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, SEIA
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: Breakouts spotlighting rural clean energy topics. See breakout tabs above for more details.
🕑: 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: Breakouts spotlighting rural clean energy topics. See breakout tabs above for more details.
🕑: 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
From opposition to ownership: How small towns are reclaiming the clean energy
Host: Peter Colavito
Info: Sponsored by Invest in Our Future | Some of the strongest examples of successful clean energy development come from communities that were once among its fiercest critics. Leaders from different southern communities will discuss how they have navigated contentious local debates, addressed community concerns, and ultimately found paths forward that delivered tangible local benefits. The conversation will highlight lessons on economic development, workforce opportunities, permitting, and community benefit agreements that other communities can adapt to their own clean energy projects.
Breakout Sessions #2
🕑: 03:50 PM - 05:20 PM
"Showing up is 90% of the battle": How to rally local support for clean energy
Host: David Roberts
Info: A live recording of the Volts podcast, hosted by David Roberts, featuring Matt Traldi, founder and CEO of Greenlight America. Across the country, clean energy projects are losing by forfeit, blocked not by popular opposition, but by a small, organized minority showing up when supporters don't. Join this live recording of Volts to hear how Greenlight America is working to turn the tide by mobilizing local supporters and giving them the tools to advocate effectively at critical government meetings.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
