The 2025 Annual Fall Conference, The Future of Energy, was held on Thursday, October 30 from 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM at the UConn Graduate Business Learning Center in Hartford, CT. Engaging discussions led by distinguished panelists took place throughout the day, covering timely and relevant topics.
Conference Agenda:
8:30 AM- 9:00 AM: Registration & Light Breakfast
9:00 AM – 9:10 AM: Opening Remarks
9:10 AM – 9:45 AM: Fireside Chat with Treasurer Russell & Bryan Garcia
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM: Panel 1: Forecasting New England’s Energy Future
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM: Networking Break
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Panel 2: One Big “Beautiful” Bill: Navigating the New Energy Landscape
12:00 PM – 1:15 PM: Remarks from Mayor Arunan Arulampalam & Lunch
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM: Panel 3: New England Natural Gas Outlook
2:15 PM – 2:30 PM: Networking Break
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM: Panel 4: Streamlining Energy Permitting in the Northeast: Federal Shifts & Regional Innovations
Fireside Chat: Financing the Future: How Strategic Investments Power Connecticut’s Energy Transition | 9:10 AM – 9:45 AM
In this conversation, CT State Treasurer Erick Russell and Bryan Garcia, President and CEO at CT Green Bank, shared a firsthand look at the investments propelling CT’s future energy landscape, including CT Green Bank’s Green Liberty Notes and Bonds.
Panel 1: Forecasting New England’s Energy Future | 9:45 AM – 10:45 AM
Panel one explored the key forces behind New England’s rising electricity demand and how industry leaders are working to ensure reliability, resilience, and growth.
Panel 2: One Big “Beautiful” Bill: Navigating the New Energy Landscape | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Panel two dived into how the One Big Beautiful Bill, alongside recent federal policy shifts and executive orders, is reshaping the energy landscape. While recent policy shifts present challenges for wind and solar, bring mixed outcomes for storage, and create opportunities for fuel cells, panelists discussed the broader implications for utilities, developers, and communities navigating this new policy environment.
Luncheon Remarks | 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM
Panel 3: New England Natural Gas Outlook | 1:15 PM – 2:15 PM
Panel three focused on why continued natural gas investment remains critical for the region, offering perspectives on local LDCs, pipeline companies, and power project developers.
Panel 4: Streamlining Energy Permitting in the Northeast: Federal Shifts & Regional Innovations | 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
With executive orders reshaping federal permitting, from changes to WOTUS to new roadblocks for solar and wind, energy projects face greater uncertainty than ever. In response, Northeast states are re-engineering their own processes to cut delays and accelerate clean energy. Panelists provided a candid look at how federal policy and state innovation collide.
Sponsored By: Harris Beach Murtha Cullina PLLC, Pullman & Comley, Concentric Energy Advisors, Constellation, Michaud Law Group, Robinson+Cole, BSC Group, CONNSTEP, Connecticut Green Bank, Dominion Energy, Eversource Energy, and HyAxiom.