SPEAKER: Gia Schneider CEO of Natel Energy DATE: Wednesday, September 6, 2017 TIME: 4:00-5:15pm PLACE: 126 Barrows TITLE: A New Approach to Distributed, Restoration-Integrated Hydropower DESCRIPTION: Natel Energy is changing the way that we develop hydropower, a key source of baseload, renewable energy needed to meet global climate goals. Natel manufactures and sells proprietary hydroelectric turbines, called hydroEngines®, that are suitable for low-head, high flow settings. Natel is focused on enabling cost-effective production of low impact, distributed generation from low head hydropower resources, offering an alternative to conventional hydropower that delivers operationally flexible renewable generation at utility scale. Natel is also pioneering a new hydropower development approach, what we call Restoration Hydro. Restoration Hydro integrates existing civil works innovations used in pure watershed restoration projects with compact distributed hydropower projects using Natel’s hydroEngine. Restoration Hydro projects, once scaled, could provide an opportunity to open up a new market for renewable energy generation; all while supporting new watershed restoration work including driving groundwater recharge, habitat restoration, flow perennialization, and more, on the back of energy revenues BIO: Gia Schneider is a co-founder and the CEO of Natel Energy. Gia holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from MIT and has 17 years of experience in the energy industry. While in the utility practice at Accenture, she provided strategic and tactical solutions to several major energy companies and has significant experience in energy-related strategy development and deal valuation. After Accenture, she worked at Constellation Energy on optimizing generation asset value. Gia left Constellation in 2004 to help start the energy trading desk at Credit Suisse; and in 2005, she started the carbon emissions trading desk at Credit Suisse, growing it to a profitable business in its first year. Gia is passionate about finding economically viable solutions to mitigate climate change, foster sustainable development and produce inexpensive renewable energy. In her spare time, she can be found surfing, kiting, cooking, dancing and gardening with friends and family.