FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4/15/2019
Toronto, ONTARIO —April 15, 2019—Spark Power Group Inc. (TSX: SPG) (SPG.WT), parent company to Spark Power Corp. (“Spark Power” or the “Company”), a leading independent provider of integrated power solutions to industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) customers across North America, took over Evergreen Brick Works on Tuesday, April 9th, 2019 for its inaugural Future of Power conference. The event—emceed by Ron Dizy of MaRS Advanced Energy Centre— was the first of its kind by the host, Spark Power Corp., who had the support of Premier Sponsors, ABB Canada, and Alectra Inc. Additional support came from BDO, BMO, Electrical Safety Authority, Bullfrog Power’s Peak Management by NRG Peaks, NRStor Inc., and Opus One.
More than 500 business, technology, sustainability, government, academic professionals, and students attended the sold-out event. Highlights of the day included four-panel discussions, talks from three prominent guest speakers, and one fireside chat which candidly explored our need for industrial change and being adaptive to the disruption that is changing the electrical grid as we know it.
“Change to the power industry is inevitable and everybody recognizes that, but the focus of this year’s Future of Power event was to look at how rapidly North America’s power industry is transforming before our eyes,” said Jason Sparaga, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Spark Power Corp. “This year’s speaker and panelist discussions show us that market demand for choice, reliability and innovation, is ever present and becoming a dominant factor in business planning and operations. A cleaner energy future is on the horizon and we’re so excited to be leading the conversation around this.”
Gretchen Bakke, Ph.D., gave a presentation on Pivoting Toward Energy Transition 2.0 —a look at the disruption of the power sector and our cautious move towards a world of renewable integration through a social and anthropological lens. Thought leader and Silicon Valley entrepreneur, Tony Seba talked about the disruption of major industries, why oil and gas will be obsolete by the year 2030, and the critical role that technology convergence continues to play in driving new opportunities for business and innovation. The event ended on an inspirational note with Canada’s most regarded astronaut, First Officer of the Order of Canada, and the first Canadian to walk in space, Col. Chris Hadfield. His keynote address focused on our individual roles in determining our collective future and meeting planet Earth’s ever-growing demands through audacious leadership. Hadfield treated attendees to a live cover of David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity,’ a musical highlight that capped off the presentation portion of the conference followed by an evening reception.
“We continue to be inspired by the prominent visionaries, influencers, business leaders, and key decision makers who are pushing the needle forward when it comes to driving innovation, sustainability, customer-choice and shaping Canada’s power landscape,” said Andrew Clark, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Spark Power Corp. “The Future of Power has arrived.”
Spark Power was proud to host sustainability and technological panelists from: ABB Canada, Alectra Inc., Bimbo Canada, Bullfrog Power, Greengate Power, IBM Canada, Kingspan Insulated Panels, Maple Leaf Foods, MaRS Advanced Energy Centre, Microsoft, NRG Peaks, NRStor, Opus One, Peak Power, Pembina Institute, Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance, and Stem Inc. Through their participation with Future of Power, these organizations support cost-effective, reliable, and sustainable power solutions and are driving power consumptions advancements in Canada.
About the Future of Power ™
The Future of Power, established in 2019 by Spark Power Corp., is an annual thought leadership conference for industrial, commercial & institutional, service and equipment providers, IPPs & utilities, government, special interest, and energy & sustainability professionals, to come together under one roof and talk about the disruption that is changing the power landscape as we know it. Fueled by visionaries who work in the field, the conference inspires and captures the latest trends and technologies shaping the future to help drive customer choice for more economical, reliable, and sustainable power consumption. Be part of the conversation in 2020! For more information visit www.futureofpower.com
About Spark Power Group Inc.
Spark Power Group Inc., (“Spark Power”) is a leading independent provider of integrated power solutions to industrial, commercial and institutional customers across North America. Spark Power’s 750+ employees help deliver powerful solutions that reduce costs, make the environment a priority and empower our 6500+ customers to transition to the grid of the future. Learn more at www.sparkpowercorp.com
About Alectra Inc.
Alectra’s family of energy companies distributes electricity to more than one million homes and businesses in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe area and provides innovative energy solutions to these and thousands more across Ontario. The Alectra family of companies includes Alectra Inc., Alectra Utilities Corporation and Alectra Energy Solutions. Learn more about Alectra at alectrautilities.com.
About ABB
ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a pioneering technology leader in power grids, electrification products, industrial automation and robotics and motion, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport & infrastructure globally. In Canada, ABB has a strong history of over a hundred years of Canadian innovation, ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitalization with two clear value propositions: bringing electricity from any power plant to any plug and automating industries from natural resources to finished products. As title partner in ABB Formula E, the fully electric international FIA motorsport class, ABB is pushing the boundaries of e-mobility to contribute to a sustainable future. With its Canadian corporate headquarters in Montreal, ABB Canada operates close to 50 facilities and employs approximately 4,000 people across the country. www.abb.com/ca
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Media Inquiries:
Natasha Kucerak,
Corporate Communications Specialist
nkucerak@sparkpowercorp.com
+1 (365) 323-1421