The Water-Energy Nexus Conference, February 28-March 1, 2017 in Los Angeles (www.water-energy-nexus.com) zeros in on the challenges facing water-energy efficiency programs, technology advances that can help drive efficiencies and cost savings, and successful case studies of joint water-energy optimization initiatives. The event is unique in that it brings together startups, investors, business strategists, regulators, energy companies, water companies and technology innovators for two days of networking and sharing of insights into maximizing one of the most precious resources of our time.

A special session of top industry experts at the Water-Energy Nexus conference, Feb 28-March 1 in Los Angeles (www.water-energy-nexus.com), will discuss real-world projects and technologies that help conserve water - and thus energy - and show how the nexus really works. The panel will consist of:

* The CEO of Signature Control Systems, which helped the City of Mission Viejo save 40% on their park irrigation through use of intelligent irrigation management

* The GM from Moulton Niguel Water District in South Orange county, which is leading in the collaborative data world in pricing and efficiency

* San Diego Gas & Electric, which is working on effective partnership programs in conservation and efficiency with the San Diego Water Authority

The session will be facilitated by Charles Wilson, Executive Director and CEO at the Southern California Water Committee, and is focused on practical applications and effective implementations of advanced water technologies and strategies. As such, the discussion will be of keen interest to water and energy utility professionals in attendance.

"This conference will zero in on what works and what doesn't in terms of technologies and strategies for optimizing water-energy efficiencies," says Daniel Coran, editor of the Smart Grid Observer and program manager of the Forum. "We will take special look at how best to execute, and how to pay for it."

Key topics to be addressed over the two-day Forum include:

Identifying benefits and overcoming barriers for joint water-energy efficiency programs
Successful pilots and programs: lessons learned and future initiatives
Developing partnerships between energy and water utilities
Obtaining and utilizing reliable data to quantify water-energy cost savings
Developing regulations, codes and standards that optimize water-energy efficiencies
Technology advances for driving water-energy efficiencies
Understanding the nature and importance of the water-energy nexus
Current rulemakings, regulatory trends, standards and codes impacting the water-energy nexus
The utility business case for implementing improved water-energy efficiency programs
And more

Hosted by SoCal Gas at the company's Energy Resources Center, the speaking roster includes such leaders as:

- David Hochschild, Commissioner, California Energy Commission
- Warren Teitz, Senior Resource Specialist, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
- Walter L. Schindler, CEO, Frost & Sullivan Investment Partners
- Carlos Michelon, Principal Water Resources Specialist, San Diego County Water Authority
- Caroline Choi, Senior Vice President, Southern California Edison
- Katherine Hardy, Energy Division, Energy Efficiency, California Public Utilities Commission
- Paul Weghorst, Executive Director of Water Policy, Irvine Ranch Water District
- Charley Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, Southern California Water Committee
- Carolyn Weiner, Manager of Industrial, Agricultural, and Water Programs, Pacific Gas and Electric
- William English, Demand Side Management Advisor, San Diego Gas & Electric
- Noah Perch-Ahern, Partner, Environmental Law Group, Glaser Weil
- Jesse Pompa, PE, Senior Engineer, Inland Empire Utility Agency
- Brian Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Signature Controls
- Amul Sathe, Director, Energy Efficiency and Demand Side Management Group, Navigant
- Joon Lopez, General Manager, Moulton Niguel Water District
- George Minter, Regional Vice President, Southern California Gas
- David L. Feldman, PhD, Professor of Planning, Policy, and Design, University of California, Irvine
- and more

"This will be a great opportunity to network with industry leaders at the leading edge of water-energy optimization, and how best to meet the challenges of an increasingly limited natural resource," Coran adds. "It will be a unique venue in which to share perspectives with top practitioners and key regulatory professionals in this space.

The conference is organized by the Smart Grid Observer (www.smartgridobserver.com), an online publication that delivers the latest news and information on a daily basis concerning key developments, deployment updates, and market trends in the smart grid and energy storage industries.

For full information regarding the Water-Energy Nexus conference and to register, visit www.water-energy-nexus.com.