Artificial Intelligence (AI) is growing at a fast pace with major technology companies announcing ambitious goals to scale over the coming years. The energy industry plays a pivotal role in enabling the AI expansion and infrastructure investments are required to fulfill the goals of the industry. In this session, we aim to explore how the growth ambitions of AI (like training large models and data center demands) is re-shaping energy consumption and how the energy and tech industries, along with public and private sectors, can innovate to handle the increased demand as AI scales globally. Can existing and emerging energy technology and infrastructure deliver the volume and reliability of power that AI requires? Are we equipped to empower AI's future, or will the energy demands handicap our ability to scale AI?
This session will be in collaboration with New York University's Center for Global Affairs (CGA) and hosted in person at the NYU Abu Dhabi Institute.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
David Sandalow
David Sandalow is the Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) and Director of the Energy and Environment Concentration at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. His recent writings include the Artificial Intelligence for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap (Second Edition) (November 2024, lead author) and Guide to Chinese Climate Policy (October 2022, lead author). He is the host of the AI, Energy and Climate Podcast. Mr. Sandalow chairs the ICEF Innovation Roadmap Project, leading development of clean energy roadmaps on topics including low-carbon ammonia, biomass carbon removal and storage, industrial decarbonization and direct air capture. He founded and directs CGEP's US-China Program and teaches a short course on the energy transition as a Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Schwarzman Scholars Program at Tsinghua University.
Previously, Mr. Sandalow served in senior positions at the White House, State Department and U.S. Department of Energy. He has served as Under Secretary of Energy (acting); Assistant Secretary of Energy for Policy & International Affairs; Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans, Environment & Science; a Senior Director on the National Security Council staff; and a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Mr. Sandalow serves as a director of Enagás, SA and Fermata Energy, a senior advisor to BCG, a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies and Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and Yale College.
SPEAKERS:
Christopher Dendrinos
Chris Dendrinos covers the Clean Energy sector at RBC Capital Markets. He joined RBC in 2016 and has over a decade of equity research experience covering conventional and clean energy and automotive. Previously Chris worked at KLR Group covering upstream oil and gas and at Direct Energy in supply and trading. He holds a BA from Kalamazoo College and is a CFA charterholder. Chris is based in RBC’s Austin, Texas office.
Daryl Kennedy
Daryl Kennedy is a Vice President at STACK Infrastructure, where she leads external stakeholder engagement on sustainability issues and opportunities related to data center development. Before joining STACK, she led sustainability strategy and investor relations at Piva Capital in San Francisco. Previously, she served as the Sustainable and Responsible Investment Policy Adviser at The Investment Association in London, driving key policy developments in sustainable investment.
With a background in sustainable finance, environmental science, and climate technology, Daryl is at the forefront of advancing sustainable data strategies. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Development from the University of St. Andrews.
Additional speaker to be announced soon.
MODERATOR:
Michael Tran
Michael Tran is a Managing Director and Head of Digital Research and Digital Intelligence Strategy at RBC Capital Markets. He has spent nearly 20 years in the energy markets in research, sales and trading and investment banking with major banks like UBS based in London and energy trading platforms like BP based in Calgary.
Michael's energy views are frequently quoted in media outlets and he routinely appears on television networks like Bloomberg, CNN and BNN. He is a frequent advisor to both the Canadian Federal and Alberta government on issues pertaining to energy policy and budgeting. Michael is also a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs. He serves on the Advisory Boards of Orbital Insight, a Silicon Valley based Artificial Intelligence company and Workrise, the source to pay solution build for energy. He also serves on the Board of the New York Energy Forum and on the Business Committee of the US Association of Energy Economists (USAEE). He graduated with distinction from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance and Economics.
PROGRAM:
4:00 - 4:30 PM: Registration
4:30 - 6:00 PM: Presentation and Discussion
6:00 - 6:30 PM: Reception
REGISTRATION:
THIS EVENT IS COMPLIMENTARY FOR ALL ATTENDEES.
RSVP HERE
QUESTIONS:
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