Agenda & Programming

Explore the sessions, networking events, and interactive learning opportunities designed to connect you with the people and ideas transforming thermal energy.

Session times and details are subject to change as the schedule is finalized. Check back often as new programming details and speaker announcements are added.

Filter

Select a Day

Event Function

Ground2Grid Agenda

Filter
6/15 7:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Networking

Registration Open

Registration Desk

6/15 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Breakout Sessions Track 2

Take the Power Back – Engineering GeoX for Grid Stability

A deep dive into thermodynamics and civil engineering required to integrate geo-exchange at a municipal, small community, or city neighborhood scale.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/15 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Breakout Sessions Track 3

De-Risking the Dig – Front-End Capital & Independent Partnerships

Unlocking major financial mechanisms to secure essential capital on the front end of development and building the organizational alliances required to deploy it.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/15 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Breakout Sessions Track 1

Designing for the Future – Implementing Thermal Energy for Net Zero Developments

A masterclass for progressive developers on how to leverage thermal energy networks as the cornerstone of a "Triple Net Zero" (Net Zero Energy, Net Zero Water, and Net Zero Waste) development. This session provides a tactical roadmap for assembling the right visionary team and executing the critical first steps of macro-level site planning.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/15 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Networking

Morning Networking Break

Foyer Space

6/15 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 1

The Procurement Playbook – Crafting RFIs, RFPs, and Vetting the Right Contractor

Translating thermal energy goals into bulletproof procurement documents. This session breaks down how to structure Requests for Information (RFIs) and Requests for Proposal (RFPs) that attract highly qualified civil and drilling contractors, and how to evaluate local, regional, and national firms based on project scale.
6/15 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 2

The Blueprint for TENs – Designing District-Scale Systems

Moving beyond large single-building developments to engineering interconnected Thermal Energy Networks (TENs) tailored for small communities and distinct city neighborhoods.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/15 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 3

The 2032 Deadline – Navigating the ITC Expiration Cliff

Understanding the urgency of the 2032 timeline, specifically how the impending step-down of maximum federal incentives creates a critical, closing window for capturing front-end capital.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/15 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Networking

Lunch

6/15 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 3

Illinois Leading the Way – State Incentives & The CRGA Act

A deep dive into the host state's aggressive legislative push for thermal energy, specifically analyzing the regulatory and funding mechanisms driving local deployment.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/15 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 2

Utility Readiness – The Risk Matrix for Utilities Transitioning to Thermal Energy Resources

Providing a rigorous technical and operational roadmap for legacy gas utilities entering the municipal geothermal and thermal energy space.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/15 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 1

Securing the Supply Chain – Material Procurement & Equipment Logistics

The physical reality of getting all the required materials and heavy machinery onto the job site. This session addresses how developers, general contractors, and drilling professionals must navigate the complex supply chain for specialized equipment to ensure projects remain on schedule and on budget.
6/15 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Networking

Afternoon Networking Break

Foyer Space

6/15 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 1

The Pre-Construction Alliance & The Design Gap

Moving beyond siloed procurement to build a unified project team, focusing on how developers, engineers, and heavy civil contractors manage risk during early-stage design.
6/15 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 2

The A Team – Multi-Disciplinary Infrastructure

Taking a complex concept from the drawing board to reality requires seamless, multi-trade coordination. This panel breaks down the logistical dynamics of aligning utility operators, system designers, civil contractors, and mechanical crews on a single neighborhood footprint.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/15 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 3

The National Landscape – State Mandates & The Thermal Transition

A comparative analysis of state-level thermal energy incentives, goals, and regulatory frameworks across Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, New England, California, and Texas.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/15 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Networking

Welcome Reception

Exhibit Hall

6/16 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Networking

Registration Open

Registration Desk

6/16 9:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Networking

Morning Coffee Break

Foyer Space

6/16 9:15 AM - 10:30 AM
Keynote

Welcome & Opening Keynote

General Session Rooms

6/16 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Networking

Networking Lunch

Exhibit Hall

6/16 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 3

Mastering the Permitting Phase & Regulatory Alignment

Navigating the regulatory landscape from local, state, and federal permits before a project is sidelined.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/16 2:45 PM - 2:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 2

Independent Alliances – Structuring Engineering & Utility Partnerships

Building robust, independent partnerships between private engineering firms, technology providers, and utility operators to execute complex network builds.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/16 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 1

Discovering the Unknown Together: Subsurface Risk Mitigation

Navigating the realities of contracting, site risk, and early-stage design coordination, with a deep dive into how developers and drillers share liability when geology doesn't match the plan.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/16 4:00 PM - 4:15 PM
Networking

Afternoon Networking Break

Foyer Space

6/16 4:15 PM - 5:30 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 1

The Surface-to-Subsurface Standard (S3)

Moving beyond the traditional scope of basic environmental protection of aquifers, drilling waste removal, and dust suppression to establish a comprehensive operational footprint. This session introduces a modern standard of site execution, demanding technical excellence below the dirt while actively mitigating surface disruptions, heavy rig traffic, and neighborhood impact.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/16 4:15 PM - 5:30 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 3

The Utility Mandate – Transitioning the “Obligation to Serve”

Examining the legislative and regulatory pathways that allow legacy utilities to legally and financially transition to geothermal network operators.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/16 4:15 PM - 5:30 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 2

The Inside-to-Outside Handoff – Retrofitting & Connecting Infrastructure

The mechanical and operational frameworks for receiving the exterior municipal thermal network and tying it into individual building infrastructure, focusing heavily on legacy properties.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/16 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Networking

G2G Geothermal Social Club Happy Hour

Exhibit Hall

6/17 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Networking

Registration Open

Registration Desk

6/17 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
General Sessions

General Session

General Session Rooms

6/17 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Networking

Networking Lunch

Exhibit Hall

6/17 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 1

Risk Matrix Redefined – Coordinated Site Safety & Span of Control

Transitioning job site safety from a top-down contractor responsibility to a fully integrated team effort, examining how the property owner, engineers, the GC, and drilling teams manage mutual risks on a shared, high-hazard footprint.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/17 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 2

Operational Lifecycle of TENs: Advanced System Diagnostics & Performance Optimization

Engineering does not end at commissioning. This session focuses on the telemetry, sensors, and data analytics needed to monitor and optimize neighborhood-scale systems throughout their lifespans.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/17 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 3

Equitable Access & Resource Integrity

Ensuring that the transition to thermal energy does not leave marginalized communities behind or create a two-tiered energy system.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/17 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 1

The Civil Handoff & Outside Infrastructure Wrap-Up

The critical final step of borefield completion. This session covers the construction, operational, and mechanical handoff between the heavy civil teams putting the thermal infrastructure into the ground and the teams connecting it to the building.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/17 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 2

Bridging the Gap – Engineering the Next Generation

The geothermal boom is outpacing our current labor force. This closing session focuses on workforce development and transferring critical institutional knowledge from industry facilities operations veterans to the next generation.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/17 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Breakout Sessions Track 3

The Community Town Hall – Building Public Trust

Translating operational excellence into genuine community buy-in, ensuring that residents actively support the disruption required to build a thermal network.

Breakout Session Rooms

6/17 4:00 PM - 4:15 PM
Networking

Afternoon Networking Break

Foyer Space

6/17 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Keynote

Closing Keynote

General Session Rooms