The 11th annual Opportunities in Energy conference, a fixture in the Tennessee energy sector calendar, recently convened in Knoxville, highlighting the state's strides in driving forward a diverse advanced energy economy. Organized by the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council (TAEBC), the event drew together a mix of state leaders, entrepreneurs, and researchers, each invested in the sector's growth and sustainability. TAEBC reported that discussions spanned various contemporary energy topics, from nuclear fusion and fission to renewable energy solutions.
In the conference's opening remarks, TAEBC Board President Steve Seifried praised Tennessee's "business-friendly climate" and emphasized the region's proactive stance in pushing to always better the state and national energy agenda. The 2024 Tennessee Advanced Energy Economic Impact Report, presented during the event, noted the advanced energy sector's potential to normalize state wages with the national average, due to its high wages and substantial $55.9 billion contribution to the state's GDP. He was not sure there's another state in the nation that has positioned itself as well as Tennessee around advanced energy, Jeff Lyash, CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority, stated according to TAEBC's reporting.
Panel discussions at the Opportunities in Energy conference delved into various avenues of innovation. Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) associate laboratory director for the Fusion and Fission Energy and Science Directorate, Mickey Wade, spoke on the region's historical connection to pioneering energy work, stating, "Oak Ridge was born of the nuclear age, and ORNL still attracts people with ideas to come here to continue to innovate." Knoxville’s standing as a top hub for clean technology was underlined by Lilly Trench, Director of the Spark Innovation Center, crediting local institutions such as ORNL’s Innovation Crossroads for driving this status.
The conference also included pitch sessions aimed at connecting startups with potential investors across sectors including circular economies, advanced manufacturing, and battery storage. Innovation Crossroads and Spark Incubator Program alumni showcased their ventures, vying for recognition and support. The effort to actively marry early-stage technical entrepreneurs with national laboratory resources was detailed by Dan Miller, Innovation Crossroads director, with a specific note that over half of the program's supported startups have chosen to remain in East Tennessee. According to information provided by TAEBC, AluminAiry, a startup from the Spark Incubator Program, notably received an award during the event.
The accolades continued with AESSEAL receiving the Thomas Ballard Advanced Energy Leadership award. For more on the Office of Science and its initiatives, further details are available at energy.gov/science.
