More than 250 executives to attend the ninth-annual event, February 19-21 at the Omni Austin Downtown in Austin, Texas

Parks Associates announced today that executives from ChargePoint, Itron, Meritage Homes, Southern Company, and Vivint Solar will be the keynote speakers at the ninth-annual Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer, February 19-21 in Austin, Texas. The conference examines the changing role of utilities and energy providers and new opportunities to empower consumers with smart solutions to save energy in the home.

“Consumer channel preferences for energy-efficient equipment skews heavily towards energy providers and utilities; for example, 80% of U.S. broadband households would buy solar panels either from the manufacturers, their energy provider, or a company specializing in energy solutions,” said Tom Kerber, Director of IoT Strategy, Parks Associates. “These consumer preferences will help energy providers as they expand their service offerings to adjacent energy services. Utilities can leverage this role as the energy experts in the connected home to create new partnerships with homebuilders and manufacturers and to expand into new services.”

The ninth-annual Smart Energy Summit will include more than 250 high-level executives in an intimate networking environment. The event, which will be held at the Omni Austin Downtown in Austin, Texas, will feature the following keynotes:

Bryan Christensen, COO, Vivint Solar

Kim Greene, EVP and COO, Southern Company

CR Herro, VP, Innovation, Meritage Homes

Colleen Jansen, CMO, ChargePoint

Russ Vanos, VP, Sales and Marketing, Global Software and Services, Itron

“At Southern Company, we understand the world is changing, and we must change with it,” said Kim Greene, EVP and COO, Southern Company. “We have strategically positioned ourselves to be an industry leader in innovation as we build the future of energy. We also have an awesome responsibility to the customers and communities we are privileged to serve. I’m excited to speak to this group of industry thought leaders about our Smart Neighborhood initiative, which is one example of our commitment to robust research and development for our customers.”

“As utilities and cities undergo digital transformation, new enabling technologies, sensors and software create tremendous opportunities to better manage energy and equip consumers with more tools to control costs and conserve energy,” said Russ Vanos, VP, Sales and Marketing, Global Software and Services, Itron. “Convening leaders and continuing the dialogue about resourceful energy management with all stakeholders will accelerate the modernization of utilities and cities to ultimately better serve citizens.”

Conference sponsors include Tendril, Rapid Response, Affinegy, Alarm.com, Austin Energy, Bidgely, Carrier, Innotrail, People Power, Powerley, Trusource Labs, The Weather Company, Whisker Labs, and the Z-Wave Alliance.

Parks Associatesis accepting press pass requests for Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer at http://www.parksassociates.com/ses-presspass. More information about the Smart Energy Summit is available at www.SES2018.com.

Parks Associates will also host a pre-conference research workshop, “The Role of Energy Providers in the Smart Home,” on Monday, February 19, from 1:00-5:00 p.m. To speak with an analyst or request specific research data, contact Julia Homier at julia.homier@parksassociates.comor 972-996-0214.

About Smart Energy Summit

Parks Associates’ 15th annual Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer is co-located with DISTRIBUTECH 2024 on February 27-28 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.  Smart Energy Summit addresses energy and renewables technology trends in the residential and small-to-medium business markets.

Industry players join expert panels and networking sessions to address the expansion and monetization of energy management and other energy-focused offerings through consumer engagement, new business models, unique partnerships, and innovative technologies.

The conference also features 2024 virtual sessions January 23, July 23, and October 10. Follow the event on Twitter/X at @SmartEnergySmt and #SmartEnergy24. For information on speaking, sponsoring, or attending Smart Energy Summit, visit www.smartenergysmt.com.