The expected shortage of fossil fuels and their increasing impact on the carbon footprint lead us to consider energy alternatives. After a quick review of the current and potential energy options, the panel will discuss the pros and cons so the audience can form an informed opinion about the trade-off between increasing electricity needs and sustainable development.

The panel:

Bill Brockenborough, General Manager, Chevron Energy Solutions

Bob MacDonald, Co-Founder and CEO, Skyline Solar Inc.

Thierry N'kaoua, Deputy Director to Senior Vice President Research and Innovation, Areva

François-Xavier Rongère, Manager Energy Efficiency Programs and Tools Pacific Gas & Electric

Moderator:

Robert Anderson, Partner Global Finance, Nixon Peabody LLP

Robert Anderson, Partner Global Finance, Nixon Peabody LLP Robert Anderson represents clients on a wide range of finance matters, including general commercial lending, asset-based lending, M&A finance, lease financing, real estate finance, letters of credit, and project finance and development. He works with lenders, borrowers, and other participants in structuring, negotiating, and documenting finance transactions, as well as restructuring financings that have become distressed. In the project development area, Mr. Anderson works with developers, strategic partners, and finance providers on a variety of infrastructure and other large projects, including power plants, gas and oil pipelines, manufacturing plants, stadiums, and heavy industrial facilities. In addition to the financing of such projects, Mr. Anderson handles site acquisitions, EPC agreements, power purchase agreements, off-take agreements, O&M contracts, and supply contracts.

Bill Brockenborough, General Manager, Western Regions Chevron Energy Solutions William Brockenborough is the General Manager – Operations of Chevron Energy Solutions, Chevron’s division that develops and implements renewable energy and energy efficiency projects for external customers. He has ten years experience in the renewable and efficiency field, and has worked in energy infrastructure for his entire career. He is a graduate of Stanford with a BSEE.

Bob MacDonald, Co-Founder and CEO, Skyline Solar Inc. Bob has a proven track record of driving revenue growth, building market focus and optimizing operational efficiencies with emerging high-tech ventures. He led the product marketing program at SolFocus and prior to SolFocus, he co-founded and served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Onetta, a leading optical amplifier company. During his tenure, he secured funding from Sequoia Capital and Matrix Partners. Earlier in his career, Bob started the telecom components division of New Focus, Inc., brand of Bookham, Inc., a leader in developing, manufacturing photonics, which enabled the company’s successful IPO and secondary offerings. He holds a B.S.E.E. from Brown University, M.S.E.E. from Stanford University, and M.S. and Ph.D. in Physics from Brown University.

Thierry N'kaoua, Deputy Director to Senior Vice President Research and Innovation, Areva

François-Xavier Rongère, Manager Energy Efficiency Programs and Tools Pacific Gas & Electric François Xavier Rongère is currently managing PG&E Energy Efficiency Programs and Tools. In that position, he is responsible for the design, development and support of the services offered to customers to improve their company energy and environmental performance. He was previously in charge of the deployment of these services to the HighTech, BioTech and Healthcare sectors. Before that, he worked on the detection, assessment and market introduction of Energy Efficient Emerging Technologies in the Industry Sector. Mr. Rongère also held different technical and management positions at the R&D Division of Electricité de France (EDF, a French utility) where he developed innovative products for a variety of applications. He created Easenergy Inc. in 2000, EDF’s venture organization in the USA. Besides, he created in 2007 a new class about Alternative Energy Sources at San Jose State University focusing on renewable energies. He is a graduate of the Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble in France.