Energy Storage Association (ESA), the leading national voice for companies that develop and deploy the energy storage technologies we rely on every day, announced that Assistant Secretary for the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bruce J. Walker will deliver a keynote address to the attendees of its 28^thAnnual Energy Storage Conference and Expo.

The confirmation of Assistant Secretary Walker completes the dynamic keynote roster for the industry's annual conference and expo,scheduled for April 18-20 at the Hynes Convention Center. Walker will keynote the Friday morning session and address the established priorities of the U.S. DOE's OE, which includes a strategic assessment of the North American electric grid vulnerabilities followed by targeted efforts to build resilience into grid design and planning.

"Energy storage is poised to play a crucial and pivotal role in ensuring the resiliency and security of the energy system," said Assistant Secretary Walker. "Our office focuses on researching energy storage technologies that maximize its ability to actively participate in ensuring our national security and economy. I look forward to participating in these conversations at the Energy Storage Association's upcoming Annual Conference."

ESA invited Assistant Secretary Walker to share his vision for a more resilient and modern grid with policymakers and industry leaders at the 28^th Annual Energy Storage Conference. Prior to his confirmation by the U.S. Senate in October 2017, Walker served in various roles in the public and private sector, including leadership positions in System Operations, Emergency Management, Asset Management and Regulatory Services for two investor-owned utilities in the Northeast. Walker is also the founder of a boutique consulting firm that specializes in evaluating and identifying risk and developing mitigation and elimination strategies for critical infrastructure.

"We are honored to welcome Assistant Secretary Walker to our distinguished roster of conference keynotes," stated Kelly Speakes-Backman, CEO of ESA. "The U.S. DOE's Office of Electricity has an ambitious, but achievable set of priorities for the coming years, and the energy storage industry is proven and ready to participate in the realization of a more resilient electric grid."

In addition to Assistant Secretary Bruce J. Walker, the keynote roster reflects an opening address on April 18 by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, as well as an April 19 plenary session led by Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Judith Judson. Other keynotes include a discussion of grid modernization by Fluence CEO Stephen Coughlin, a discussion of grid resilience by New York Power Authority President and CEO Gil C. Quiniones, and an April 20 closing session address by Noel Zamot, Revitalization Coordinator for The Federal Oversight & Management Board for Puerto Rico.

The 28^th Annual Energy Storage Conference will convene approximately 2,000 attendees from across the energy storage industry. The conference schedule includes more than 150 leading industry speakers, 40 insightful education sessions, site tours to advanced energy storage projects and multiple workshops led by renowned experts.

To register or learn more about the 28^th Annual Energy Storage Conference and Expo, visit our website at http://esacon.energystorage-events.org.

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