Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and Paula R. Glover, President of the Alliance to Save Energy to Headline 2026 Energy Summit

The Silver Spring Civic Building is located at 1 Veterans Plaza.

Day one will begin with opening remarks from County Executive Marc Elrich, joined by Maryland Delegate Lorig Charkoudian, and DEP Director Jennifer Macedonia.

Del. Lorig Charkoudian, vice chair of the Maryland House Economic Matters Committee, will lead a panel discussion on "The Promise of Networked Geothermal: A Silver Spring Case Study." The panel will discuss a potential local geothermal project stemming from the Working for Accessible Renewable Maryland Thermal Heat (WARMTH) Act, a law first introduced by her, that sought to create pilot networked geothermal projects in each utility territory.

"Since the creation of the WARMTH Act, we have been working with local utilities and other stakeholders to explore the opportunity for networked geothermal to serve as an innovative strategy for improving our building stock, supporting good local jobs, and achieving our climate goals," said Del. Charkoudian. "The Energy Summit panel, 'The Promise of Networked Geothermal,' will give us an opportunity to take a deeper dive into the Silver Spring case study and discuss where we are headed."

Day two will feature opening remarks from Montgomery County Council President Natali Fani-González.

"Our County's ambitious climate goals require all of us, government, industry, and community partners, to work together to build resilience for the challenges ahead," said Council President Fani-González. "I look forward to participating at the Energy Summit to learn about innovative strategies and strengthen partnerships towards an energy-efficient future."

The keynote address will be given by Paula R. Glover, president of the Alliance to Save Energy. She brings more than 25 years of leadership in the energy sector, with a background in electricity and natural gas distribution and a strong focus on advancing bipartisan federal energy efficiency policy.

Under her leadership, the Alliance has helped secure landmark legislation, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, unlocking billions in federal funding for energy efficiency while expanding efforts around energy justice and next-generation technologies. Prior to joining the Alliance, she served as president and CEO of the American Association of Blacks in Energy and continues to serve on several national energy boards and advisory bodies.

Glover's keynote will explore:

"We are thrilled to welcome speakers whose experience spans policy, technology, and on-the-ground implementation," said DEP Director Jennifer Macedonia. "The Energy Summit is designed to give building professionals practical tools they can use right away. This year's program will help attendees navigate evolving requirements, adopt new technologies, and make meaningful progress on performance and sustainability."