Data Center Investing and Planning May 13 - 14
Agenda Data Center Summit NY May 13-14, 2026
May 13 Agenda - Day 1
8:00 AM – 8:50 AM | Registration & Networking
8:50 AM – 9:00 AM | Opening Remarks
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
9:00 AM – 9:40 AM | Data Center Investing & Strategic Planning: From Permitting to Full Operations
Larry Skennion (Moderator), CEO, Green Panther Advisory LinkedIn
Kelly Bacon, Principal, AECOM LinkedIn
Bill Thomas, Chief Energy Officer, CleanArc Data Centers LinkedIn
- Bill Thomas is Chief Energy Officer at CleanArc Data Centers. With more than two decades of experience in renewable energy transactions and wholesale energy trading in CAISO, WECC, ERCOT, SPP, PJM, MISO, and NYISO, Bill is responsible for power project procurement and energy contract structuring and execution, including origination, development, analysis, procurement, operations, and asset management.Matt Short, Chief Commercial Officer, Paddle Energy LinkedIn
9:40 – 10:00 AM | AI factories as Virtual Power Plants: Bridging the Grid Capacity Gap
David Chernis, Director, Flexible Compute Platforms at CPower
- David and his team at CPower are building the new energy layer for AI infrastructure—transforming data centers, AI factories, and high-performance compute into flexible, grid-integrated assets that accelerate deployment and unlock new revenue streams.
As AI demand scales globally, power—not compute—is becoming the primary constraint. CPower’s work sits at the intersection of energy markets, digital infrastructure, and intelligent automation, enabling large-scale compute to operate as both a consumer and a dynamic participant in the grid. LinkedIn
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | Balancing Data Center Expansion: Addressing Equipment Reliability and Energy Efficiency
Soumya Anantharaman Director - Climate and Decarbonization, JLL (Moderator)
Brian Weed, VP, Critical & Controlled Environment Services, GDI Integrated Facility Services LinkedIn
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Coffee & Networking
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Building the Future: AI in Data Center Construction
Martin Renkis (Moderator), Executive Director Data Center Infrastructure, Johnson Controls
- Data center infrastructure executive focused on power, sustainable heat recovery and cooling "as a service" projects, supporting $6.7B in performance outcomes at Johnson Controls. Leading end-to-end design, build, operate, maintain and finance of AI infrastructure backed by services team with 40 years of success over 3,000 projects. Experienced technology founder and CEO with 3 exits and 81 patents in IoT, software and ML. LinkedInAundre Oldacre, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, AoRa Development
- Aundre Oldacre is Managing Partner of AoRa Development, an MWBE-certified firm pioneering the world's first triple net zero construction through advanced modular building systems and systematic incentive stacking. He founded IncentEdge, an AI platform optimizing capital stack structuring for sustainable development. A UVA economics graduate and former Morgan Stanley analyst, former Chair of the Offsite Construction Council at NIBS, and the Finance Committee at EIC NY PACE, positioning institutional quality ESG development before the energy transition accelerates demand. LinkedInKelsyn Rooks, Dir. of Strategic Accounts - AI Solutions, Cupix LinkedIn
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Decarbonization Opportunities for Legacy Data Centers: Optimizing Existing Cooling Infrastructure
David Sattler, CEO, SCDesign
- David R. Sattler has over 35 years of experience leading large-scale portfolio optimization, capital program delivery, and revenue-generating energy solutions across corporate and public sectors. He currently serves as National Energy Manager for a Fortune 100 portfolio, directing enterprise energy strategy, infrastructure modernization, and ESG initiatives. He has delivered over $137 million in projects, generating about $39 million in recurring annual savings while advancing carbon reduction and resilience goals. LinkedInRuben Petit, CCO, Ener.co
- He is a sustainability and business development professional from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and serves as Chief Commercial and Sustainability Officer at Ener.co. He has worked across food, textiles, and energy efficiency, focusing on roles that align commercial growth with measurable environmental impact. Having helped scale impact-driven startups, Ruben brings a global perspective, entrepreneurial mindset, and practical understanding of how sustainability solutions can create financial value, operational resilience, and long-term environmental benefits. LinkedIn
12:00 PM – 12:45 PM | Lunch & Networking
12:45 PM –1:15 PM | The Importance of Hyperlocal Data Collection to Assess Water Risk for Data Centers
Nidhi Chadda (Moderator), Founder & CEO, Enzo Advisors LLC
- Nidhi is a growth investor and advisor across public and private markets and a global thought leader in sustainability. She is the Founder of Enzo Advisors, a global sustainability and climate advisory firm, and Chief Impact Officer at RGS, an AI-driven impact analytics platform. Previously, she was a portfolio manager at RBC Global Asset Management, leading ESG integration for a $3B portfolio. She has 20+ years of experience as an investment banker, consultant and investor and serves on multiple boards including the Harvard Business School Women's Association and the Mariano Rivera Foundation. LinkedIn
Sheila Oviedo, Head of Climate Risk Products, S&P
- Sheila Oviedo leads the creation of Physical Risk products and SaaS platforms that convert climate risk into actionable financial insights. With over 15 years in climate and sustainable finance, she previously managed ESG Ratings products at Sustainalytics. Her leadership empowers organizations to manage the financial impacts of climate change, steering global markets toward a more resilient and sustainable economy. LinkedInRadhika Mehrotra, Head of Data & Channel Partnerships, Americas, CDP LinkedIn
1:15 PM – 1:35 PM | Nuclear and Data Center Convergence: How Société Générale Sees Partnerships, Financing Structures, and Risk Mitigation Shaping Bankable, Large-Scale Deployments
Matt Kittell, Senior Financial Specialist, Société Générale LinkedIn
1:35 PM – 1:55 PM | Land, Leasing, and Real Estate Models
Jim Costello, Head of Real Estate Economics, Chief Economist, MSCI Real Assets LinkedIn
1:55- 2:00 PM | Closing Remarks
May 14, 2026 - Day Two
Agenda Highlights: Powering Data Centers & Grid Expansion -ONSITE POWER GENERATION
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM | Registration & Networking
Breakfast and informal networking with developers, hyper scalers, designers, utilities, policymakers, investors, and technology providers.
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM | Balancing Affordability & Reliability Remarks
Rajiv Bazaj, Vice President, Energy & Sustainability Solutions, Constellation LinkedIn
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM | Hybrid Energy Systems- The importance for data center expansion
Michael (Mick) Gilbert, PE, CEM (Moderator), Board Member, Decarb Summits
- Has led strategic investments and pilots in energy efficiency, carbon reduction, and smart-building technologies across a $100 M affordable housing portfolio. A Cornell‐trained Professional Engineer and MBA, he brings deep expertise in sustainability, resource optimization, and cleantech strategy to both real estate operations and impact investing. LinkedIn
Peter Hoegler, Associate Director, EDF Power Solutions North America Powering data centers & co-locating infrastructure. LinkedIn
Hassan Saleh, CEO, VTV Energy
- He specializes in closing critical infrastructure gaps through high-impact power solutions. At the 2026 Data Center Summit, he addresses "Hybrid Energy Systems" as a vital catalyst for large-scale facility expansion. Currently overseeing an 11.5GW portfolio across the United States, Hassan focuses on delivering the reliable, "always-on" capacity required to overcome utility constraints and support the next generation of hyperscale development LinkedIn
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | Coffee & Networking
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) solutions
Peak shaving, resiliency, and fast-response grid support.
Jon M. Williams, Chairman & CEO, Viridi
- He leads the industry in fail-safe battery energy storage systems, advancing a zero-carbon future. Recognized as an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year®, he has driven significant company growth and innovation. A member of Endeavor, Jon is committed to using business to address economic and environmental challenges caused in part by industrial decline. Previously, he led OSC Holding, focusing on environmental remediation and redevelopment of former industrial sites. LinkedIn
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Bring your own capacity for data centers
Scott Donachie (Moderator), CEO, Decarb Summits LinkedIn
Matthew Carmody, Director of Digital Infrastructure, Voltus
- Matthew drives sales for Voltus within the data center and federal/military segments. He works with data centers to maximize their value in demand response and evangelizes Voltus's Bring Your Own Capacity product for those looking to speed up interconnection in exchange for offering grid flexibility. Before joining Voltus, Matt was an organizational leader in start-ups, real estate, and the Air Force; leading go-to-market and operations teams domestically and internationally. LinkedIn
11:30 AM – 11:50 AM | Fireside Chat
Onsite Power Generation Turnkey Solutions-Power plant as a service
Scott Donachie (Moderator), CEO, Decarb LinkedIn Summits LinkedIn
David Deutsch, COO, New Power Solutions LinkedIn
11:50 AM – 12:20 PM | Unique Capital Strategies: Exploring proven methods of preserving or recycling capital while retaining site control
Larry Skennion (Moderator), CEO, Green Panther Advisory LinkedIn
Brian Tormey, President, TitleVest
- Brian is President of TitleVest and 1031Vest, where he leads strategy, operations, and technology initiatives, overseeing 200+ employees. After selling TitleVest to First American in 2015, he expanded his role to lead national operations. With over 20 years in real estate and title insurance, Brian has overseen $50B+ in transactions and helped build industry-leading systems. He is an ALTA National Title Professional, serves on key committees, and is licensed in 30+ states. LinkedInGraeme Kavanagh, Partner and CRO, Accelerate Infrastructure Opportunities LinkedIn
12:20 – 1:00 PM | Lunch & Networking
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Waste Heat Recovery & Geothermal Solutions
Capturing, repurposing, and monetizing data center thermal output.
Eric Bosworth (Moderator), Principal at Thermal Energy Insights
- Energy consultant specializing in thermal energy networks, 5th generation district systems, and shallow geothermal. LinkedInMatthew Kaplan, VP of Project Development, Brightcore Energy
- He oversees the delivery of innovative geothermal solutions for schools and corporations throughout New England. Having worked for industry leaders including General Electric and Ørsted, Matt brings nearly two decades of experience in consulting, project management, and project development. Matt is dedicated to accelerating the energy transition and delivering sustainable solutions that create lasting value for society and the planet. LinkedInAmbroise Lalloz, AI & Energy, First Block
- Ambroise is building next-generation AI data centers that turn compute into sustainable energy assets. LinkedInAlexander Jahn, Innovation Advisor, NYSERDA
- He designed and scaled one of the nation’s leading Real Time Energy Management (RTEM) programs, driving adoption of continuous monitoring and data-driven energy optimization across large buildings. He also helped shape the State’s approach to heat recovery and reuse, advancing strategies to capture and integrate waste heat across buildings and district energy systems. He now focuses on grid modernization and large load strategy, advancing AI-energy convergence with a focus on data centers, liquid cooling, and next-generation infrastructure solutions.Will Pettitt, Global Geothermal Lead, Baker Hughes LinkedIn
Esther Tierney, Senior Product Manager, Trane Technologies
- Esther Tierney, MBA, is a Senior Product Manager at Trane Technologies with more than two decades of experience in the HVAC industry. Throughout her career, she has specialized in chiller technologies and currently leads product strategy for Water‑Cooled Centrifugal Chillers serving the data center market. Esther lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Mark, and their two children. LinkedIn
2:00 – 2:40 PM | Behind-the-meter data center solutions & microgrids
Hyperscale data center solutions cannot get the capacity from utility companies and must embrace new grid tech
Fulya Kocak (Moderator), CEO & Founder, Fulya Kocak, LLC
- Fulya Kocak is a multiple award-winning sustainability thought leader, educator, and author. A pioneer of the green building and ESG movement, Fulya’s experience spans more than two decades as a change agent and subject matter expert in both real estate, design, and construction industries. LinkedInMalio West, Senior Partner at Global Accounting
- He oversees a $5B federal geothermal, data center, and real estate budget. Under his leadership, he developed advanced financial models, implemented audit systems, and designed KPI dashboards to improve board governance and decision-making. LinkedInDennis Garrett, CEO at Blue Lake Clean Energy Group
- Dennis has played a leadership role in the development and delivery of major energy and infrastructure initiatives for utilities, public authorities, and industrial organizations across the United States, contributing to a portfolio of projects valued in the tens of billions of dollars. His work has included directing complex programs, coordinating multidisciplinary teams, and advancing mission-critical infrastructure in highly regulated and urban environments. LinkedInJay Peck, Principal at Brookhaven Sustainability
- He helps institutions and developers align energy and sustainability goals with practical financial solutions. Drawing on his experience at the DOE’s Loan Programs Office and over a decade in transactional services, such as M&A, Corporate finance, and project finance, he specializes in financing resilient energy infrastructure across the higher education, healthcare, and public sectors. LinkedIn
2:40 PM | Closing Remarks
Scott Donachie (moderator), CEO at Decarb Summits
- Connecting decision-makers across real estate, finance, and technology to drive sustainable impact, leading over 170+ organizations in transforming the built environment.
LinkedIn: LinkedIn
Why Attend?
You’ll gain actionable insights from top experts and discover the latest advancements in decarbonization, data center planning, and long-term strategy. Engage in candid discussions that drive commercial partnerships and uncover new approaches to growth, sustainability, and operations.
This summit attracts a curated audience of:
Data center operators and developers
Cloud and hyperscale executives
Power and utilities specialists
Consultants and engineers
Investors and financial institutions
Government officials
Legal advisors
The result is a high-value environment for networking, collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and discovering new business opportunities.
For more information and registration, visit: decarbsummits.com