Energy Program
Decarbonizing, decentralizing and digitizing energy systems to be more resilient, affordable and accessible.

The Energy Program brings together leaders working towards a clean, resilient and affordable energy future. The program centers on today's most salient solutions and opportunities for stakeholders to deploy renewables, future-proof our energy systems, decarbonize energy-intensive processes, and create a distributed energy future.
Key Topics:
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Renewable Procurements
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Distributed Energy Resources
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Energy Resilience
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Electrification
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Industrial Decarbonization

Participants include professionals in:
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Energy, facility & building managers
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Renewable procurement leads
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Resilience officers
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Policymakers & advocates
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Utility leaders
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Software platforms for DER intergration
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NGOs & industry groups

GreenBiz Group and the Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA) are joining forces to co-create the Energy Program at VERGE 23. This year, CEBA members will gain access to the cross-cutting VERGE content across all six programs: energy, carbon, food, transport, buildings and startups, in addition to CEBA member-only content – including a private reception, opportunities for deeper connections in smaller groups and the invite-only energy customer afternoon.
Learn more about the integration of CEBA Connect at VERGE 23 here.


Past Speakers

Carla Peterman

Carla J. Peterman is Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs for PG&E Corporation, the parent company of Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
Peterman has spent her career focused on California's energy policy and regulatory landscape. At PG&E, she oversees the company's regulatory, legislative, sustainability, and charitable strategies, all focused on delivering for the customers and communities that PG&E serves in Northern and Central California.
Prior to joining PG&E in 2021, Peterman served as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Regulatory Affairs at Southern California Edison. Before that she served a six-year term as a Commissioner of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
A steadfast proponent of clean energy, at the CPUC Peterman led the adoption of the first utility energy storage mandate in the country, the approval of nearly $1 billion of utility investments in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, the adoption of utility energy efficiency goals and business plans, and the implementation of California's Renewable Portfolio Standard.
Before her CPUC appointment, Peterman served on the California Energy Commission, where she was the lead commissioner for renewables, transportation, and natural gas. She also is a former board member of The Utility Reform Network, an organization that represents consumers before the CPUC and California Legislature.
In 2019, Governor Newsom appointed her to chair the Commission on Catastrophic Wildfire Cost and Recovery. She currently serves on the external advisory board for Sandia National Laboratories' Energy and Homeland Security Portfolio, and as a member of the Federal Reserve of San Francisco Economic Advisory Council. She has also served on various other boards, including the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), and NARUC's Energy Resources and Environment Committee (Vice-Chair).
Peterman holds a BA from Howard University, a PhD in energy and resources from the University of California, Berkeley, and MS and MBA degrees from Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar.

Jay Creech

Jay is currently leading the design, implementation and management of REI’s US-operations clean energy strategy and supporting broader initiatives in support of REI’s climate, sustainability and impact goals.
Prior to joining REI, Jay worked within Puget Sound Energy’s Clean Energy Strategy and Grid Modernization Strategy and Enablement teams. Other roles prior to joining REI include managing the energy portfolio within the HQ Office of Strategic Initiatives (an internal consulting and analytics team) at the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority and working as a climate change mitigation and sustainability consultant at ICF.

Sana Ouji

Sana Ouji serves as Energy Lead at Google.

Tim Lee

Tim Lee serves as Manager, Enterprise Social Responsibility: Environmental Sustainability at The Walt Disney Company.

Andrew Jarrick

Andrew Jarrick is Environment & Sustainability Manager for Diageo, a beverage alcohol company with a global manufacturing and product portfolio that includes Smirnoff Vodka, Captain Morgan Rum, Tanqueray Gin, Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, and Guinness. At Diageo, he works closely with the company’s manufacturing facilities in the United States and Canada, managing their efforts to achieve ambitious environmental sustainability goals focused on reducing carbon emissions, conserving water, and preventing waste. As part of Diageo’s Society 2030 Action Plan, he is focused on delivering the three environmental pillars to Accelerate to a Low Carbon World, Preserve Water for Life, and to Become Sustainable by Design. Andrew has nearly 15 years of experience in environmental regulatory compliance management, energy management, and sustainability across heavy equipment manufacturing, automotive, and food & beverage. He holds a BS in Biology from Michigan State University and an MS in Environmental Management & Sustainability from Illinois Institute of Technology and is based in the Chicago area.

Amanda Yang

Amanda Yang is Renewable Energy Manager at Meta.

Steve Chriss

Steve W. Chriss is Director, Energy Services for Walmart Inc. and is responsible for managing Walmart’s regulatory and legislative cost exposure from changes in electric and natural gas rates, interventions in utility proceedings, rate and pricing analyses, and developing strategic initiatives with regulated utilities. Since 2007, he has managed interventions in over 400 regulatory dockets. Steve also serves as a witness on behalf of Walmart and in his career has testified in over 200 rate and policy dockets in 40 states and on legislative matters in four states. Prior to joining Walmart, Steve was an Economist and later Senior Utility Analyst for the Oregon Public Utility Commission from 2003 to 2007. From 2001 to 2003, Steve worked as an Analyst on domestic and international energy regulatory projects for Econ One Research, Inc., an energy and economics consulting firm. Steve received a M.S. in Agricultural Economics from Louisiana State University in 2001 and a B.S. in Agricultural Development and a B.S. in Horticulture from Texas A&M University in 1997. He also completed coursework in Agricultural Education and Communication at the University of Florida.

Jigar Shah

Jigar Shah was most recently co-founder and President at Generate Capital, where he focused on helping entrepreneurs accelerate decarbonization solutions through the use of low-cost infrastructure-as-a service financing. Prior to Generate Capital, Shah founded SunEdison, a company that pioneered “pay as you save” solar financing. After SunEdison, Shah served as the founding CEO of the Carbon War Room, a global non-profit founded by Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Unite to help entrepreneurs address climate change. Originally from Illinois, Shah holds a B.S. from the University of Illinois-UC and an MBA from the University of Maryland College Park.

Michael Terrell

Michael Terrell leads energy market development at Google where he is part of the business team responsible for the company’s data centers and global energy portfolio. In this role, Michael has advanced new approaches to Google’s procurement of 2.6GW of renewable power, pioneered first of its kind renewable energy purchase programs and delivered landmark projects such as converting a coal plant to a data center. Prior to joining Google, Michael worked as an attorney at one of the nation’s leading energy firms. He served in a variety of roles in the Federal government including the White House, where he helped guide U.S. policy on energy and environmental issues. He holds degrees from the University of Michigan Law School, Yale’s Environment School and the University of the South. Michael represents Google through speaking appearances, testimony and official Google blogs, and has appeared in major media including the New York Times, Financial Times, Bloomberg, Forbes, Fortune and NPR.

Paula Glover

Paula R. Glover started as President of the Alliance to Save Energy in January 2021. A dynamic leader with more than 25 years of experience in the energy industry, Ms. Glover is the seventh president in the Alliance’s 43-year history.
Ms. Glover previously served as President and CEO of the American Association of Blacks in Energy, a non-profit professional association whose focus is to ensure that African Americans and other minorities have input into the discussions and development of energy policy, regulations, and environmental issues. In this role, she was responsible for managing the national office, and providing strategic direction and leadership for the organization. Prior to this role, Ms. Glover served as AABE’s Vice President of Operations and as the organization’s Director of Communications.
Ms. Glover’s other experiences include 15 years in the energy industry for both electric and natural gas distribution companies. During that time, she built a stellar reputation working with state legislators and regulators in her roles as Manager of Government and Regulatory Affairs. Ms. Glover commands a clear understanding of the consumer and community sides of the business as well having held industry positions in Community Outreach and Economic Development.
Ms. Glover is a seasoned non-Profit professional. Prior to her time at AABE, Ms. Glover was the Community Awareness Director for the Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut where she was responsible for the organizations’ marketing, communications, community and government relations and public relations functions.
In March 2014 Ms. Glover was appointed to the National Petroleum Council by U.S. Secretary of Energy, Dr. Ernest Moniz.
Ms. Glover received her B.S. in Marketing Management from the University of Delaware. She is the recipient of the Bring It Home to Hartford Award; the Clarke Watson Chairman’s Cup; the Award of Distinction by the Videographer Awards and the Platinum Achievement Award from the Cooperative Developmental Energy Program at Fort Valley State University. She is a 2003 graduate of Leadership New Haven and has contributed to an article on work life balance in Take Pride magazine.

Miranda Ballentine

Miranda Ballentine has devoted her career to accelerating the role of advanced energy in national security, economic prosperity, and solving climate change. She is currently the CEO of Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA), a community of large clean energy buyers, energy providers, service providers, and NGOs, who are working together to build a resilient, zero-carbon energy system where every organization has a viable, expedient, and cost-effective pathway to renewable energy. Prior to CEBA, Miranda served as Walmart’s Director of Sustainability for Renewable Energy where she led a global team to achieve Walmart’s 100% renewable energy goal. From 2014-2017, Miranda served President Obama as Assistant Secretary of Air Force (Installations, Environment & Energy) where she was responsible for a $9B energy budget and launched an initiative for developing clean, cyber-secure microgrids. She later held positions as CEO of Constant Power and Managing Director of Rocky Mountain Institute’s Business Renewables Center before taking her current role with CEBA. In 2013, Miranda was selected to join World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders, and she is the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment’s 2020 Woman of the Year. She has a BS from Colorado State University and an MBA from George Washington University.

"Electrifying and decarbonizing the power sector are the easiest of the hard things we need to do to address the climate crisis. The Energy Program at VERGE is designed to help energy buyers accelerate the transition, collaboration to go further faster."