Advance Conference Program as of November 19, 2021 (Details subject to change)
APPrO 2021
The Electric Future
The 33rd Annual Canadian Power Conference and Networking Event
November 29 & 30, 2021
Presented live and online using state of the art interactive digital technology
* Why the power industry is leading the drive to achieve Net Zero targets
* Preparing for a round of capital investment like no other
* Frank and open conversations on the political forces impacting the power system
* How to ensure that the current systems for Planning and Resource Adequacy respond effectively to real world conditions
* The roll-out of regulatory modernization to ensure competition, consumer protection, technical readiness and support the energy transition
* The rising role of ESG driven investment in the power sector
* Electrification as a primary means of achieving economic development, Net Zero, and fostering innovation across Canada
* The latest updates on the Market Renewal Program, Resource Acquisition, DER development and much more.
Canada, Ontario and the power industry face two major questions: how to achieve Net Zero targets effectively and responsibly, and how to adjust existing policy and regulatory systems to adapt to successive waves of new technology. Canada’s power industry is vital to the historic shifts now underway towards electrification, decarbonization, and digitization, both at home and abroad. Which sub-sectors should electrify first and how can the investment and innovation be managed responsibly? In particular what needs to be done to ensure the necessary policy, regulatory and financial mechanisms are aligned to expedite progress without creating inefficiencies?
APPrO 2021 will seek answers for the pressing questions of how to ensure decarbonization efforts are both effective and economic, leveraging Canada’s clean power assets to benefit the entire economy in the transition.
At the same time APPrO conference delegates will benefit from an updated online virtual conference interface, featuring expanded capabilities and functions. Join your professional colleagues and industry leaders accessing high value information through state of the art digital networking, interactive panels, virtual meetings and more, enabled by the power of modern networking technology.
Featuring:
Hon. Todd Smith, Ontario Minister of Energy
Susanna Zagar, CEO of the Ontario Energy Board
Lesley Gallinger, CEO of the IESO
Ken Hartwick, CEO of Ontario Power Generation
John Kousinioris, CEO of TransAlta Corp.
John Casola, Chief Investment Officer, Canada Infrastructure Bank
Scotty Greenwood, Crestview Strategy
Heather Campbell, Alberta Innovates
Brian Vaasjo, President and CEO of Capital Power
* Views from leading CEOs in the Canadian power industry
* Experts sharing their latest outlooks and challenging each other on key questions of the day
* Economic recovery and the Planning Outlook – how they will shape the industry
* What electrification of the economy can do to open new markets for the power industry
* The electric power industry’s role in achieving Net Zero
* Why consumers will be the primary drivers of change
* The power of technology to rewire markets
* The finance challenge of our era: deploying large amounts of capital for new infrastructure when energy prices are low
* How the Canada Infrastructure Bank will assist in the deployment of technology
* Enhancing market competition in Ontario: The role of competition in ensuring efficiency and price discovery
* The state of the art in ESG
* Distributed Generation
* Preparing for Ontario election 2022
* Market Renewal – Short term expectations and long term prospects
* The latest updates on power finance, regulation and politics
* Updates on SMRs, renewables, storage and DERs
* Real time interaction and networking tools made possible through online meeting spaces
* Keynote presentations
* High profile panels
* Interactive discussion forums
* Virtual networking
APPrO 2021 is the industry’s trusted source for high quality current business intelligence on the state of the provincial grid, regulatory changes, power finance, market renewal, Resource Adequacy, ESG, the politics of power, and other critical issues affecting the electricity sector.
Program overview:
(Click on any of the links below for details)
Day 1:
Technology-driven transformation
Lesley Gallinger, CEO of the IESO
IESO Annual Planning Outlook update with Chuck Farmer
What's working in other jurisdictions
Afternoon:
Susanna Zagar, CEO of the Ontario Energy Board
Ontario Minister of Energy, the Hon. Todd Smith
Canadian Power Awards including the Shining Star Shout-outs
Day 2:
Putting Ontario’s carbon pricing in context
ESG perspectives from leading customers, raters and advisors
Afternoon:
York Region NWA demonstration project
A condensed version of this program is also available on the Whova platform at this location.
The APPrO 2021 Virtual Conference platform is provided with the generous support of Ontario Power Generation
Monday, November 29, 2021
Be sure to check out the networking features of the APPrO 2021 event platform. In addition to live Q&A and chat functions, delegates can take part in hosted online breakouts, virtual meet-ups, Speed Networking and more, using the online tools available on the event app (mobile or desktop). Visit the community forums, participate in online discussions, pose questions and even start your own discussions. See further details below and online.
8:30 am Opening remarks by the APPrO 2021 Conference Chair
Stephen Somerville, H2O Power
8:35 am Briefing on smart tech interaction tools
Event host Sean Mallen of Sean Mallen Communications provides an overview on how to use the new online tools for accessing conference programming and networking with your peers.
8:40 am Opening Session with the Canada Infrastructure Bank
John Casola, Chief Investment Officer, Canada Infrastructure Bank
8:45 am Conversation on financing strategies appropriate to current conditions
Moderated by Rob McLeese, Access Capital
9:00 am Networking Break A-1
9:10 am Power industry leadership in the drive to Net Zero
How new technology and changing markets could redraw the boundaries of the power business. Experts from diverse parts of the power industry demonstrate how initiatives already underway are amongst the most effective and efficient options for achieving Net Zero targets.
Panel of technology experts including:
Heather Campbell, Executive Director, Clean Technology, Alberta Innovates
Robin Manley, OPG, Small Modular Reactors
Chris Fralick, Atura Power, Hydrogen on the power grid
Nicolas Bosse, Brainbox AI
Moderator: Ron Dizy, Red Jar Capital
9:25 am Q&A
9:30 am Networking Break A-2
10:00 am Keynote
Lesley Gallinger, CEO, Independent Electricity System Operator
Moderator: David Brownridge, KPMG LLP
Moderated Q&A
Session Host Hydro One
10:30 am Networking Break A-3
Host TBA
Use the many dedicated breaks to explore the platform, make connections through SmartProfiles Matchmaking, explore the Power Networking Showcases, and jump in to the Speed Networking Tables!
10:45 am The Planning Outlook – Update on the provincial power grid
Chuck Farmer, Vice-President, Planning, Conservation and Resource Adequacy, IESO
11:00 am Moderated Q&A
Shane Freitag, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Moderator
Comments from experts on power system modeling
Travis Lusney, Power Advisory LLC
AJ Goulding, London Economics
11:20 am Networking Break A-4
11:30 am What’s working in other jurisdictions
Panel of industry experts
Dan Dolan, New England Power Generators Association
Evan Bahry, IPPSA
Laureen Whyte, Clean Energy BC
David Butters, President of APPrO, Moderator
11:50 am Moderated Q&A
11:55 am Overview of event outcomes
Session host Sean Mallen
12:00 Lunch break – Speed Networking Tables
Join the Speed Networking Tables or use the dedicated breaks to explore the platform, visit leading edge Power Networking & Sponsor Showcases, and investigate your recommended matches with Whova’s SmartProfiles Matchmaking feature, all designed to facilitate your experience at APPrO 2021.
All attendees are welcome to join the Speed Networking Tables – no reservation necessary!
Persistent Challenge Questions
Rise to the challenge, answer questions, and propose further discussion:
What are the best ideas for ensuring that Net Zero targets can be met effectively and economically with well-chosen electrification investments?
What should Ontario’s energy priorities be over the next 5-10 years? What are the basics we need to grapple with? What is critical and what’s not?
What specific proposals do you think need to be in the policy platforms of the major political parties in the run-up to the next election?
Which rules and regulations should be relaxed soon on a trial basis, and which need to be fundamentally re-examined?
Is the wholesale electricity market making progress on its long-term objective of fostering competition, or is it slipping back?
What forms of electricity storage would be most effective for significantly improving the economics of electrification in Ontario? How can these options be most effectively facilitated?
1:00 pm “Innovating to support the energy transition”
Susanna Zagar, CEO, Ontario Energy Board
Moderator: Ian Mondrow, Gowling WLG
1:15 pm Networking Break B-1
1:20 pm Resource Adequacy and Beyond
Barbara Ellard, Director, Resource and System Adequacy, Independent Electricity System Operator
1:30 pm Moderated Q&A
1:35 pm Comments on Ontario’s Resource Adequacy framework
Legal and contracts perspective:
Reena Goyal, McCarthy Tetrault LLP
Financial perspective:
Pelino Colaiacovo, Morrison Park Advisors
Moderator: Glenn Zacher, Stikeman Elliott LLP
2:00 pm Networking break B-3
2:15 pm CEO Fireside Chat
Rapid-fire questions posed to senior leaders of Canada’s electricity sector. How do they anticipate co-ordinating the achievement of net zero and affordability objectives? How do they plan to approach electrification, and what do they think about the rules for the provincial supply mix, the appropriate way forward for developing interties and a national grid, and current priorities for federal and federal-provincial attention in the next 3 to 5 years?
Ken Hartwick, CEO, Ontario Power Generation
In conversation with
Tabatha Bull, CEO, Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business
2:40 pm CEO Roundtable
John Kousinioris, CEO, TransAlta
Brian Vaasjo, CEO, Capital Power
Mike Crawley, CEO, Northland Power
Moderator: Shawn McCarthy, Sussex Strategy Group
Moderated Q&A
Hosted by Northland Power
3:40 pm Networking Break B-4
4:00 pm Keynote followed by moderated Q&A
Hon. Todd Smith, Ontario Minister of Energy
Moderator: James Scongack, Chief Development Officer at Bruce Power and Chair of the IESO Stakeholder Advisory Committee
Hosted by Bruce Power
4:30 pm The Canadian Power Awards Ceremony
WiRE Woman of the Year Award
APPrO Hedley Palmer Award
Hosted by Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
All delegates are welcome to join the Canadian Power Awards Ceremony – no reservation necessary! Just click on the agenda item. The ceremony is open to anyone in the industry but registration is necessary – click here to register.
4:55 pm Speed Mentoring
Introduction by Joanna Osawe, WiRE (Women in Renewable Energy) Co-Founder & Chair
Separate registration is required. See this link for details.
5:00 pm Mentor and mentee breakouts
(Participants move to separate link – Click here for details)
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
8:30 am Putting Ontario’s carbon pricing in context
Ontario’s new EPS regime, soon to be in force, will set the rules for power sector GHG emissions in Ontario. What does it mean for power suppliers, considering the interaction between emission regimes, and provincial, national and international carbon markets?
Lisa DeMarco, Senior Partner and CEO, Resilient LLP
Moderator: Robyn Gray, Principal, Sussex Strategy Group
8:55 am Networking break C-1
9:00 am SMRs on the power grid
Developers, potential owners, and stakeholders share their perspectives on the anticipated growth of SMRs on Canadian power grids and the related business opportunities. Considering the potential for significant structural change, what would a grid enhanced with SMRs look like in 2030, 2040 and 2050?
Panel discussion:
* What is the likelihood that SMRs will be ready to help with decarbonization by 2030?
* The interprovincial MOU
* First Nations, manufacturing and customer perspectives, including off grid sites
* Related business development opportunities in the power sector
* How to manage the uncertainty over the rate of growth in electrification
* Frank discussion on the viability, assumptions and challenges of developing SMRs.
Speakers:
Ron Oberth, OCNI, reflecting the perspectives of many of Canada’s vendors of SMR technology
Sean Willy, President & CEO, Des Nedhe Developments, an Indigenous economic development corporation
Guy Bruce, Independent Consultant and Project Advisor for First Nations Power Authority
Carol Gregoris, Ontario Power Generation
Heather Kleb, Bruce Power
Moderator: Robin Manley, VP of New Nuclear Development, OPG
9:30 am Networking break C-2
9:45 am Capital Markets update: Sources of Financing
- Update on short and long-term bank financing options
- Ontario procurement mechanisms update - are they attracting financing?
- What's next after moving away from 20 year contracts?
- Royalty Structures - A new alternative for developers?
- Green financings - are they adding value to power project owners or just a marketing aspect?
Moderator: Paul Bradley, Northleaf Capital
Jason Chee-Aloy, Power Advisory LLC
John Pak, National Bank Financial
Peter Leighton, RE Royalties Ltd.
Adam Beaumont, Northland Power
10:15 am Networking break C-3
10:30 am The growing role of ESG in power project development
Experts share their insights on what power generation companies need to know about ESG and how they are positioning themselves for a future where ESG plays a growing role in raising capital.
Speakers:
Rob Jozwiak, Enbridge Inc.: Developer / supplier perspective
Ian Howard, Sustainalytics: Rating company perspective
Duncan Rotherham, ICF International: Power industry advisor perspective
Moderator: John Vellone, ESG Lead, BLG Canada
Hosted by Enbridge Inc.
11:00 am Networking break C-4
11:15 am The Political Outlook
Maryscott (Scotty) Greenwood, Partner and Managing Director, Crestview Strategy, Washington DC office
Opening presentation on recent research and current Canada-U.S. relations
Moderator: Mike Richmond, McMillan LLP
Mitchell Davidson, StrategyCorp
Dan Moulton, Crestview Strategy
11:55 am Wrap-up of the main conference by conference hosts
12:00 noon Lunch break and Speed Networking Tables D-1
Join the Speed Networking Tables or use the dedicated breaks to explore the platform, visit leading edge Power Networking & Sponsor Showcases, and investigate your recommended matches with Whova’s SmartProfiles Matchmaking feature, all designed to facilitate your experience at APPrO 2021.
All attendees are welcome to join the Speed Networking Tables – no reservation necessary!
The DER Ecosystem
Ontario symposium on enabling the future
November 30, 2021
Tuesday, November 30, 2021:
Power suppliers recognize that long term success depends devising practical options for moving forward under a wide range of scenarios. In this time of rapid change, solutions are not reached in isolation. The power grid must be re-envisioned as part of a larger ecosystem. Which synergies will make the most sense in this business cycle and which will need to be further developed as part of a longer term strategy?
Presented in collaboration with QUEST, Quality Urban Energy Systems of Tomorrow
1:00 pm Introduction and briefing on the advancement of DERs in Ontario
Harneet Panesar, Chief Operating Officer, Ontario Energy Board
1:05 pm Technical innovation like nothing that’s come before
Tyler Bryant, Low-Carbon Policy Manager, FortisBC
“Why the energy transition is like the Apollo project of our generation”
Falguni Shah, VP, Technology and Innovation, Elexicon Energy
“Canada’s first planned residential Smart Microgrid Community”
Ian McCarter, MaRS Cleantech Business Development Lead, “Principles Guiding the Transformation of the Energy System”
Moderator: Eric Muller, QUEST Canada
Moderated Q&A
1:30 pm Networking break D-2
1:35 pm How is the system responding?
Overview of current policy and regulatory developments impacting distributed low carbon thermal generation in Ontario
Richard Laszlo, QUEST CHP Consortium
Moderator: Megan Roney, Toromont
2:00 pm Projects that break the barriers
Shawn Carr, Hydro Ottawa: “Creative ideas coming from customers, what Hydro Ottawa is hearing”
Justin Rathke, Vergent Power Solutions
Keegan Tully, PowerON Energy Solutions: “Supporting the electrification of the TTC with 8 microgrids”
Imran Noorani, Peak Power
Sarah Griffiths, Enel X
Moderator: Craig Sabine, Guidehouse
3:00 pm Networking Break D-3
3:15 pm The York Region Non Wires Alternative Demonstration Project
Ali Golriz, Lead, System & Sector Development, IESO
Hamza Mortage, Project Lead, Grid Innovation, GRE&T Centre, Alectra Utilities
Brady Klein, Senior Manager, Market Development, EnergyHub
Moderator: Tom Levy, Natural Resources Canada
Moderated Q&A
4:00 pm Conclusion
All program details are subject to change without notice.
Please check http://conference.appro.org for the latest updates.
Note to delegates:
All conference sessions will be recorded and available for registrants to access after the event.
Online conference platform:
Whova, the APPrO 2021 virtual event platform is available at this location. Alternatively, you can download the Whova mobile app here. Whichever way you choose to access Whova, you will be able to create or make changes to your current profile whenever you want. In order to get started on either the web or mobile app, you will need to enter your email address and a password to create your account. When your account is set up, you can go here to find a user guide for speakers/moderators and attendees, to help familiarize yourself with the platform.
Active Networking
Participate in SmartProfiles Matchmaking. Complete your ‘Categories’ survey here and start to connect with recommended delegates in the app.
Attend one of the Speed Networking Tables sessions. These lively networking sessions will take place on November 29 and 30 during the lunch breaks. It will appear right in your agenda on the app so make sure to bookmark it and when it's time, jump right in!
Discussion forums for conference participants
Take part in ongoing discussion forums led by our team of virtual moderators. Voice your views on current power sector issues, or start your own conversation in the discussion forum.
Innovative Formats:
Live interactive features including Q&A, audience polling, focused discussion forums and virtual meet-ups.
Latest networking technology linking participants by areas of interest and express priorities
Rapid-fire: Short sessions, normally less than 30 minutes in total, including Q&A
Continual evolution:
APPrO welcomes proposals for further speakers and topics. Add your ideas through our online portal PowerTopic: https://appro.org/powertopic/
APPrO thanks its Sponsors
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Bruce Power
Enbridge Gas Inc.
Evolugen
Gowling WLG
Guidehouse
Hydro One Networks
IESO - Independent Electricity System Operator
McCarthy Tetrault LLP
Morrison Park Advisors
Northland Power
OPG - Ontario Power Generation
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Sussex Strategy Group
TC Energy
And Partners
Access Intel (Distributed Energy Conference 2021; Experience Power 2021)
Canadian Biogas Association
Clean Energy BC
DEC - Decentralized Energy Canada
EFC - Electro-Federation Canada
ESC - Energy Storage Canada
EventWorx – SMART ENERGY
GTEN - Gas Turbine Energy Network
IPPNY - Independent Power Producers of NY
IPPSA - Independent Power Producers of Alberta
NERGICA – Transitions Solutions Symposium
OEA - Ontario Energy Network
OWA - Ontario Waterpower Assoc.
Proximo – Canada Power & Renewables Exchange
PV Solar Guangzhou
QUEST Canada
RTO Insider
WiRE - Women in Renewable Energy
All program details are subject to change without notice.
Please check https://conference.appro.org/conference2021/ for the latest updates.
Stay up to date: subscribe here!
Feel free to join the conversation on social media, and share these links with your colleagues and contacts:
Twitter: #APPrO2021
Social links to join the APPrO 2021 conversation
Jake Brooks’ LinkedIn postings
Facebook - APPrO's Power Memory Project
Note to delegates:
All conference sessions will be recorded and available for registrants to access after the event.