Nearly 800 leaders from across industries descended on San Jose on Nov. 13 for the 2024 PG&E Innovation Summit.

The second-annual summit, presented by DISTRIBUTECH, also saw more than 1,000 virtual participants. Attendees included utilities, private industry, national research labs and policymakers. The goal was to collaborate on solutions that bridge to California's clean energy future.

Artificial intelligence (AI) was a major focus of the summit. PG&E outlined its vision for the technology in its 2024 R&D Strategy Report: The AI-Enabled Utility.

Various tech companies showcased emerging technology. These companies are helping PG&E and other utilities improve safety and reliability and fuel a clean energy future.

PG&E Corporation CEO Patti Poppe kicked off the summit highlighting an innovative proposal in San Jose. It reimagines how data centers can help transform downtown into a net zero community. Poppe made the announcement with San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, developer Westbank and Plug and Play—a global innovation platform. The plan would power three new local data centers. Heat from the centers would provide hot water to 4,000-plus residential units.

“Our proposed net zero community with Westbank and the City of San Jose represents the future for our hometowns. It’s also an example of how strong partnerships help us enable California’s prosperity. California is leading the energy transition for our nation, and the people of PG&E are proud to power that growth,” said Poppe.

The event featured a recorded conversation between Poppe and Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO of Microsoft. They discussed the potential of AI in powering a clean energy future.

PG&E also announced details on using AI at Diablo Canyon Power Plant. The utility is working with Atomic Canyon and NVIDIA. The project aims to transform document search and retrieval and deliver cost savings and better operations.

Maureen Zawalick, a Vice President at Diablo Canyon, said, "Accessing critical information in seconds will let us focus on what truly matters—delivering reliable, clean energy safely and affordably."

PG&E also announced a project with Itron to make electric vehicle charging more accessible at home. The pilot program will test technology that allows faster EVs charging without costly electric panel upgrades.

Recordings from the summit sessions will be available in the coming weeks. For more information, visit www.pge.com/innovation.