Rural America & the Clean Energy Transition
About this Event
Anchored by Canary Media's flagship reporting series on rural America, this event puts a spotlight on the communities that too rarely make the headlines.
The day features main stage conversations with Canary journalists, expert panelists, and partners, alongside breakout sessions and workshops diving deeper into the topics shaping clean energy's next chapter.
Space is limited. Please join the waitlist and we'll notify you when a spot opens up.
A reception rounds out the day, giving attendees space to connect with the clean energy leaders who are doing the work.
Thank you to our sponsors.
- Presenting: CleanCounts, GoodPower, Invest in Our Future, MacArthur Foundation
- Signature: Rural Climate Partnership
- Supporting: Outrider Foundation
Interested in sponsoring this event? Contact us at [email protected]
Main Stage & Lounge
🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Doors open and networking
🕑: 01:00 PM - 01:20 PM
A mayor’s fight for clean energy in rural America
Host: W. Mondale Robinson
Info: Mondale Robinson didn’t return to Enfield, North Carolina to manage decline. He came back to
change it. Since his election as the town's mayor in 2022, he’s been assembling the pieces of a full community energy transformation, including solar, geothermal, weatherization, and grid modernization, in one of the poorest towns in the state. This conversation breaks down how he’s doing it, what’s working, and what the rest of the country can learn from a small town betting everything on a clean energy future.
🕑: 01:40 PM - 03:10 PM
Breakout sessions #1
Info: Breakout rooms diving into rural clean energy topics. To be announced soon!
🕑: 03:10 PM - 03:30 PM
Lighting the way: Clean energy access and the future of tribal communities
Host: Suzanne Singer
Info: Suzanne Singer is the founder and executive director of Native Renewables, a nonprofit built around a problem most of the country has ignored: tens of thousands of homes on tribal lands with no connection to the grid. Native Renewables is working to change that, donating solar systems to unelectrified homes and training local residents to install and maintain them. But Singer is already thinking about what tribal communities will need as new demands around water, connectivity, and data infrastructure put pressure on these communities. This conversation covers where Native Renewables started, what they're doing now, and where they're headed.
🕑: 03:50 PM - 05:20 PM
Breakout sessions #2
Info: Breakout rooms diving into rural clean energy topics. To be announced soon!
🕑: 05:20 PM - 05:40 PM
Fireside keynote with Tim Pawlenty
Host: Tim Pawlenty
Info: Gov. Pawlenty is the incoming President & CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the national trade association for America's solar and storage industry. He previously served two terms as governor of Minnesota, where he led bipartisan initiatives in renewable energy that were widely viewed as among the most innovative in the nation. He’ll join us to explore where he sees the solar and storage industry headed and its role in rural communities.
🕑: 05:40 PM - 07:00 PM
VIP reception and networking
Breakout Sessions #1
🕑: 01:40 PM - 03:10 PM
Breakout Sessions #1
Info: Breakout sessions to be announced soon!
Breakout Sessions #2
🕑: 03:50 PM - 05:20 PM
Breakout Sessions #2
Info: Breakout sessions to be announced soon!
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
