Opportunities in Energy 2026
About this Event
The Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council will hold its annual Opportunities in Energy event on Tuesday, November 17, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. ET at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Knoxville.
This all-day event invites members and stakeholders to hear about new and innovative “opportunities” in the advanced energy sector, including trends, businesses, technologies, partnerships and initiatives.
At the event, TAEBC will present a state or local leader with the annual Thomas B. Ballard Advanced Energy Leadership Award. The award honors exemplary leadership and success in championing, connecting, and strengthening Tennessee’s advanced energy economy.
Attendees will receive breakfast, lunch and refreshments throughout the event. A networking happy hour will follow the event programming.
If you are a presenting supporter, event supporter, student, startup, government official, speaker, or Gold or Platinum TAEBC Member, please email [email protected] to receive your free promo code.
Showcase your organization at the event!
View the 2026 supporter packet here. Questions? Email us at [email protected]!
Thank you to our 2026 supporters!
Agenda
🕑: 08:30 AM - 09:00 AM
Registration, networking and light breakfast
🕑: 09:10 AM - 09:40 AM
Panel: AI's Growing Demand on the Grid
Host: Roger Waynick
Info: The onshoring of data is reshaping the energy landscape and driving a new wave of electricity demand. Roger Waynick, Director of Artificial Intelligence for the State of Tennessee, will lead a timely conversation with Meta, Oracle, MTE and TVA on how the grid can meet this growing demand, from new generation and infrastructure to the policies and investments needed to power the next era of growth.
🕑: 09:45 AM - 09:55 AM
Thomas B. Ballard Award, Presented by Orano
Host: Jean-Luc Palayer
🕑: 09:55 AM - 10:05 AM
Spark Cleantech Accelerator Demo Day
Host: Bill Malkes
🕑: 10:05 AM - 10:30 AM
Power Pitches #1 | The Future of Energy
Host: Scaled Atomics
🕑: 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Networking Break
🕑: 10:50 AM - 11:05 AM
Power Moves Discussion with Type One Energy's Patrick Ellis
Host: Katelyn Biefdelt
Info: This fast-paced series of conversations moderated by Katelyn Biefeldt of Teknovation.biz, will spotlight major projects, technologies and investments in advanced energy. Featuring executives from Centrus, Kairos Power, and Type One Energy, each conversation will offer a focused look at the innovations, opportunities, and momentum happening in Tennessee to drive the Nation’s energy sector forward.
🕑: 11:05 AM - 11:35 AM
Panel: Ranching Under the Sun: A New Frontier for Livestock and Solar
Host: Nick de Vries
Info: Silicon Ranch Corporation is taking an innovative approach to agrivoltaics by pairing solar generation with cattle grazing. This panel will explore its “Cattle Trackers” approach and how combining livestock and solar on the same land can create new opportunities for farmers, energy producers, and communities across Tennessee.
🕑: 11:40 AM - 11:55 AM
Power Pitches #2 | The Future of Nuclear Materials
Host: LiCube, Inc.
🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM
Power Moves Discussion with Kairos Power's Edward Blandford
Host: Katelyn Biefdelt
Info: This fast-paced series of conversations moderated by Katelyn Biefeldt of Teknovation.biz, will spotlight major projects, technologies and investments in advanced energy. Featuring executives from Centrus, Kairos Power, and Type One Energy, each conversation will offer a focused look at the innovations, opportunities, and momentum happening in Tennessee to drive the Nation’s energy sector forward.
🕑: 12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:15 PM - 01:45 PM
Panel: Solving Tennessee's Demand for Power
Host: Cortney Piper
Info: As Tennessee’s economy grows, so does the need for available, reliable and affordable electricity. This panel will discuss collaborative, technology-neutral solutions that emerged from dozens of stakeholder interviews that were part of TAEBC’s Advanced Energy Infrastructure Coalition initiative. Panelists include Matt Kisber, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board at Silicon Ranch; Chris Bowles, Partner and Co-Chair of Bradley’s Renewable Energy Team; and Tyler Mauldin, Lead, Energy Markets & Policy at Google. The conversation will be moderated by Cortney Piper, Executive Director, TAEBC.
🕑: 01:50 PM - 02:05 PM
Power Pitches #3 | The Future of Advanced Materials
🕑: 02:25 PM - 02:40 PM
Power Moves Discussion with Centrus Energy Corp. Executive
Info: This fast-paced series of conversations moderated by Katelyn Biefeldt of Teknovation.biz, will spotlight major projects, technologies and investments in advanced energy. Featuring executives from Centrus, Kairos Power, and Type One Energy, each conversation will offer a focused look at the innovations, opportunities, and momentum happening in Tennessee to drive the Nation’s energy sector forward.
🕑: 02:45 PM - 03:15 PM
Panel: Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus
Info: The Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus is helping position Tennessee at the forefront of the next generation of nuclear energy. This panel will explore how the campus is bringing together research, industry and innovation across the nuclear lifecycle to accelerate technology development and resource recovery to support America’s growing energy needs.
🕑: 03:15 PM - 03:35 PM
Featured Speaker: Rick Stockburger
Info: Rick Stockburger, Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation (FESI), will share insights on advancing energy innovation, strengthening America’s energy security and accelerating the technologies shaping the future of the energy sector.
🕑: 03:40 PM - 03:55 PM
Power Pitches #4 | The Future of Manufacturing
🕑: 03:55 PM - 04:00 PM
TVA Awards Presentation
🕑: 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Networking Happy Hour
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 161.90 to USD 268.61
