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In addition to remarks from Governor Cox, the two-day event will convene regional energy experts and policymakers for panel discussions on some of the West’s most pressing energy issues, including energy affordability, long and short-duration energy storage, comprehensive permitting reform, critical mineral supply chains, and much more.

View the full agenda below. All times are MDT. 

Registration for a FREE livestream of the workshop will open on May 1.

In the meantime, check back in with WGA in the coming weeks for more information about panelists. 

May 20

12:40 p.m.: Welcome and Introductions

• Jack Waldorf, WGA Executive Director

12:45 p.m.: Opening Remarks

• The Honorable Spencer Cox, Governor of Utah 

1:10 p.m.: A Better Energy Mix

Meeting rapidly growing global energy demand requires immediate, scalable solutions to maintain grid reliability and energy security.  Expanding and bolstering proven, in-place energy options like sources like wind and solar and investing in existing thermal power plants to improve their efficiency and extend their longevity can help meet energy demand.   When paired with energy storage options, these technologies can provide firm, dispatchable power and contribute meaningfully to today’s reliability and capacity needs. 

2:10 p.m.: Investing in Long Duration and Grid Scale Storage

Long-duration and grid-scale energy storage present a significant opportunity to strengthen grid reliability, integrate more variable energy resources, and provide firm capacity during periods of extended peak demand or low generation.  Technologies like pumped hydro, thermal storage, and advanced batteries can help smooth variability, defer transmission upgrades, and improve system resilience.  However, scaling up and deploying these technologies faces many challenges, including high upfront capital costs, long development timelines, market uncertainty, and siting and permitting challenges.

3:15 p.m.: Innovative Financing for Energy Projects

Innovative financing mechanisms can play a critical role in accelerating energy infrastructure by reducing risk, attracting capital, and lowering the lifetime cost of new generation and transmission projects.  These tools can make large, capital-intensive projects more financially viable and appealing to investors.  This panel will examine how innovative project financing can de-risk investments, encourage more development, and lower the life-time cost of new generation and infrastructure 

4:10 p.m.: Energy Affordability

The cost of energy remains a growing challenge as customers face higher utility bills driven by rising demand, fuel price volatility, infrastructure upgrades, and more frequent extreme weather.  Addressing affordability requires a multifaceted approach.  This panel will examine how strategies like expanding and diversifying energy supply, reducing system costs, improving efficiency, and ensuring that assistance reaches those most vulnerable can improve energy affordability for western residents. 

May 21  

8:30 a.m.: Welcome

• Jack Waldorf, WGA Executive Director

9:15 a.m.: Comprehensive Permitting Reform

At the federal level, energy projects are increasingly impeded by a complex and fragmented permitting process that may span numerous agencies with overlapping jurisdictions and statutory responsibilities.  While each project is unique, a single project may require reviews or approvals under NEPA, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and multiple land management authorities like BLM, USFS, the Army Corps of Engineers, EPA, and the Fish and Wildlife Service often with limited coordination and inconsistent timelines.  This complexity creates duplicative reviews, inconsistent requirements, staffing bottlenecks, and prolonged litigation risk, stretching project timelines into years or even decades. 

10:15 a.m.: Critical Mineral Supply Chains

Critical minerals play an essential role in energy development, underpinning technologies such as batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, and other energy systems. However, the domestic production and processing of key minerals and rare earth elements remain limited. This panel will explore how expanding responsible mining, refining, and recycling across the West presents a significant opportunity for strengthening energy security and achieving energy abundance.

11:10 a.m.: Energy Superabundance in the West 

Collaboration between states, whether for transmission planning and development, nuclear energy, or supply chain coordination, can support more predictable pathways for large-scale energy projects.  Strategies like shared studies and timeline coordination, or formal agreements like interstate agreements and memoranda of understanding can help states leverage their unique skills, resources, workforces, and policy frameworks to bring to bear more innovative, cost-effective, efficient energy solutions.