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Defense Strategies Institute (DSI) is pleased to announce its 3rd Annual Microgrids & Energy Resilience Summit on November 4-5, 2026, at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
As energy resilience becomes increasingly critical to mission readiness and national security, the need for reliable, resilient, and independent power systems across military installations and critical infrastructure has never been greater.
The 2026 Summit will bring together senior leaders and decision-makers from the Department of War (DoW), Military Services, Federal Government, Industry, and Academia to discuss the deployment, integration, and scaling of resilient, mission-ready microgrids. This year’s event will emphasize the critical role microgrids play in achieving American Energy Dominance, supporting installation energy resilience, and ensuring mission continuity in increasingly contested and energy-dependent operational environments.
2026 Confirmed Speakers Include:
- HON Ravi Chaudhary, Former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations and Environment
- Jack Surash, SES (Ret.), Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Energy & Sustainability
- Dr. Murali Baggu, Lab Program Manager, Grid Integration, NREL
- Dr. Michael Starke, Section Head, Electrical Systems Integration, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
- Nathan Johnson, Ph.D., Director, Laboratory for Energy and Power Solutions, Arizona State University
- Dominic Bonaduce, Public Sector Project Strategy Lead, Verizon
- Jason M. Hollern, Cross-Sector Cyber Security Lead, Generation Sector, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
- Susan Babinec, Program Lead, Grid Storage, Argonne National Laboratory
- Doug Jacobson, Director, ISU Center for Cybersecurity Innovation and Outreach
- Adrian McNamara, Cybersecurity Program Manager, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
- Event Moderator: Jack Surash, SES (Ret.), Resilient Energy Systems Mission Campaign External Advisory Board, Sandia National Laboratories; Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Energy & Sustainability
2026 Topics of Discussion Will Include:
- Driving Energy Dominance and Resilience Through Advanced Microgrids
- Enabling Wireless Control for Resilient Power with 5G-Enabled Microgrids
- Examining Lessons Learned from Leading Military Microgrids
- Accelerating Deployment of Resilient Microgrids in DoW Installations
- Discussing Utility and Developer Strategies for Mission-Critical Microgrids
- Powering the Force: Army Installations, Microgrids, and Mission Assurance
- Navy Installation Microgrids: Powering the Waterfront Through Disruption
- Examining Nuclear Power as a Firm Power Anchor for Defense Microgrids.
DSI is now welcoming Sponsors and Exhibitors for the Summit. The Microgrids & Energy Resilience Summit provides opportunities including exhibit space, roundtable discussions, product demonstrations, and networking receptions. To learn more about sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, please contact Amanda Delgado via email or phone (201) 940-6680.
Active military and government personnel attend complimentary. Those interested in participating in the 3rd Annual Microgrids & Energy Resilience Summit can visit the event website for registration information. Anyone interested in learning more or sending questions may contact Nikole Barto via email or phone 201.672.8745.
