2017 Keynote Speakers – Custer, WI
Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer
RESERVED SEATING for keynote speaker JB Straubel is available at The Energy Fair’s Info & Silent Auction tent, located near the Front Gate. Tickets will be available until Saturday at noon.* $25 for MREA Members / $50 for Non-Members.
Walk-in seating will be available on a first-come first-served basis. View the Main Stage floor plan for reserved seating layout.
JB Straubel is the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) and co-founder of Tesla Motors. At Tesla, JB manages the technical direction and engineering design of the Tesla products including battery technology, power electronics, motors, software, firmware and controls. JB also created and manages many important Tesla initiatives including: the Tesla Energy business providing grid storage for commercial utilities and residential consumers; the worldwide Tesla Supercharger network of fast DC chargers; and the Tesla Gigafactory which is leading the way toward increasing worldwide battery production and lowering the cost per kWh. JB Straubel’s keynote is supported by grant funds through Incourage.
Erica Mackie
CEO and Co-Founder, GRID Alternatives
Friday, June 16 at 1:00 p.m.
Erica Mackie, P.E., co-founded GRID Alternatives in 2001 and as CEO has helped develop it into a major national nonprofit that makes solar technology and job training accessible to underserved communities.
Kari Lydersen
Journalist and Professor
Saturday, June 17 at 1:00 p.m.
Kari Lydersen is a Chicago-based staff writer for Midwest Energy News, journalism professor in the Medill school of journalism graduate program at Northwestern University, and co-director of the Social Justice News Nexus at Medill, focusing on energy and environmental justice.
Jason Edens
Director, Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (RREAL)
Sunday, June 18 at 1:00 p.m.
Jason Edens is the founder and Director of the Renewable Energy Alliance, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting energy poverty with solar power and ensuring that solar energy is accessible to all.
Tribute to Richard Perez
Thursday, June 15 at 6:30 p.m.
Networking Dinner at the Main Stage Tent
Richard Perez founded Home Power Magazine and Richard and Karen Perez were the inspiration for the first Energy Fair in 1990. Please join us in sharing gratitude for his contribution to renewable energy and watch a clip of his last interview with documentary filmmaker Jeff Spies.
Screening of ‘Between Earth and Sky’ with Co-Director Jonathan Seaborn
Friday, June 16 at 7:00 p.m.
Jonathan Seaborn is a two time Emmy winning nonfiction filmmaker and Co-Director of ‘Between Earth and Sky.’ Jonathan will introduce the documentary ‘Between Earth and Sky,’ and facilitate a Q&A following the showing.
Chris Holman
Owner-Operator at Nami Moon Farms
Saturday, June 17 at 9:15 a.m.
Chris and his partner Maria Davis own and operate Nami Moon Farms in Custer, WI. Their 41-acre diversified livestock farm focuses on pasture-raised poultry and hogs and perennial and annual fruits and vegetables. Chris currently serves on the state board for Wisconsin Farmers Union.
Tyler Huebner
Executive Director, RENEW Wisconsin
Saturday, June 17 at 1:00 p.m.
Introducing Kari Lydersen
Tyler Huebner is the Executive Director of RENEW Wisconsin, a nonprofit organization which leads and accelerates the transformation to Wisconsin’s renewable energy future through advocacy, education, and collaboration.
