market structure, compressing years' worth of power costs into a matter of days for utilities across the state. For Rayburn Electric Cooperative, that meant nearly $900 million in invoices delivered in less than a week, forcing immediate decisions around liquidity, cost recovery, regulatory exposure, and long-term market participation.

Rather than retreat from risk, Rayburn fundamentally rethought it. In the months following Uri, it moved aggressively to reduce exposure to market volatility by securing dispatchable generation under local control. Rayburn entered and won a competitive bidding process for a 758-MW natural gas facility, competing directly with well-capitalized hedge funds to acquire capacity that could stabilize service for more than 625,000 Texans during periods of extreme weather and peak demand. As regional electricity demand is projected to growth by more than 25% over the next decade, Rayburn also launched construction of a second 570-MW facility to further strengthen system reliability.

In parallel, Rayburn navigated complex regulatory and legislative terrain, securing eligibility for the Texas Energy Fund, a $5 billion state program created to incentivize new dispatchable generation. Rayburn was one of only 17 projects selected statewide and the only electric cooperative deemed eligible.

In this session, Chris Anderson, General Counsel at Rayburn, and Clint Vince, Chair of Dentons U.S. Energy Practice, examine how legal and compliance judgments made under extraordinary grid conditions shaped Rayburn's recovery. The discussion offers practical lessons for utilities nationwide on managing extreme-event exposure, reassessing market reliance, and aligning legal strategy with long-term reliability and risk management.