Speakers

Abstract:

This presentation will provide a history of microgrid development at Kaiser Permanente, originally conceived as a way to protect KP facilities from power outages in California, stemming from an increasing number of power shutoffs due to wildfire risks. KP has implemented a number of microgrid projects, culminating in the implementation of the largest renewable energy-based microgrid at a US hospital. This project was completed in April, 2025 at KP’s Ontario Medical Center. 

Professional Bio:

Seth Baruch is responsible for energy and utilities, particularly KP’s on-site and off-site renewable energy programs. KP’s renewable program has installed more than 72 MW of solar generation at 122 hospitals, medical office buildings and data centers. In addition, Kaiser Permanente is contracting to buy the energy output of more than 330 MW of off-site wind and solar projects in and around California. These initiatives are a large part of KP’s overall strategy to get to carbon neutrality, which was achieved in 2020. Seth also manages the fuel cell program (35 MW) as well as the battery storage and EV charger programs. KP currently has more than 1,500 EV chargers installed. He also raised the funding for – and helped implement – a microgrid installation at the Richmond Medical Center, the first renewable microgrid in the State of California. A second microgrid project at the Ontario Medical Center was completed earlier this year. 

Abstract:

This session explores the strategic initiatives driving economic vibrancy and community health in Bakersfield. From urban planning to multi-modal transportation and local business development, learn how dedicated local leadership is fostering a thriving environment for residents and businesses alike.

Professional Bio:

Jason Cater was born and raised in Bakersfield, CA. After graduating from Bakersfield Christian High School, he earned a degree in City Planning from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. His commitment to his hometown led him back to Bakersfield, where he served as the Executive Director for Bike Bakersfield for four and a half years before transitioning to public service with the City.

Currently serving as the Economic and Community Development Manager, Jason focuses on enhancing economic vibrancy and the quality of work within the community. He is deeply integrated into the local leadership landscape, serving as a board member for the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce and Bike Bakersfield, and is an active member of the Rotary Club of Bakersfield Downtown. Jason is driven by a passion for improving the quality of life for all residents in the community where he is proud to raise his family.

Abstract:

Quantifying the economic value of reliability and resilience can play a vital role in utility planning activities and provide a basis for discussing utility investments with regulators. This presentation provides an overview of two decision-support tools developed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL): the Interruption Cost Estimate (ICE) Calculator and the Power Outage Economics Tool (POET). The ICE Calculator, recently updated to version 2.0, is the industry standard for estimating the costs of localized, short-duration power interruptions (typically under 24 hours). POET addresses the economic consequences of widespread, long-duration outages lasting days or weeks. 

Professional Bio:

Myles Collins is a Researcher in the Energy Markets and Planning Department at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He conducts research on resilience planning and valuation, and benefit-cost analysis for innovative utility programs. He has 20 years of experience in energy policy, strategy, and analytics, including 15 years in the utility industry.

He served as the Energy Services and Utility Rates Manager at Burbank Water and Power, Principal Consultant at Nexant (now Resource Innovations), and Senior Project Manager at Southern California Edison. He holds a Ph.D. in Policy Analysis from the RAND Graduate School, a Master of Public Policy from UCLA, and a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from Northwestern University. 

Abstract:

Kate Gordon has spent over two decades working at the intersection of climate change, energy policy, and equitable economic development. From the Biden-Harris administration to the Governor’s Office in California, her work focuses on integrating climate strategy with regional economic resilience to ensure a just transition for all communities.

Professional Bio:

Kate Gordon is the CEO of CA FWD. Most recently, she served as Senior Advisor to U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, where she led initiatives like the Community Benefits Plan framework and the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative. Prior to her federal service, Gordon was the Director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research and Senior Climate Policy Advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom, launching the Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF).

Before public service, she was the founding director of the Risky Business Project and held leadership roles at the Henry M. Paulson Institute and the Center for American Progress. Gordon earned a J.D. and a Masters in City and Regional Planning from UC-Berkeley. She currently serves on several boards, teaches at UC-Berkeley, and is a Non-resident Scholar at Carnegie California.

Abstract:

Borates have been used as an industrial mineral for thousands of years. Sodium Borates have been mined and refined at Rio Tinto Borates Boron Operations for 100 years, and borate minerals have been mined in California since the mid to late 1800's with the early borate operations in Death Valley CA. Borates are an industrial mineral that are used in many products that we use every day, with a wide range of applications including agricultural uses, wood building material preservatives, fiberglass insulation, ceramics, heat tempered glass and glass in electronics, computer chips, and vehicle parts just to name a few. Since refined borates and the element boron play such a significant role in so many various products, the US Geological Survey has recently included Boron on the list of Critical Minerals for the United States, underscoring boron's economic and national security importance.

Professional Bio:

Brandon Griffiths is the Senior Geologist at Rio Tinto Borates Boron Operations. He has over 20 years of experience in geology roles. Brandon is a Kern County native growing up in the Mojave Desert town of Boron, CA. He attended the University of California at Santa Barbara and graduated with a degree in Geological Sciences in 2001. He worked in the Environmental Consulting industry in Southern California for 4 years performing subsurface contamination investigations and has been at Rio Tinto Borates Boron Operations for 20 years performing geotechnical and mine geology work. He currently manages the Mine Geology program at Boron Operations overseeing ore control and resource geology and is the Competent Person for Ore Reserve & Resource reporting for Boron Operations

Focus Area:

As the lead commissioner on energy assessments, Vice Chair Gunda oversees the critical forecasting of California's energy demands and supplies, ensuring the state's grid remains resilient and prepared for future transitions.

Professional Bio:

Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Siva Gunda in February 2021 to serve as the Energy Commission’s public member, later appointing him to Vice Chair in September 2021. He previously served as manager of the Demand Analysis Office and deputy director for the Energy Assessments Division.

Before joining the Energy Commission, he served in a variety of capacities at the Energy Efficiency Institute at the University of California, Davis, including as the director of research. He holds a master of science in mechanical and aeronautical engineering from Utah State University and is pursuing his Ph.D. from UC Davis. A serious cricket fan and former college team captain, he lives with his family in Davis.

Abstract:

Dr. Hegde’s research is primarily focused on Agricultural Economics and regional economic issues. His work bridges the gap between academic study and community impact, specifically through the development of the Ag Business degree program at CSUB.

Professional Bio:

Aaron Hegde is Professor of Economics at CSU Bakersfield and serves as the Executive Director of the Grimm Family Center for Agricultural Business. After receiving his PhD in Agricultural Economics from North Carolina State University and spending several years at Pennsylvania State University, Aaron moved to Bakersfield in 2003.

During his tenure at CSUB, he has led numerous service initiatives, most notably the establishment of the Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business. This program continues to grow as a vital resource for the local community, reflecting his dedication to the economic development of Kern County and the surrounding region.

Abstract:

California's position on the San Andreas plate boundary makes understanding earthquake hazards vital for community resilience. This presentation explores the baseline seismicity of the state and the emerging concerns regarding induced seismicity from subsurface injections. Dr. Herman will discuss how careful monitoring and public communication are essential to mitigating risks as California’s energy and water infrastructure evolves.

Professional Bio:

Dr. Matthew Herman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geological Sciences at California State University, Bakersfield. His research interests include earthquakes, plate tectonics, and geodynamics. He is a member of many professional organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, Geological Society of America, and Seismological Society of America. He is on the SZ4D Modeling Collaboratory for Subduction committee, and is the Institutional Representative for CSUB at the Statewide California Earthquake Center. He has published numerous peer-reviewed papers on earthquake and tectonic processes around the globe.

In addition to teaching hazards- and geophysics-related courses at CSUB, Dr. Herman frequently gives interviews to media outlets and public talks to local organizations about earthquake science and hazards. 

Abstract:

Carbon TerraVault has reached the completion of major construction on the CTV I 26R Class VI project—an achievement that advances California’s carbon management ambitions. This development delivers several industry firsts, including the state’s inaugural CO₂ injection and the county’s first Class VI injection into a depleted oil and gas reservoir. This presentation will highlight the technical and operational insights gained through execution and explain how these lessons establish a foundation for future large-scale carbon storage deployment.

Professional Bio:

Travis Hurst is a geoscientist with seven years of experience in carbon management at Carbon TerraVault. As the Class VI permitting lead, he has prepared and submitted multiple Class VI applications and successfully guided them through every stage of the regulatory process—including technical review, public comment, and final permit issuance. Travis brings deep subsurface expertise, practical project experience, and a strong track record of working with regulators to advance safe, commercially viable carbon storage projects.

Abstract:

California’s commercial and industrial energy users are facing a growing paradox: electricity is becoming more expensive, less reliable, and increasingly constrained by policy structures that discourage independent power generation. In this talk, Bo Jones draws from firsthand experience developing behind-the-meter microgrids for both public and private industry to examine how this dynamic plays out on the ground—and how it can be overcome.  

The presentation opens with an anecdote from an industrial facility in Spain that reframes energy independence as an operational necessity rather than a sustainability ideal. From there, Jones walks through the development of a microgrid for Granite Construction in South Kern County, highlighting the technical, regulatory, and economic challenges encountered, the system design decisions shaped by California utility rate structures and incentive frameworks, and the resulting operational and financial outcomes.  

Rather than treating microgrids as a collection of technologies, this session presents them as a strategic response to misaligned utility incentives and declining grid reliability. Designed for professionals across the public and private sectors, the talk offers a first-principles perspective on how behind-the-meter microgrids can restore control, resilience, and long-term abundance for industrial energy users in California.  

Professional Bio:

Bo Jones is a Microgrid Developer at Agilitech in Bakersfield, California, and a leader in the development of behind-the-meter microgrids for heavy industry. With 15 years of industrial operations leadership and hands-on experience engineering grid-independent systems since 2020, his work focuses on helping commercial and industrial clients achieve energy independence, resilience, and long-term sustainability.

Bo brings a first-principles perspective to utility rate dynamics, system integration, and microgrid strategy, grounded in real-world outcomes for operators, engineers, and executives. His approach to energy can be summed up simply: Make energy abundant.  

Abstract:

A secure energy infrastructure is essential for modern societies with renewable energy sources like photovoltaic (PV) systems, which play a vital role in sustainability. Virtual Power Systems (VPS) integrate PV systems and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) with Advanced Metering Infrastructures (AMI) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems for bidirectional monitoring, control, and communication. However, the increased reliance on AMI technology makes VPS vulnerable to cyberattacks, which can disrupt operations. This research presents a 5 G-enabled VPS framework that incorporates AI-based smart controllers and machine learning based cybersecurity measures to enhance system resilience. Using MATLAB, NetSim, and Hardware, this research work implements a framework with Transport Layer Security (TLS) and network intrusion detection mechanisms that strengthen VPS security, ensuring efficient and reliable renewable energy distribution. A machine learning based Network Intrusion Detection System was developed for the VPS communication network. System evaluation showed high model-to-model agreement values ranging from 93.4% to 97.2% between the different machine learning models used to classify network traffic as normal or anomalous (potential threat or attack), which indicated a high degree of consistency. The model prediction accuracies ranged from 94.92% to 99.9% for the different machine learning models assessed for network intrusion detection in the VPS communication system, which demonstrated the machine learning based system's robustness in detecting potential threats or attacks versus normal network traffic.

Professional Bio:

Dr. Kanwalinderjit Kaur, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at California State University, Bakersfield. Her research spans a broad spectrum of cybersecurity and networking domains, including secure and resilient cyber-physical systems, IoT security, and next-generation wireless networks. Dr. Kaur has secured multiple competitive research awards and grants, reflecting her sustained contributions to both foundational and applied research. She is a Principal Investigator on two National Science Foundation (NSF) awards, including an NSF CISE Core project focused on advancing secure and resilient intelligent systems, and an NSF Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) award supporting research in dependable and secure networked infrastructures. Notable leadership roles also include serving as Principal Investigator for the CSU AIEIC project focused on integrating information literacy into computer networks education, Co-Principal Investigator on the AI FAST initiative to enhance learning with artificial intelligence techniques, and Program Director for an NSA + NSF-supported GenCyber program at CSUB. She also leads and contributes to federally funded research in areas such as orchestration of 5G-enabled IoT systems and cyber resiliency for virtual power systems. Dr. Kaur is a life member of Upsilon Pi Epsilon, the international honor society for computing disciplines, and she has received several academic awards. She is a Senior Member of both IEEE and ACM, and an active member of IEEE’s Communications Society and the IEEE Women in Engineering affinity group, reflecting her commitment to professional engagement and mentorship in computing.

Abstract:

Electric power grids are facing unprecedented challenges from rising demand and cybersecurity threats. While AI offers powerful capabilities for forecasting and defense, its integration into critical infrastructure introduces new concerns. This talk outlines use cases for AI in strengthening grid resilience and describes the path toward trustworthy, robust AI solutions for future operations.

Professional Bio:

Dr. Cecilia Klauber is a power systems research engineer and Systems Resilience and Security Group Leader at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), where she has worked since 2020 on critical infrastructure resilience, especially for the energy sector. She leads multidisciplinary projects in the Cyber and Infrastructure Resilience program, developing technical solutions to enhance the resilience of critical infrastructure by focusing on modeling and simulation, risk assessments, electric grid cybersecurity, and threat analysis, including how to keep the electric power grid secure with artificial intelligence and from artificial intelligence.

Abstract:

California hosts a diverse suite of critical mineral resources that are increasingly important to clean energy technologies, advanced manufacturing, and national supply chain resilience. Achieving state and federal energy and climate objectives requires modern geologic mapping, high quality geochemical datasets, and systematic resource delineation to quantify mineral potential and support responsible development. To address these needs, the California Geological Survey is conducting targeted geologic mapping, geochemical reconnaissance, and mine waste characterization in regions prospective for cobalt, nickel, lithium, boron, tungsten, copper, and rare earth elements. Current CGS investigations reveal important data gaps in our understanding of key critical mineral systems, highlighting the need to expand research capacity through academic partnerships. Strengthening these partnerships and our workforce is essential for advancing statewide critical mineral assessments, improving mineral system models, and developing integrated geoscience datasets that underpin informed long term resource planning and conservation.

Professional Bio:

Jeremy Lancaster is the State Geologist and Director of the California Geological Survey. Jeremy has led multidisciplinary teams focused on geologic mapping, the fire-flood sequence, landslides, geological modeling and carbon sequestration. His career includes early work with DWR, the URS Corporation, and the Department of Transportation, building a foundation in groundwater, landslides, and applied engineering geology. Within the state of California, he has played key roles in major numerous multi-agency initiatives, including the implementation of carbon sequestration initiatives, statewide seismic monitoring, the California Alluvial Fan Task Force, and the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. Jeremy has authored fifteen peer‑reviewed publications, several multi‑agency reports, and more than ten CGS Special Reports and geologic maps, and has performed geologic mapping over 10,000 square miles of California terrain. He has delivered more than 100 professional presentations, and remains committed to advancing applied geology, and effective geoscience communication.

Abstract:

Critical materials enable modern societies and are essential to economic, energy, and national security. They also face the risk of supply chain disruption as there are limited available resources which are often expensive to produce and are generally difficult to replace. They enable much of the technology of modern life such as strong magnets needed for compact efficient motor/generators, efficient energy storage for electronic devices and electric vehicles, and advanced semiconductors needed for power electronics and stabilization of the electrical grid. This talk will provide an overview of critical minerals & materials and where there are opportunities for domestic industry. Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Professional Bio:

Dr. Scott McCall is the Actinide and Lanthanide Science Group Leader within the Materials Science Division of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and a founding member of the Critical Materials Innovation Hub (CMI), a DOE Energy Innovation Hub, where he currently serves as the Crosscutting Research Focus Area Lead. CMI consists of 9 national laboratories, 25 universities, and many industrial partners and is dedicated to advancing early-stage research in critical materials. He is also a founding member of METALLIC, the Minerals to Materials Supply Chain Research Facility and serves as lead for the Alloy Design and Advanced Manufacturing (ADAM) Center within METALLIC. METALLIC is a federated system of national laboratories dedicated to accelerating critical material technologies from the bench scale to pre-pilot/pilot scale.

Abstract:

This talk will cover two geomechanics-related issues for CO2 sequestration: stress estimation and the effect of thermoelastic stress changes. (1) During CO2 sequestration, it is important to inject below the frac gradient to maintain seal integrity. Fracture injection tests are commonly used to estimate stress. However, some commonly-used methods are known to systematically underestimate the stress, which can create unnecessary limitations on injection pressure. The underestimate is particularly significant in underpressured formations, which makes it a particular issue for CO2 injection projects, which often seek normally pressured or underpressured formations. (2) During long-term injection, the formation gradually cools around the well. This induces a localized stress reduction which can cause a small fracture to form in the region of cooling. The fracture can be beneficial because it helps maintain injectivity. However, there is a risk that this process could affect cap rock integrity. The formation of cooling cracks should be taken into account as part of cap rock integrity analysis.

Professional Bio:

Mark McClure established ResFrac in 2015 to help operators maximize value through the application of advanced geomechanics and reservoir simulation. Before founding ResFrac, Mark was an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin in the Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering. After earning a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering and a Master of Science in petroleum engineering from Stanford University, Mark earned a PhD in energy resources engineering at Stanford.

Abstract:

California is fortunate to have some of the most prolific conventional basins in the United States, and once led the United States in oil production. In recent years state and local regulations, such as SB 1137, have limited the ability of producers to maintain the shallow decline that had been a key characteristic of the state's fields for decades, while other permitting bottlenecks have also constrained development specifically in the San Joaquin Valley. 2025 may mark a turning point with the new SB 237 creating a pathway for streamlined permitting on up to 2,000 new oil wells each year in Kern County. This presentation will take a look back at the impact of restrictive policy on production and reserves over the past decade, and look forward to the potential impact of loosening those restrictions. 

Professional Bio:

Joe has been a petroleum engineering consultant at NSAI since 2015. He has extensive experience with offshore deepwater assets worldwide, especially the Gulf of America, the North Sea, and offshore West Africa. He also regularly evaluates conventional reservoirs across the onshore United States, including reserve evaluations for California assets for producers and state government entities. Joe specializes in dynamic reservoir simulation for oil and gas evaluations and also applies this expertise to assess reservoirs for potential carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects, leading CCS evaluations at NSAI. Prior to joining NSAI, Joe worked at ExxonMobil as a reservoir and production engineer at the Santa Ynez Unit, located offshore Santa Barbara, California. 

Abstract:

The oil and gas industry plays a significant role in Kern County’s economy. It directly employs workers in oil and gas extraction, transportation, and refining sectors, while indirectly supporting jobs among merchant wholesalers, accountants, payroll technicians, architects, engineers, lawyers, and inspectors. In this session, the speaker will examine both the direct and indirect economic impacts of the oil and gas industry in Kern County. 

Professional Bio:

Nyakundi Michieka is a Professor in the department of Economics at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB), where he also serves as the Director for the Center for Economic Education and Research. His primary research focuses on energy, environmental economics and regional economics. Dr. Michieka has presented his work at numerous conferences and has authored over 38 research publications in esteemed journals, including Energy Economics, Applied Energy, Energy Policy, Economic Modelling and Economic Analysis and Policy. Additionally, he has contributed three book chapters and has several working papers. His current research examines the long- and short-run effects of oil prices on Kern County’s economy. He also analyzes and reports on economic trends in Kern County through CSUB’s Kern Economic Journal. Dr. Michieka has collaborated with faculty to secure $2 million in research funding for CSUB and is actively mentoring students on these projects. Originally from Kenya, Dr. Michieka earned his undergraduate degree in Mechatronic Engineering from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. He later pursued a Master’s degree from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania before obtaining his Ph.D. in Natural Resource and Environmental Economics from West Virginia University. Dr. Michieka has been recognized for his contributions to academia and research, receiving the 2019 Promising New Faculty Award. He is also an E. Kika De La Garza Fellow and in 2024, was honored with the CSUB Unity Award. 

Core Mission:

Dr. Olson focuses on ethical issues in professional life and the sciences, believing that ethics education thrives through cross-disciplinary conversations. His work bridges clinical research and community health through active roles in bioethics committees and institutional review.

Professional Bio:

Dr. Nate Olson is the Interim Director of the Kegley Institute of Ethics, Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, and a Professor of Philosophy at CSU Bakersfield. He teaches courses in ethical theory and practical ethics, with a research emphasis on bioethics, including clinical and research ethics.

He serves on the CSUB Institutional Review Board and the Dignity Health Memorial Hospital Ethics Committee. Dr. Olson earned his PhD from Georgetown University and previously served as a post-doctoral teaching fellow at Stanford University, where he collaborated with the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics.

Abstract:

This project uses agentic AI, an autonomous system that can observe, reason, and act, to design and optimize microgrids, the small power networks that combine solar, batteries, and local energy sources. Instead of relying on months of manual engineering, the AI runs simulations, diagnoses issues like instability or oscillations, learns what works, and automatically adjusts control settings for smooth, reliable power. The result is faster design, lower cost, and more resilient clean energy systems for communities, businesses, and critical facilities. 

Professional Bio:

Ehsan Reihani, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Computer and Electrical Engineering at California State University, Bakersfield, and a collaborator with the California Energy Research Center. His research focuses on renewable energy integration and AI applications in power systems, including battery energy storage optimization, microgrid control, demand response, and peer-to-peer energy markets. Dr. Reihani earned his Ph.D. from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and completed postdoctoral research at GridSTART. His work has generated over 890 citations and directly supports California's transition to 100% clean energy. He currently mentors undergraduate research in parallel computing for energy optimization and AI-driven autonomous systems. 

Abstract:

Darcy Partners will share insights on how the recent trends in Energy industry (Data Centers, load growth, technology evolution, et al) are bringing together erstwhile disparate energy industries of Oil & Gas and Utilities. Priorities of each industry, their position in the evolving chain (molecules to electrons), and examples of how the industries are collaborating will be shared in this session. 

Professional Bio:

Nikhil brings together a background in energy, having an MBA, and having worked in management consulting to his current role at Darcy Partners, a technology research and innovation advisory firm focused on the energy industry. His career started in the Corporate Planning & Economic Studies role at Indian Oil Corporation (India's largest oil refiner) after which he moved to an LNG Procurement role. Since then he has done an MBA from University of Chicago Booth School of Business followed by a stint at Boston Consulting Group where he focused on Energy & Sustainability topics. In his current role, Nikhil helps O&G producers among other clients understand the latest technologies and identify the right partners to unlock value for these Operators 

Abstract:

Despite its promise of a virtually inexhaustible source of baseload power, geothermal energy has remained a niche provider of renewable energy in the global energy mix, restricted to hydrothermal production in geographically limited locations. In recent times, geothermal energy has re-emerged as a clean energy resource with vast potential, with the advent of enhanced (or engineered) geothermal systems (EGS). The basic premise of EGS is to engineer and construct a heat exchanger within the resource. The most commonly used approach is to connect two (or more) horizontal wells through multi-stage hydraulic fracturing. However, many novel concepts have been developed in just the past decade, creating hope for “Geothermal Anywhere”. Recently, Mazama Energy reported a successful pilot in Newberry, Oregon, at 331°C, the hottest ever EGS. The “holy grail” is to access and produce from superhot rock (SHR) resources (>374°C). For decades, the geothermal world has relied on oil and gas standards, codes, and materials. Development of the new geothermal energy will require more. This presentation explores five key technologies that will need to be adapted from the oil and gas industry, and repurposed and improved for advanced geothermal energy extraction. These are:

• Horizontal drilling: Horizontal drilling is very mature in the oil and gas industry, and extended reach wells with step-outs of several kilometers are quite common. Recent successes in Fervo and Forge have shown that for EGS, horizontal wells are needed. In EGS, the technologies developed in the O&G world will have to be repurposed and improved for efficient application in hard, hot rock.

• Multi-stage propped hydraulic fracturing: It is not enough to drill the horizontal wells- we need to connect them with multi-stage hydraulic fractures. The shale revolution has made multi-stage fracturing routine, at scale. These ideas provide a strong foundation for EGS application. Challenges remain, including temperature limits of tools and equipment.

• Well Design: Lifetime well integrity is at the core of a successful EGS project. The heavy oil industry has routinely used steam for enhanced oil recovery, at temperatures as high as 350°C. These wells cannot be designed using standard design techniques. Advanced design methods like Strain-based design and low cycle fatigue design were developed to address these limitations. In addition, complex HPHT and deepwater wells also require advanced design approaches like reliability-based design. Advanced cements have been designed for such challenging thermal conditions. These advanced methods will almost certainly be needed in the geothermal industry, especially as temperatures inch higher and higher.

• Materials Selection: Corrosion and cracking are old enemies, and the oil and gas industry has developed a number of materials to combat these threats to well integrity. The body of knowledge and special materials created by them will be vital to the geothermal industry, which will no doubt add further complexity as temperatures creep up. • Insulated Tubulars: The oil and gas industry has long used vacuum insulated production tubing – for heat retention and flow assurance. Both these are important considerations in EGS too. Many recent projects have considered VIT, and pushing the envelope on the diameter of VIT to allow commercial rates to be produced in EGS. In the presentation, we will briefly explore each of these technologies, their importance to the geothermal world, state-of-the-art, and the challenges and limitations that we still need to address to scale them to meet the requirements of modern geothermal energy extraction.

Professional Bio:

PV Suryanarayana (Suri) has over 34 years of professional experience as a practicing engineer in upstream energy. The underlying theme of his career has been solving unique engineering problems and developing new technologies in the energy industry with a focus on well integrity, thermal problems, multiphase flow modeling and probabilistic design. Suri started in the oil and gas industry in Mobil’s research center in 1991, with a focus on well engineering and well integrity. In 2000, Suri co-founded Blade Energy Partners, where he leads their engineering and R&D groups, and currently serves as CEO. His current interests include carbon sequestration, alternative energy engineering, thermal and geothermal well engineering, and reliability-based design. With over 100 archival publications and four patents, Suri has made several fundamental contributions to the energy industry, including the application of reliability-based design to complex wells, strain-based and low-cycle fatigue design for thermal and geothermal wells, well design and thermal performance analysis for superhot rock geothermal, and well integrity and leak risk assessment for carbon sequestration projects. Suri has also co-developed and taught several advanced courses, in advanced casing design, geothermal and thermal well design, and carbon sequestration. 

Abstract:

Traditional compressed air energy storage (CAES) technology has been around for decades, but has not been broadly deployed because of constraints around heat, siting, and efficiency that have made the technology very expensive. Hydrostor has improved on this model and solved these issues around heat, siting, and efficiency with their patented advanced compressed air energy storage (A-CAES) technology, to bring costs down and ease other development constraints. The result is the Willow Rock Energy Storage Center, the company's flagship U.S. development, being built in Kern County, California. In this session, Hydrostor will discuss the constraints present with CAES, and how Hydrostor, through iterative engineering and design, solved these issues to result in an efficient, long-duration energy storage system with emissions-free operations. 

Lucas is an Engineering manager at Hydrostor who has been working on the development and advancement of the Advanced Compressed Energy Storage (A‑CAES) technology for over 8 years. Lucas has been supporting the adoption of the A-CAES technology at Hydrostor’s Willow Rock project in Rosamond, CA from the project conception.  

Abstract:

This presentation will cover active and proposed hydrogen blending demonstration projects, regulatory updates on hydrogen projects, and a brief update on hydrogen blending research. 

Professional Bio:

Blaine Waymire is a Sr. Reliability Engineer for the Engineering Development and Technology Team at SoCalGas, where he is responsible for advancing hydrogen blending projects and policy. In this role, he oversees the implementation and execution of hydrogen blending demonstration projects, research studies, and manages the regulatory strategy for hydrogen blending. Blaine brings 13 years of experience in the utility industry, with specialized expertise in Hydrogen Research, Distributed Energy Resources and Energy Efficiency. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from California State University, Long Beach, and is a Licensed Professional Engineer in California. Additionally, Blaine is recognized by the Association of Energy Engineers as a Certified Energy Manager and Distributed Generation Certified Professional.