Opportunities in Energy 2026

About the Event
The Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council will hold its annual Opportunities in Energy event on Tuesday, November 17, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. ET at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Knoxville.
This all-day event invites members and stakeholders to hear about new and innovative “opportunities” in the advanced energy sector, including trends, businesses, technologies, partnerships and initiatives.
At the event, TAEBC will present a state or local leader with the annual Thomas B. Ballard Advanced Energy Leadership Award. The award honors exemplary leadership and success in championing, connecting, and strengthening Tennessee’s advanced energy economy.
Attendees will receive breakfast, lunch and refreshments throughout the event. A networking happy hour will follow the event programming.
If you are a presenting supporter, event supporter, student, startup, government official, speaker, or Gold or Platinum TAEBC Member, please email Elena Giorgi at [email protected] to receive your free promo code.
Agenda
8:30 – 9 AM
Registration, networking, and light breakfast
9:10 – 9:40 AM
Panel: AI’s Growing Demand on the Grid
The onshoring of data is reshaping the energy landscape and driving a new wave of electricity demand. Roger Waynick, Director of Artificial Intelligence for the State of Tennessee, will lead a timely conversation with Meta, Oracle, Middle Tennessee Electric, and the Tennessee Valley Authority on how the grid can meet this growing demand, from new generation and infrastructure to the policies and investments needed to power the next era of growth.
9:45 – 9:55 AM
Thomas B. Ballard Advanced Energy Leadership Award, Presented by Orano
9:55 – 10:05 AM
Spark Cleantech Accelerator Demo Day
10:05 – 10:30 AM
Power Pitches #1 | The Future of Energy
Scaled Atomics
Nutrode
Canary Instruments
DiNeu Technologies
10:30 – 10:45 AM
Networking Break
10:50 – 11:05 AM
Power Moves Discussion with Centrus Energy Corp. Executive
This fast-paced series of conversations moderated by Katelyn Biefeldt of Teknovation.biz, will spotlight major projects, technologies and investments in advanced energy. Featuring executives from Centrus Energy, Kairos Power, and Type One Energy, each conversation will offer a focused look at the innovations, opportunities, and momentum happening in Tennessee to drive the Nation’s energy sector forward.
11:05 – 11:35 AM
Panel: Ranching Under The Sun: A New Frontier for Cattle and Solar
Silicon Ranch Corporation is taking an innovative approach to agrivoltaics by pairing solar generation with cattle grazing. This panel will explore its “Cattle Trackers” approach and how combining livestock and solar on the same land can create new opportunities for farmers, energy producers, and communities across Tennessee.
11:40 – 11:55 AM
Power Pitches #2 | The Future of Nuclear Materials
LiCube, Inc
Erasmus Energy
PAN Biologics
12 – 12:15 PM
Power Moves Discussion with Kairos Power’s Edward Blandford
This fast-paced series of conversations moderated by Katelyn Biefeldt of Teknovation.biz, will spotlight major projects, technologies and investments in advanced energy. Featuring executives from Centrus Energy, Kairos Power, and Type One Energy, each conversation will offer a focused look at the innovations, opportunities, and momentum happening in Tennessee to drive the Nation’s energy sector forward.
12:15 – 1:15 PM
Lunch
Presented by WACKER and C.A. Murren
1:15 – 1:45 PM
Panel: Solving Tennessee’s Demand for Power
As Tennessee’s economy grows, so does the need for available, reliable and affordable electricity. This panel will discuss collaborative, technology-neutral solutions that emerged from dozens of stakeholder interviews that were part of TAEBC’s Advanced Energy Infrastructure Coalition initiative. Panelists include Matt Kisber, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board at Silicon Ranch; Chris Bowles, Partner and Co-Chair of Bradley’s Renewable Energy Team; and Tyler Mauldin, Lead, Energy Markets & Policy at Google. The conversation will be moderated by Cortney Piper, Executive Director, TAEBC.
1:50 – 2:05 PM
Power Pitches #3 | The Future of Advanced Materials
Aquafer Technologies
Ecoatex
Kunin Technologies
2:25 – 2:40 PM
Power Moves Discussion with Type One Energy Executive
This fast-paced series of conversations moderated by Katelyn Biefeldt of Teknovation.biz, will spotlight major projects, technologies and investments in advanced energy. Featuring executives from Centrus Energy, Kairos Power, and Type One Energy, each conversation will offer a focused look at the innovations, opportunities, and momentum happening in Tennessee to drive the Nation’s energy sector forward.
2:45 – 3:15 PM
Panel: Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus
The Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus is helping position Tennessee at the forefront of the next generation of nuclear energy. This panel will explore how the campus is bringing together research, industry and innovation across the nuclear lifecycle to accelerate technology development and resource recovery to support America’s growing energy needs.
3:15 – 3:35 PM
Featured Speaker: Rick Stockburger
Rick Stockburger, Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation (FESI), will share insights on advancing energy innovation, strengthening America’s energy security and accelerating the technologies shaping the future of the energy sector.
3:40 – 3:55 PM
Power Pitches #4 | The Future of Manufacturing
NXT MFG
Variable Machines
Hand Technologies
3:55 – 4 PM
TVA Awards Presentation
Thank you to our 2026 supporters!









