2027 Geothermal Capitol Hill Day

A military equipment, systems, services, and technology exposition focused on Marines and the Marine Corps. The event features defense-industry exhibits, presentations from Marines and Department of War personnel, and the OBJ1 Wargaming Convention. Attendance is restricted to eligible military, government, defense-industry, and related groups; it is not open to the general public. The 2027 schedule and speakers have not been finalized.

A member-focused policy program combining legislative meetings with panels on state energy and cleantech policy. Possible panel topics include policies supporting large-scale campus decarbonization efforts and workforce development. Panel 1 addresses Big Things on the Move: Policies to Consider for Current and Emerging Energy Projects, with Dave McCormack, CEO, Clean Energy Supplier Alliance; Julianne Mattecheck, Fabrication Salesperson, UMC, Inc.; and Ryan Calkins, Commissioner, Port of Seattle. Panel 2 addresses Carbon Management and Growing Energy Demand, with Steven Schueneman, Manager, Emerging Technologies and Sustainability, Puget Sound Energy; Meghan Gavin, General Counsel and Director, Carbon Containment Lab; and Mike Robinson, Co-Founder, PacClean. Innovation cluster insights and moderation are provided by Mel Clark, President & CEO, CleanTech Alliance, and Cassie Losey, Director of Governmental Affairs, Port of Benton. Reception remarks are provided by Nora Hawkins, Interim Energy Policy Director, Washington State Department of Commerce. The program includes legislator meetings with Sen. Sharon Shewmake, Rep. Alex Ramel, and Rep. Clyde Shavers.

The program is being shaped through a call for panel and workshop ideas on geothermal topics, challenges, innovations, and opportunities. The event page describes Nevada as a major geothermal center, with more than 25 geothermal plants and electrical generation capacity second only to California. Peppermill Resort uses geothermal energy for its pools, hot tubs, shower water, and mechanical systems, and reinjects geothermal fluids underground.

The program addresses federal policy and regulatory issues affecting public power operations, including energy reliability and affordability. It includes member-driven resolutions to clarify public power’s policy positions, advocacy priorities, tools for communicating public power’s value to federal policymakers, and Capitol Hill meetings. Agenda topics include how energy trade associations are navigating a new Congress; data centers, demand growth, and public power’s energy future; advocacy in narrow-majority and divided-government conditions; and legislative and regulatory developments. The PowerPAC VIP Reception is limited to PowerPAC members, and the PowerPAC President’s Circle Breakfast is limited to President’s Circle members.

The August 31 member sessions cover RHA advocacy priorities, proposed Washington and Oregon legislative priorities, technical committee work, and a 2026 electrolytic hydrogen case study on long-duration seasonal storage using hydropower, electrolyzers, pipeline connections, and fuel-cell power production. The technical update also addresses waste-to-energy pathways, including technologies for producing hydrogen from waste feedstocks. Other sessions cover transportation-market development, Toyota fuel-cell solutions, and member project and commercial updates. A Douglas County PUD facility tour focuses on electrolyzer systems, hydrogen storage infrastructure, operational safety, and deployment in rural and utility-scale settings. The conference program examines state and local hydrogen policy, Washington’s market strategy, California infrastructure lessons, customer-centered transportation solutions, hydrogen fueling networks, workforce and economic development, and regional transportation markets. Sessions also address electrolysis opportunities amid generation constraints and rising power prices; hydrogen production from wastewater, forestry biomass, and landfill gas; and local innovations for electric and gas systems. The final program day covers alternative fuels and global energy markets, public-private partnerships for transportation infrastructure and fuels, climate policy and energy affordability, and emerging energy technologies including hydrogen, geothermal, nuclear, and biomass. A vehicle and equipment expo and a community celebration are also listed. The August 31 sessions are for members; the facility tour is open to the public, and the community celebration is free and open to the public.

The programming focuses on regulatory, policy, market, and legislative issues affecting the North American water power industry. It includes educational programming, information exchange, and advocacy activities involving industry, government agencies, regulators, resource agencies, Tribes, and NGOs. Advocacy Day programming is intended to help industry representatives engage policymakers on Capitol Hill about water power policy priorities.

Participants will meet others from the energy industry, learn how the regulatory and legislative process can affect the industry, and hear from lawmakers and regulators about legislation that could affect Texas oil and natural gas during the 90th Legislative Session. The event also provides an opportunity to demonstrate the industry’s importance to policymakers.

An intensive workshop on projected electricity demand and expanding the supply of natural resources used to generate power. Topics include natural gas, geothermal development and repurposing oil and gas assets; hydrogen, uranium, lithium and critical minerals; and water, environmental, storage, site-selection and regulatory considerations. Program discussions cover grid shortfalls and raw materials for electricity generation, solutions for increasing electricity supply, geothermal, and technology including ORC, sensors and small nuclear reactors. Other sessions address AI prompts for grid and behind-the-meter planning; lithium direct lithium extraction (DLE) and hydrogen technologies; regulatory and legislative factors affecting geothermal, critical minerals, low-carbon energy, grids and data centers; and mining and oil-and-gas intersections, including near-surface imaging and copper for electricity transmission. The program also includes an AI prompt clinic focused on water, the environment, science and regulations.

Connects ACP members with political decision makers through advocacy training and small-group meetings with Members of Congress and their staff. Attendees share clean power industry experiences and discuss clean power industry federal policy initiatives. Open only to ACP members.

The luncheon brings together policymakers, industry leaders, and clean energy advocates to discuss Colorado’s energy future, emerging policy priorities, legislative priorities, and market trends. It highlights work advancing clean energy and Colorado’s solar and storage economy.