How can we transition toward a more sustainable world?

ENERGY AND WATER 2016
Symposium and Industry Summit
JUNE 22-23, 2016 | University of Windsor

The 2016 Energy and Water Symposium and Industry Summit (EAW2016) examined the interrelationships between societal energy and water use and what we can do to reduce their environmental impact. EAW2016 brought together scientists, engineers, policy makers, captains of industry and entrepreneurs to quantify, question and propose solutions for sustainable water and energy utilization.

Speaker and panel highlights included:

8:45 to 9:30 a.m., June 22
Gord Miller 
Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, 2000-2015 
Miller will examine how two facets of climate change will transform the water and energy relationship in North America. In the physical world, the distribution of water across the continent in time and space is radically changing, creating a new hydrological game board for society to play on. How will that impact our energy supply, needs and use? In the geopolitical world, 177 nations have agreed to decarbonize energy systems. What are the policy implications, threats and opportunities presented to our existing water-energy systems by the climate treaty?

1 to 1:45 p.m., June 22
Jose Zayas
 - Director of Wind and Water Technologies, United States Department of Energy
Zayas will address the burgeoning U.S. offshore wind scene and discuss how it will influence North America and the rest of the world. As director of wind and water technologies, Zayas manages efforts to improve performance, lower costs and accelerate deployment of wind and water power technologies in the U.S.

11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., June 23
Frontiers in Sustainable Energy and Water Panel
  
This panel of experts will examine the latest renewable energy technologies and policies and discuss their role in our mandated low carbon economy and water scarce world.

  • Mark Michael MacKew - Barrister & Solicitor, Mark Michael MacKew Professional Corporation. Mackew, the panel moderator, has represented the corporate side of some of the largest renewable energy projects in Ontario.
     
  • Dr. Lorry Wagner CEO, LEEDCo. The Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo) is developing a world-first commercial wind energy project in Cleveland, Ohio.
     
  • Paula Lombardi Environmental Lawyer, Siskinds Environmental Group. Lombardi will discuss how critical renewable energies are to the environment and how policy must be designed so as not to encumber market development.
     
  • Dr. Francine Schlosser Director of Research and Interdisciplinary Learning, Entrepreneurship, Practice, and Innovation Centre (EPICentre) University of Windsor’s own, Dr. Schlosser, will talk about the policy challenges that have faced the solar tech sector and how ingenuity must rise in the face of embedded agency.

All technical sessions took place in the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation (CEI) at the University of Windsor. View the event photos on our Facebook page. Download the full conference program.