Wired for Change: How AI Is Supercharging Clean Energy

Event ID: PP1162356

Sun, Mar 15, 2026 | 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Venue: Room 201-202 (JW Marriott)

View on Official SXSW

Summary

The transition to renewable energy systems presents unprecedented challenges for power system reliability and financial stability during the integration of clean energy sources. AI technology transforms the ability of utilities and investors and technologists to predict renewable energy output while maintaining grid stability and securing funding for advanced energy infrastructure. The panel unites experts from the technology and finance sectors with industry professionals and policymakers to examine AI's practical effects on future energy systems.

Contributors

Raw Event JSON

Large nested arrays are compacted for page readability. Full payload remains in dataset files.

Open JSON payload
{
  "id": "PP1162356",
  "track": "Cities & Climate",
  "focus_area": null,
  "category": "Panel",
  "event_id": "PP1162356",
  "event_type": "panel",
  "format": "Panel",
  "genre": null,
  "subgenre": null,
  "name": "Wired for Change: How AI Is Supercharging Clean Energy",
  "presented_by": null,
  "publish_at": "2025-11-03T16:30:00.000-06:00",
  "reservable": true,
  "reservable_id": "PP1162356",
  "reserved": false,
  "date": "2026-03-15",
  "end_time": "2026-03-15T12:30:00.000-05:00",
  "start_time": "2026-03-15T11:30:00.000-05:00",
  "message": null,
  "image": null,
  "credentials": [
    {
      "name": "Platinum Badge",
      "type": "platinum"
    },
    {
      "name": "Innovation Badge",
      "type": "innovation"
    }
  ],
  "contributors": [
    {
      "id": 87564,
      "company": "Crux",
      "credential_types": [
        "innovation"
      ],
      "entity_id": 2249763,
      "name": "Alfred Johnson",
      "speaker_types": [
        "Speaker"
      ],
      "title": "Co-Founder & Ceo",
      "image": {
        "alt_text": "Alfred Johnson",
        "credit": null,
        "url": "https://images.sxsw.com/UUWqrVstfHzCu51lkOGepnOJUBo=/600x600/images.sxsw.com/48/a58c6dde-b291-282f-bd00-3b2b68989143/pcid-1636264"
      },
      "speaker_type": "Speaker",
      "details": "Alfred Johnson is Co-Founder and CEO of Crux, the capital platform for the clean economy.\r\rBefore founding Crux, Alfred served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the US Department of the Treasury. Prior to Treasury, Alfred was Co-Founder and CEO of Mobilize, which was acquired by EveryAction in 2020.\r\rEarlier in his career, Alfred was a Vice President in Financial Markets Advisory at BlackRock, Senior Advisor for Financial Markets at the US Treasury, and Special Assistant to the White House Chief of Staff.\r",
      "links": {},
      "type": "person"
    },
    {
      "id": 78733,
      "company": "Knobloch Energy",
      "credential_types": [
        "innovation"
      ],
      "entity_id": 2239700,
      "name": "Kevin Knobloch",
      "speaker_types": [
        "Speaker"
      ],
      "title": "President",
      "image": {
        "alt_text": "Kevin Knobloch",
        "credit": null,
        "url": "https://images.sxsw.com/KDRpPsrS8-QCztxXXi4dvPU4dUs=/600x600/images.sxsw.com/48/0853791e-a1ea-4ee0-385f-fc82759e0358/pcid-1623987"
      },
      "speaker_type": "Speaker",
      "details": "Kevin Knobloch is President of Knobloch Energy LLC, an independent advisory firm working with companies and non-profits to accelerate the deployment of clean energy projects, and a General Partner of London GreenCity, a new climatetech accelerator of post-startup clean technology entrepreneurs based in West London.\n\nHe served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Greentown Labs, the largest and most effective climatetech incubator in North America, with more than 225 startups in its labs in Somerville, MA, and Houston, TX, in 2023-24. Knobloch was President of New York OceanGrid LLC, where he led Anbaric’s efforts to develop offshore wind transmission in New York from 2018 to 2020. He was a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for International Environment and Resource Policy (CIERP) at the Tuft University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.\n\nKnobloch was Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of Energy in President Obama’s second term, working with Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz from June 2013 through January 2017. He led the Union of Concerned Scientists as its President for nearly ten years (2004-2013). Earlier in his career, he served as Legislative Director for U.S. Senator Timothy Wirth of Colorado and Legislative Assistant for U.S. Representative Ted Weiss of New York.\n\nHe holds a Master in Public Administration degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, with a focus on natural resource economics, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. ",
      "links": {},
      "type": "person"
    },
    {
      "id": 78730,
      "company": "SKDK",
      "credential_types": [
        "innovation"
      ],
      "entity_id": 2239697,
      "name": "Aoife McCarthy",
      "speaker_types": [
        "Speaker"
      ],
      "title": "Executive Vice President",
      "image": {
        "alt_text": "Aoife Mccarthy",
        "credit": null,
        "url": "https://images.sxsw.com/qIPPwQdZC5o1r0ByEHtdWvRFb0U=/600x600/images.sxsw.com/48/e3c732b2-d813-765c-7431-98e4cd568cb7/pcid-1622436"
      },
      "speaker_type": "Speaker",
      "details": "Aoife leads SKDK's Energy and Clean Technology practice, helping organizations navigate regulatory landscapes and develop strategic campaigns. Previously, she handled federal policy communications for Instacart and served in the Obama administration as Director of Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy and Communications Director at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, where she managed messaging for Iran nuclear negotiations and climate agreements. She began her career as a POLITICO reporter and political consultant, earning two Pollie Awards. Aoife holds a BA from George Washington University and an MBA from Presidio Graduate School.",
      "links": {},
      "type": "person"
    },
    {
      "id": 78729,
      "company": "Pattern Energy",
      "credential_types": [
        "innovation"
      ],
      "entity_id": 2239696,
      "name": "Allison Holly",
      "speaker_types": [
        "Speaker"
      ],
      "title": "AVP Business Development",
      "image": {
        "alt_text": "Allison Holly",
        "credit": null,
        "url": "https://images.sxsw.com/YA7fl-dUg9X6-Mzntn9tcLjCvwA=/600x600/images.sxsw.com/48/a990991a-7ad0-4477-b755-9e7474c7a07d/pcid-1623984"
      },
      "speaker_type": "Speaker",
      "details": "Allison Holly is Senior Director of Market Strategy and Market Intelligence at Pattern Energy, driving the company's approach to identifying and evaluating market opportunities across North America. She brings 15 years of experience in clean energy strategy, marketing, and sales roles at GE Onshore Wind and The Climate Group North America. Allison holds a Bachelor's degree and an MBA from the University of Chicago, as well as a Master's degree in Climate and Society from Columbia University. She has lived and worked globally across China, India, Africa, the UK, and the United States, bringing an international perspective to North American energy markets.",
      "links": {},
      "type": "person"
    }
  ],
  "venue": {
    "accessible": false,
    "age_policy": null,
    "floor": "2",
    "id": "V0406",
    "indoor_outdoor": "INDOOR",
    "mixhalo_url": "https://translate.mixhalo.rocks/430?venue_id=430&partner=true",
    "name": "Room 201-202",
    "parent_id": "V0403",
    "parent_venue_name": "JW Marriott",
    "venue_entry_info": null,
    "formats": null,
    "location": {
      "address": "110 E 2nd St.",
      "lat_lon": [
        30.2645713,
        -97.743198
      ],
      "city": "Austin",
      "postal_code": "78701",
      "state": "TX",
      "name": "JW Marriott"
    },
    "root": {
      "id": "V0403",
      "name": "JW Marriott",
      "mixhalo_url": null
    },
    "events": "[omitted 5 venue events]"
  },
  "description": "The transition to renewable energy systems presents unprecedented challenges for power system reliability and financial stability during the integration of clean energy sources. AI technology transforms the ability of utilities and investors and technologists to predict renewable energy output while maintaining grid stability and securing funding for advanced energy infrastructure. The panel unites experts from the technology and finance sectors with industry professionals and policymakers to examine AI's practical effects on future energy systems.",
  "experience_level": "Intermediate",
  "audio_url": null,
  "accessibility": [
    "Closed captioned"
  ],
  "accessible_venue": false,
  "add_bcl_url": false,
  "add_slido": false,
  "after_midnight": null,
  "age_policy": null,
  "american_sign_language": false,
  "apple_url": null,
  "audio_description": false,
  "caption_url": null,
  "captioned_qa": false,
  "closed_captioned": true,
  "cpe_credit": false,
  "event_status": "none",
  "has_subtitles": false,
  "hash_tags": [],
  "high_sensory_experience": false,
  "live": false,
  "long_description": "The transition to renewable energy systems presents unprecedented challenges for power system reliability and financial stability during the integration of clean energy sources. AI technology transforms the ability of utilities and investors and technologists to predict renewable energy output while maintaining grid stability and securing funding for advanced energy infrastructure. The panel unites experts from the technology and finance sectors with industry professionals and policymakers to examine AI's practical effects on future energy systems.",
  "meeting_url": null,
  "meeting_url_live": false,
  "mentorly_url": null,
  "mobile_audio_url": null,
  "open_captioned": false,
  "playlist_tag": null,
  "rebroadcast": false,
  "recommended_ids": [],
  "search_conversions": null,
  "short_program": false,
  "slido_url": null,
  "sort": "WIRED FOR CHANGE: HOW AI IS SUPERCHARGING CLEAN ENERGY",
  "source": "Official",
  "squad_up_url": null,
  "stream_embed": null,
  "stream_id": null,
  "stream_url": null,
  "strobe_warning": false,
  "subdiscipline": null,
  "summit": null,
  "summit_display_name": null,
  "tags": [
    {
      "id": 2422,
      "name": "Trends",
      "created_at": "2023-03-05T18:53:22.637-06:00",
      "updated_at": "2023-03-05T18:53:22.637-06:00",
      "sort": "TRENDS",
      "alpha": "T"
    },
    {
      "id": 943,
      "name": "Policy",
      "created_at": "2016-11-03T15:56:26.812-05:00",
      "updated_at": "2024-02-05T17:28:34.060-06:00",
      "sort": "POLICY",
      "alpha": "P"
    },
    {
      "id": 2114,
      "name": "Ai",
      "created_at": "2020-01-17T14:51:44.091-06:00",
      "updated_at": "2026-02-18T15:48:17.273-06:00",
      "sort": "AI",
      "alpha": "A"
    }
  ],
  "talent_attending": null,
  "title_only": false,
  "track_display_name": "Cities & Climate",
  "trailer_id": null,
  "trailer_url": null,
  "video_on_demand": null,
  "vimeo_id": null,
  "vod": false,
  "xr_project_type": null,
  "youtube_id": null,
  "related_events": [],
  "related_sales_client": null
}