Harnessing the Power: Virginia’s Leap Towards Renewable Energy Leadership

Harnessing the Power: Virginia’s Leap Towards Renewable Energy Leadership

Virginia is at the forefront of the renewable energy revolution, and as the Commonwealth accelerates its influence in energy innovation, hydrogen has emerged as a major area of importance. Our gathering features a panel of distinguished experts who will deliver their informed insights on renewable energy, touching on topics such as engineering, financing, and asset management.

This event is an interactive Lunch & Learn, and we’ll delve into the pivotal role hydrogen plays in decarbonization efforts. We’ll explore the opportunities and challenges ahead, from its production to its storage, and its integration into existing energy systems. Our panelists will shed light on the strategies and technologies driving Virginia’s energy transformation, emphasizing the importance of collaboration. You’ll have the opportunity to meet industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers passionate about Virginia’s role in the global energy landscape. Reserve your spot today and join us for an enriching experience of insights, dialogue, and delicious food.

Admission is free but registration is required. Register HERE.

Tech Center Research Park would like to thank VTCRC, Hydrogen Technology Center, Timmons Group, and Independence Hydrogen for participating in this event: Harnessing the Power: Virginia’s Leap Towards Renewable Energy Leadership.

Speakers:

Chris Dodson joined Timmons Group in 2001 and currently serves as the Director of Field Operations. He manages over 300 multi-disciplinary professionals in various fields, including renewable energy, electrical engineering, environmental services, land and aerial survey, geotechnical engineering, and construction management and inspection.

More than a decade ago, Chris navigated the establishment of the firm’s Renewable Energy practice, which is made up of civil and electrical engineers who have performed wind, solar, and BESS projects in all 48 continental United States and Puerto Rico.

With nearly 30 years of experience providing technical expertise in facility and corridor siting studies, survey, geotechnical, and environmental studies, Chris is a managing principal with the astute goal of providing his dedicated staff with resources to support the entire life cycle of renewable energy projects, ensuring shared success for the firm and clients alike.

Prior to joining IH, Ally served for over 11 years in the U.S. Navy’s Civil Engineer Corps. She constructed expeditionary camps and elevated causeways at an amphibious construction battalion. As Utilities and Energy Manager for a 10,000-person installation, she led the maintenance and operations of all utility plants, while planning and executing various energy savings performance contracts.  She then served as Director of Facility Engineering and Acquisitions, leading cross-functional teams and contractors in the engineering design, procurement and construction of new facilities and utility infrastructure as a Professional Engineer and warranted contracting officer.

Most recently, Ally served as an Admiral’s executive assistant, setting policy and guiding the senior executive staff in the design and construction execution of resilient Navy and Marine Corps infrastructure across the eastern US and Europe.  Ally earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2011 and a M.Eng degree in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia.  Her callsign on Team IH is “T-Rex”.

Jonathan Warren is a Business Development Manager at Dominion Energy, developing new power generation facilities and other grid-related assets to deliver on the Utility’s clean energy growth plans while meeting customer load requirements.  He began his career at Dominion Energy’s Surry Power Station as a Nuclear Chemistry Technician and most recently led the Station’s efforts to conserve 13.9 million gallons of water annually with an innovative reverse osmosis purification system; his project won the 2023 Power Magazine Water Award of the year.

He is a Hampton Roads native, earning his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in science from Christopher Newport University.  Jonathan is recognized as an industry leader in innovation, winning numerous awards, including Dominion’s prestigious Chairman’s Excellence Award: Peer Choice and placing first in Dominion’s Lyra Innovation Labs intrapreneurship incubator. His initiative for innovation and operational improvement has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal for winning the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award for science, leadership, and innovation. He has recently been featured in and on the cover of Millennium magazine.  Jonathan enjoys attending his local church and loves to spend quality time with his wife and two kids.

Brett Malone is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center (VTCRC), one of the nation’s largest commercial research and industry engagement centers. He has spent the past 25 years building businesses in high growth emerging market sectors, including aerospace, defense, manufacturing, biotech, and data services. Brett has orchestrated large public-private partnerships and worked with capital markets to create early investments in excess of $200M. In leading VTCRC, he has cultivated strategic technology clusters in autonomous vehicles, biotech, and clean energy. Brett holds a Ph.D. in Engineering from Virginia Tech and serves as the Chair for the Emerging Technology Committee of the Hampton Roads Energy Roadmap.