POWER: PROVIDING MORE ENERGY FOR MORE PEOPLE

October 2018

Here’s what Happened at the Austin Forum in October

Thank you to everyone who attended our rescheduled event at the Central Austin Library and thanks to our terrific speaker, Karl Popham from Austin Energy!

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Congrats to Marbenn C. for his winning sli.do question, “How substantial an impact had broadband internet affected energy consumption (IoT devices, smart homes, etc.)?” Marbenn won a SXSW Interactive badge donated by AF Board member Hugh Forrest and our friends at SXSW. 

Missed the event? Catch up here...

Event Slides

#EnergyAF

Event Photos

Top 5 Takeaways

1.  Community benefits for smart energy use include greater affordability for all, reduced air pollution and improved air quality, a thriving local economy, and reduced traffic congestion.
2. Austin’s community-wide CO2 emissions goal by 2050 is net zero – and that will take all of us.
3. Austin Energy’s program for Sustainable and Holistic Integration of Energy Storage and Solar PV (SHINES) is making great strides toward that goal. They recently reached an agreement with energy storage company Younicos on a battery capable of powering more than 1500 homes for two hours each day. 
4. According to a 2016 poll, when asked “What’s the worst thing about living in Austin?,” 51% said transportation. And that’s not surprising, with 110 people moving here each day!  Luckily, electric cars are getting easier to charge all the time.
5. Did you know that you can learn about energy through VR?  Check it out. 

Check out CleanTX.org to learn more about professional opportunities in cleantech – a $2.5 billion industry in Central Texas!  

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Special thanks to Trifecta on 3rd for another great after-party! Our attendees have shared they enjoy keeping the conversations going after our presentations and networking receptions, so keep an eye on our website for info on future after-parties with food, drinks, and connection.

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Join us on Thursday, November 8th for How Technology Will Transform Transportation & Mobility
with a panel of speakers: 
- Karla Taylor, City of Austin Transportation Department
- Kathleen Baireuther, Ford Smart Mobility
- Barry Einsig, Cisco
- Jason JonMichael, City of Austin Transportation Department
- Alex Sabatier, Nvidia

Transportation is crucial to every aspect of society as well as our individual lives and helps define our communities. However, while technology has brought extreme advances in areas ranging from computers and smartphones to scanners and sequencers, mobility options have remained unchanged for decades—until now. 
Smartphone-enabled ridesharing is in everyday usage, electric vehicles are now mass production, and we are witnessing the dawn of autonomous vehicles that will soon becoming commonplace. Other mobility services—from on-demand bicycles and scooters to ‘ride-pooling’ and WiFi-outfitted mass transit—are also providing better options for people, and cities, and leading companies are exploring hyperloops, flying taxis and more. 
Which technologies will become commonplace, how much impact will they have on our lives, and what else is on the horizon to address transportation needs and mobility options? How will these changes transform work, communities, and society? We have a panel of Austin transportation experts ready to explain all this and more, and to answer your questions.
We welcome your participation! Please send us your questions, answers, and prognostications in advance at info@austinforum.org.

Thursday, November 8, 2018
6:15 PM – 8:15 PM

Austin Central Library
710 West Cesar Chavez Street
Austin, TX 78701
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Admission to the Austin Forum is always free.

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HELP US CLOSE AUSTIN’S DIGITAL DIVIDE

​The Austin Forum accepts donations of used smart phones and tablets at all our events.  Donated devices get a factory reset and are set up as new by the team at Austin Pathways’ nationally-recognized “Unlocking the Connection” initiative, which connects every public housing resident with a digital device, digital literacy, and a free or very low-cost internet connection. Your donated smart phone can change lives and help close Austin’s digital divide, thanks to Austin Pathways.

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