Connect with us

Technology

PG&E 2024 Innovation Summit to Showcase Novel Climate-Tech Solutions, Additional Speakers Confirmed

Published

2 years ago

on

Leaders from Eaton, GE Vernova, NVIDIA Added to High-Powered Speaker Lineup

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Artificial intelligence for nuclear power generation, carbon-sequestering biochar, long-duration energy storage, submetering and managed charging for electric vehicles, real-time fault detection sensors, a prescribed-burn machine, advanced drones for system inspections, and new undergrounding systems are among the novel solutions and technologies that will be on display November 13 during Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) 2024 Innovation Summit presented in collaboration with DISTRIBUTECH® in San Jose.

“We are proud to work with leading companies advancing energy-focused AI applications, and fire-tech and climate-tech solutions to drive impact across our system with minimal impact to customer bills,” said Quinn Nakayama, Senior Director, Grid Research Innovation and Development, PG&E. “We see the potential for innovation to address emerging challenges across our operations, and we recognize the tremendous opportunity that innovation offers to transform our energy system to deliver for our people, the planet and the prosperity of California for generations to come. Other utilities’ challenges of tomorrow are PG&E’s realities of today, so I look forward to engaging at the summit to share ideas, and–in the spirit of mutual aid and support–I strongly encourage my utility peers across the country to join us in-person on November 13 in San Jose.”

Several industry leaders were recently added to the 2024 Innovation Summit’s high-powered speaker lineup including:

Sean Moser, Senior Vice President & Chief Product Officer of GE Vernova’s Grid Softwaret team and Igor Stamenkovic, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Electrical Services and Systems Division, Eaton will join Joe Bentley, Senior Vice President, Electric Engineering, PG&E for a discussion on the future of electric planning.

Marc Spieler, Senior Managing Director, Global Energy Industry, NVIDIA and Trey Lauderdale, Founder and CEO, Atomic Canyon will join Maureen Zawalick, Vice President, Business and Technical Services, PG&E for a conversation on the role of AI in the nuclear industry.

For the full agenda and speaker lineup, and to register for in-person or virtual attendance visit: Summary – 2024 PG&E Innovation Summit presented by DISTRIBUTECH (cvent.com)

The immersive technology showcase for in-person summit attendees will feature demonstrations by PG&E and peer utilities Avangrid, San Diego Gas and Electric, and Southern California Edison. The showcase will include the following organizations and technologies that PG&E and peer utilities are exploring and deploying to enhance operations, improve customer service, and address changing environmental conditions:

Blue Grit Robotics is pioneering a first-of-its-kind utility undergrounding system that dramatically reduces the cost, complexity, and invasiveness of traditional methods. By harnessing advanced robotics and AI, Blue Grit Robotics is transforming the way utilities are installed underground, making the process safer, more efficient, and minimally disruptive. PG&E identified Blue Grit Robotics through its 2023 R&D Pitch Fest following the inaugural Innovation Summit.

BurnBot builds and operates systems that scale fuel treatment to prevent destructive wildfires. Composed of a team of firefighters, scientists, engineers, prescribed fire practitioners, and forestry professionals, BurnBot is addressing wildfire challenges and risks with its system of technologies that amplify workforce capacity to conduct safe, efficient, and ecological fuels treatment from mastication to prescribed fire. BurnBot recently launched its next-generation controlled burn machine (RX2) that delivers prescribed fire in a way that’s clean and creates very minimal smoke and is 10X faster than what can currently be done by arming boots on the ground and amplifying them with tools and technology, while reducing the risk of escape fire with a minimal impact on the environment. PG&E hosted the first public test of the RX2 in September 2024.

Earth Foundries is a California based, certified woman-owned and certified benefit corporation tackling California’s catastrophic wildfire threat by lowering the cost and carbon footprint of forest remediation. Earth Foundries’ innovative and sustainable Slash Attack™ mobile pyrolysis service converts unmerchantable forest material from forest health and hazardous fuels reduction projects into carbon-sequestering biochar on-site and at-scale. PG&E first tested a pyrolysis machine—also known as a “Carbonizer”–in late 2022 and is working with Earth Foundries to deploy one in Lake County through the Hometown Wildfire Safety Collaborative, a partnership with fire protection associations, safety organizations and environmental sustainability groups to advance wildfire resilience in Lake County.

Form Energy is an American technology company developing a breakthrough, multi-day energy storage system to enable the electric grid to run on clean, reliable, and affordable energy, every day of the year. Form Energy‘s first commercial product is an iron-air battery capable of storing and dispatching energy for 100 hours at system costs competitive with traditional power plants. Form was founded in 2017 with a unified mission: to reshape the global electric system by creating a new class of low-cost, multi-day energy storage systems. The company has already begun trial production of its iron-air batteries from its factory in West Virginia and is preparing to deploy its first commercial projects throughout the U.S. in 2025 and beyond, including a system adjacent to a PG&E electric substation in Northern California.

Gridware is transforming electrical grid management with its advanced sensor technology and innovative smart-pole platform. Focused on enhancing safety, resilience, and reliability, Gridware’s pole-mounted sensors (Gridscopes) monitor power lines in real-time, detecting potential hazards like equipment malfunctions and vegetation encroachment—even during outages. Operators now have access to critical information on when, where, and what faults occur in real time when they need it most. PG&E has deployed 10,000 Gridscopes on 1,000 miles of circuits enabled with Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings. To date, the Gridscopes have prevented five ignitions and provided operationally useful information during 167 events by identifying outage causes and hazards in real-time to dispatch operators. 

IND Technology (IND.T) is an Australian and New York-based company specializing in AI-driven predictive analytics to optimize the performance of industrial and energy assets. Their Early Fault Detection (EFD) system represents a major leap forward in this field, monitoring radio-frequency signals on powerlines 24/7 to detect and locate a wide range of incipient faults before they escalate into power outages or wildfires. Working with PG&E, IND.T has successfully demonstrated how this predictive maintenance technology can remotely identify and diagnose electrical asset failures. The EFD system is particularly noteworthy for its precision—it can pinpoint issues within 30 feet, leveraging the combination of smart sensors, radio-frequency signals, and advanced data analytics. This proactive approach not only boosts the reliability of energy infrastructure but also helps utilities optimize maintenance costs by preventing failures and reducing downtime. EFD technology is now widely deployed across North America, serving as a critical tool for utilities to enhance climate resilience and improve operational efficiency.

Itron, a global grid edge intelligence leader, is innovating news ways for utilities and cities to manage energy and water. The company will demonstrate one of its distributed intelligence applications, running on Itron’s Riva electric endpoint, that manages electric vehicle (EV) charging loads in real-time to allow consumers to safely operate Level 2 EV chargers without needing to upgrade their electrical service or compromise reliability within the local grid.

RainIons has developed a game changing, low-cost patented catalytic technology to remove CO2, NOX and other pollutants at the source of hydrocarbon exhaust. RainIons’ coating technology can be applied and scaled from small engines to large utilities, power generation, industrial applications, low/no-energy Direct Air Capture technology and further. 

Schneider Electric is a global leader in energy management and automation, committed to providing innovative solutions for a sustainable and efficient energy future. Its advanced technologies empower utilities to optimize grid operations, integrate renewable energy sources, and enhance grid resilience. Through its Digital Grid solutions, Schneider Electric aims to drive the transformation of power distribution, enabling a smarter, greener, and more reliable energy ecosystem for communities and businesses alike. PG&E is working with Schneider Electric to enable a cloud-based Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) to maximize the value of electric vehicles, solar and batteries as flexible grid resources.

Skydio is the leading U.S. manufacturer of autonomous drones, revolutionizing the way utility companies inspect and maintain critical infrastructure. Powered by advanced AI and machine learning, Skydio drone solutions provide a safer, faster, and more efficient alternative to manual inspections, delivering high-resolution data from hard-to-reach areas. With a proven track record in transforming operations for major utilities, Skydio’s drone solutions enable predictive, condition-based maintenance, helping companies like PG&E enhance safety, reduce costs, and improve the reliability of their electrical grid. PG&E has integrated Skydio’s Dock technology at more than a dozen electric substations to augment current inspection programs and manual drone operations.

Treeswift empowers utilities with AI-augmented vegetation management that reduces risk and improves reliability across transmission and distribution systems. Treeswift’s backpack and vehicle-mounted sensors seamlessly integrate into existing patrols to gather imagery and LiDAR data. Treeswift’s AI translates this data into actionable analytics and 360° field context for encroachment, strike potential, and failure risk via its software platform for vegetation management experts, arborists, and tree crews. PG&E identified Treeswift through its 2023 Pitch Fest.

WeaveGrid is a leading EV Management System (EVMS) provider whose software enables grid-integrated electric vehicle charging. The company’s software platform optimizes EV charging to align with periods of high renewable energy availability and ensure ongoing electric grid reliability and resiliency, while keeping preferences and controls at a driver’s fingertips. WeaveGrid’s approach supports broad participation in managed charging programs and reduces the costs of serving EV loads through distribution-integrated smart charging orchestration (DISCO). WeaveGrid partners with utilities, charging providers, and automakers to accelerate the transition to sustainable transportation. PG&E and WeaveGrid have collaborated on managed charging programs including evPulse and EV Charge Manager.

Visit www.pge.com/innovation for information about PG&E’s Innovation Summit 2024 and to learn more about PG&E’s efforts to accelerate energy R&D.

About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than sixteen million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news  

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pge-2024-innovation-summit-to-showcase-novel-climate-tech-solutions-additional-speakers-confirmed-302282107.html

SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Technology

As ADA Anniversary Approaches, University of Phoenix Survey Highlights AI’s Potential to Advance Accessibility in Work and Learning

Published

10 minutes ago

on

July 24, 2026

By

Survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of University of Phoenix finds among those already using AI in the workplace, 60% say AI has improved their knowledge of and ability to use accessibility standards and guidelines.

PHOENIX, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As artificial intelligence becomes part of how people work, learn and solve problems, a new University of Phoenix survey conducted by The Harris Poll finds that recent working learners see meaningful opportunities for AI to support accessibility. The survey was designed to understand the impact of AI in the workplace and learning environments on accessibility, defined as ensuring digital content, tools and resources, including AI tools and output, are usable by people with different abilities through inclusive design, use of assistive technology or conformance with accessibility standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The findings are being released ahead of the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26.

The survey, conducted among 1,019 U.S. employed adults who completed a professionally presented training or school course in the past 12 months (“recent working learners”), found that, among workers already using AI in the workplace, 3 in 5 (60%) say AI has improved their knowledge of and ability to use accessibility standards and guidelines, including nearly 1 in 5 (19%) who report significant improvement. 

While the findings point to optimism about AI’s accessibility potential, they also reveal an opportunity for clearer organizational guidance: 45% of respondents say accessibility is absent from, unclear in, or they are uncertain whether it is covered by their workplace AI policies.

“The reality is that accessibility benefits everyone,” shares Kelly Hermann, Vice President of Accessibility and Student Affairs at University of Phoenix. “If accessibility is built in from the beginning, organizations are more likely to create AI-enabled environments that are universally usable. Clearer content, better summaries, accurate captions, and multiple formats can help workers and learners with disabilities, but they also help busy adults, multilingual learners, mobile users, and anyone trying to absorb information quickly.”

Key findings from the survey include:

Workers see AI’s accessibility potential: 89% of recent working learners identify workflows that could benefit from AI and accessibility tools, especially creating accessible documents, presentations, websites or learning materials (38%), presenting information in different formats such as plain language, audio, summaries or translations (33%), and training employees or learners on accessibility practices (30%).AI may help build accessibility awareness: Among those already using AI in the workplace, 60% say AI has improved their knowledge of and ability to use accessibility standards and guidelines.Accessibility is not always clear in workplace AI policies: 45% of recent working learners say accessibility is absent from, unclear in, or they are uncertain whether it is covered by their workplace AI policies.AI tools may not yet fully support different access needs: Among those who use workplace AI tools, only about a quarter of survey respondents (27%) say AI tools available through their workplace or professional learning environment support people with disabilities very well.Human oversight remains important: 36% of recent working learners say human review for important decisions or high-impact work should be part of responsible AI use at work or school.Workers also recognize how AI and accessibility can have an impact on their own career journey: 90% of recent working learners identify AI and accessibility skills that would be valuable in their current or desired career field, including 45% who see value in understanding when AI-generated content needs human review.

Why accessibility is essential to responsible AI adoption

As AI tools are used to draft documents, summarize information, generate captions and transcripts, create image descriptions, support learning and assist with workplace tasks, accessibility becomes central to responsible use. Poorly implemented AI can also create or amplify barriers, including inaccessible content, inaccurate summaries, biased outputs and tools that do not work effectively with assistive technologies.

“Responsible AI is not only about productivity,” Hermann said. “It is about whether the technology works for the people who need to use it. AI can help create more accessible materials and more flexible ways to engage with information, but it still requires clear policies, practical training and human judgment to make sure the outputs are accurate, applicable and usable.”

What the findings mean for employers and educators

The survey suggests that organizations have an opportunity to align AI adoption with supportive design, accessibility practices and workforce training. Employers and educators can take immediate steps by:

Naming accessibility directly in AI policies and guidance.Choosing AI tools with accessibility and assistive technology compatibility in mind.Training workers and learners to create, check and improve accessible AI-generated content.Making support pathways clear for people who experience barriers using AI tools.Keeping human review in place for important decisions, high-impact work and accessibility-sensitive outputs.

The survey also found workers want practical AI training. The most helpful resources identified by recent working learners include real-world examples from their field or industry (36%), hands-on practice using realistic workplace scenarios (34%) and step-by-step demonstrations of common tasks (33%).

Accessibility insights from University of Phoenix

Hermann shared the survey findings ahead of the ADA anniversary in recent media interviews. Hermann oversees the University’s accessibility initiative, including evaluation and remediation of curricular resources, the Center for Access, Resources, Engagement and Support Services (CARES), and the Office of Collaborative Learning and Educational Engagement. Her work focuses on fostering accessible and welcoming educational environments for students, faculty and staff.

Hermann’s office at University of Phoenix also convenes accessibility conversations through initiatives such as Access Amplified™, a free, annual virtual event focused on advancing digital accessibility in web development. The event brings together engineers, developers, designers, content authors and digital strategists for practical strategies and human-centered conversations that address the gap between coding practices and how users with assistive technology experience the web.

About the survey

The survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of University of Phoenix from June 22–29, 2026, among 1,019 employed adults ages 18 and older who have taken a professionally presented training or a school course in the past 12 months, referred to as “recent working learners.” Data were weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, employment, marital status, household size, household income and smoking status to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 3.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest.

Review the complete survey at phoenix.edu/aiaccessibility.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is Built for Real Life. 50 Years Strong. The University innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world through flexible online learning, relevant courses, academic AI pillars, and skills-mapped curriculum for associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Active students and alumni have access to Career Services for Life® resources including career guidance and tools. For more information, visit phoenix.edu. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/as-ada-anniversary-approaches-university-of-phoenix-survey-highlights-ais-potential-to-advance-accessibility-in-work-and-learning-302834448.html

SOURCE University of Phoenix

Continue Reading

Technology

Mastech Digital to Announce Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results; Participate in Upcoming Investor Conference

Published

1 hour ago

on

July 24, 2026

By

PITTSBURGH, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mastech Digital, Inc. (NYSE American: MHH) (“Mastech Digital”), a leading provider of Digital Transformation IT Services, today announced the date for the release of its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026, and its participation in an upcoming investor conference.

Second Quarter 2026 Earnings:

Mastech Digital will report its financial results for the second quarter 2026 before the market opens on Thursday, August 6, 2026. Management will host a live conference call and webcast at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on that day to discuss the Company’s financial performance and operating results.  The conference call will be hosted by Nirav Patel, President and CEO, and Kannan Sugantharaman, Chief Financial and Operations Officer.

Those wishing to participate via webcast should access the call through Mastech Digital’s Investor Relations website at https://investors.mastechdigital.com. Those wishing to participate via telephone may dial in at 1-800-715-9871 (USA) or 1-646-307-1963 (International) with the passcode 7506988. The replay will be available via webcast through Mastech Digital’s Investor Relations website.

Upcoming Investor Conference:

Mr. Sugantharaman will host a fireside chat at the Sidoti Micro-Cap Investor Conference on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 9:15 a.m. Eastern Time.

Mastech Digital management is scheduled to host virtual one-on-one and small group meetings with investors during the conference on August 19-20, 2026. Investors interested in arranging a meeting should contact their Sidoti representative or reach out to the Mastech Digital investor relations team at investors@mastechdigital.com.

About Mastech Digital, Inc.

Mastech Digital (NYSE American: MHH) is a leading provider of Digital Transformation IT Services. The Company offers Data Management, Analytics & AI Solutions, and IT Staffing Services with a digital-first approach. A minority-owned enterprise, Mastech Digital is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, with offices across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and India. Visit us at www.mastechdigital.com.

Investor Relations Contact:
investors@mastechdigital.com 

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mastech-digital-to-announce-second-quarter-2026-financial-results-participate-in-upcoming-investor-conference-302834421.html

SOURCE Mastech Digital, Inc.

Continue Reading

Technology

SOLAI Limited Announces Extraordinary General Meeting

Published

1 hour ago

on

July 24, 2026

By

AKRON, Ohio, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SOLAI Limited (NYSE: SLAI) (“SOLAI” or the “Company”) (previously known as “BIT Mining Limited”), a technology-driven personal AI and digital infrastructure provider, today announced that it will hold its extraordinary general meeting of shareholders at 428 South Seiberling Street, Akron, Ohio, US on August 14, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., New York time.

Holders of record of ordinary shares and preference shares of the Company at the close of business on July 20, 2026, New York time (the “Record Date”) are entitled to receive notice of, and to attend and vote at, the extraordinary general meeting or any adjournment thereof. Holders of the Company’s American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) who wish to exercise their voting rights for the underlying ordinary shares must act through the depositary of the Company’s ADS program, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas.

The notice of the extraordinary general meeting, which sets forth the resolutions to be submitted to shareholder approval at the extraordinary general meeting is available on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at https://ir.solai.com. 

About SOLAI Limited

SOLAI Limited (previously known as “BIT Mining Limited”) (NYSE: SLAI) (previously traded under “BTCM”) is a technology-driven personal AI and digital infrastructure provider. Building upon its historical legacy in digital asset mining and blockchain network operations, the Company is leveraging extensive experience in large-scale hardware deployment, data center operations, and high-performance computing to build the foundational infrastructure for personal AI computing and digital asset ecosystems globally.

For more information:

SOLAI Limited
ir@solai.com
ir.solai.com
www.solai.com 

Christensen Advisory
Jason Ng
Tel: +852-2117-0861
Email: solai@christensencomms.com 

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/solai-limited-announces-extraordinary-general-meeting-302834034.html

SOURCE SOLAI Limited

Continue Reading

Trending