Charles Cicchetti of the Pacific Economics Group Shares the Stage with Lisa Wood of the Edison Foundation to Debate Net Energy Metering and the Future of Rooftop Solar

LAS VEGAS — "National Clean Energy Summit 8.0: Powering Progress" heads in a new direction with its first-ever debate on Aug. 24 at Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center. Leading economist and co-founder of the Pacific Economics Group, Charles Cicchetti, Ph. D., will share the stage with Executive Director of the Institute for Electric Innovation (IEI) and Vice President of The Edison Foundation, Lisa Wood, Ph.D., to debate the merits of net energy metering and its role in the future of rooftop solar.

Rose McKinney-James, managing principal at McKinney-James & Associates, will moderate the debate, ushering in a new format to drive the dialogue around the future of the clean energy economy at the National Clean Energy Summit.

"This new debate format is an exciting change as we see it as an important way to foster a robust discussion about an issue thats fundamental for the future of rooftop solar," said Rose McKinney-James, former Clean Energy Project chair and moderator of the debate. "Like always, well do our best to drill down to the bottom of the issue and see if we can stimulate conversations that will focus on solutions."

Cicchetti is the former Chairman of the Wisconsin Public Utilities Commission and an expert on energy legislation and regulation. He is the author of numerous publications including "Going Green and Getting Regulation Right." Cicchetti believes net metering plays an important role in the future of rooftop solar and the continuing development of the nations clean energy economy.

Wood is an electric industry expert, author, public speaker, and professor specializing in current issues and innovations in the power sector. Under her leadership at the Edison Foundation and IEI, the organization has published three recent books about the changing power grid including "Thought Leaders Speak Out: The Evolving Electric Power Industry." She believes the nations electric utilities are indispensable to the power grid because utility companies have the end-to-end platform visibility to ensure reliability, resiliency, affordability and safety. The two will share the stage for a moderated debate intended to help the audience better understand and form qualified opinions on this important topic.

The Future of Rooftop Solar Debate will be one of an exciting lineup of speakers and panels at National Clean Energy Summit 8.0. President Barack Obama, U.S. Senator Harry Reid, John Podesta, former counselor to President Barack Obama, Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, Center for American Progress President Neera Tanden and Chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education Dan Klaich will lead the schedule. Already announced panels include a conversation on game changing investments like the Gigafactory with representatives from Tesla and Panasonic, a discussion about the grid in the information age with the director of ARPA-E and executives from top renewable energy companies, and a look at how American communities are adopting clean energy and efficiency today.

"National Clean Energy Summit 8.0: Powering Progress" is co-sponsored by U.S. Senator Harry Reid, Center for American Progress, the Clean Energy Project, MGM Resorts International and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In its eighth year, the Summit has become the nations foremost clean energy conversation, with past speakers including Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Elon Musk and many more.

WHAT: "National Clean Energy Summit 8.0: Powering Progress"

WHO: President Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States

U.S. Senator Harry Reid

John Podesta, Former Counselor to President Barack Obama

Secretary Ernest Moniz, Secretary of Energy

Dan Klaich, Chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE)

Diarmuid O'Connell, Vice President of Business Development at Tesla Motors

Jamie Evans, Managing Director at Panasonic Eco Solutions

Dr. Ellen Williams, Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E)

Thomas Voss, Chairman of Smart Wires

Amy Ericson, Country President for the United States at Alstom

Susan Kennedy, CEO and Board Member of Advanced Microgrid Solutions

Neera Tanden, President of the Center for American Progress

Bill Ritter, Former Governor of Colorado

Antonio Villaraigosa, Former Mayor of Los Angeles

Nancy Pfund, Founder and Managing Partner of DBL Investors

Geisha Williams, President of Electric Operations at Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Rose McKinney-James, Managing Principal at Energy Works

Charles Cicchetti, Ph. D., co-founder of the Pacific Economics Group

Lisa Wood, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Institute for Electric Innovation (IEI) and Vice President of The Edison Foundation

WHEN: Monday, Aug. 24, 2015
9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

WHERE: Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center
3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89119

REGISTER: To register for the National Clean Energy Summit 8.0 and for the latest information about the panels and panelists, please visit cleanenergysummit.org.