{"690486":{"#nid":"690486","#data":{"type":"news","title":"INTERSECT 2026 Marks a Decade of Impact in Advancing the Southeast\u2019s Energy Policy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s INTERSECT 2026 brought together leading voices in energy on May 18 to explore critical issues in the Southeast\u2019s energy ecosystem. Hosted by the Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u003C\/a\u003E), INTERSECT coincided with the center\u2019s 10th anniversary, reflecting its sustained impact in convening cross-sector leaders to advance regional energy innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith more than 150 attendees from industry, academia, and research organizations, the event\u2019s high-level engagement underscored the urgency of critical issues facing the energy sector today, including the surging electricity demand, resiliency of the grid, and evolving supply chains, as well as the value of a dedicated space for candid, solutions-oriented dialogue.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cINTERSECT 2026 demonstrated the power of bringing together leaders who are actively shaping the future of energy,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E, director of EPIcenter. \u201cWhat began as a forum to explore emerging ideas has grown into a critical platform for aligning perspectives and advancing actionable solutions across the Southeast.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year\u2019s program focused on real-world implementation challenges, including managing large-scale load growth and coordinating infrastructure investments to meet demand reliably and affordably. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/intersect-2026\/\u0022\u003EPanels\u003C\/a\u003E featuring leaders from utilities, global energy corporations, and research organizations emphasized the importance of aligning strategy across sectors to ensure that the Southeast remains competitive and resilient.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.southerncompany.com\/about\/leadership\/chris-womack.html\u0022\u003EChris Womack\u003C\/a\u003E, chairman, president, and CEO of Southern Company, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the unprecedented scale of current energy demands.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMeeting this moment requires us to think differently \u2014 serving growth while ensuring reliability, resilience, and long-term value for our customers and communities,\u201d said Womack.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELaunched in 2017, the inaugural INTERSECT conference marked the launch of EPIcenter itself and established Georgia Tech\u2019s commitment to connecting research, industry insight, and policy development. It focused on the need to bridge the gap between rapidly advancing technologies and slower-moving regulatory and market frameworks, a theme that continues to shape its mission today.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs INTERSECT 2026 concluded, participants pointed to a shared takeaway: With its\u0026nbsp;industrial base, growing population, and integrated energy systems,\u0026nbsp;the Southeast is uniquely positioned to lead in the next phase of the energy transition. With AI-driven power demand and grid infrastructure playing a significant role going forward, it is imperative to bring together the right voices to shape policies and strategies that will connect ideas to action.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s INTERSECT 2026 brought together leading voices in energy on May 18 to explore critical issues in the Southeast\u2019s energy ecosystem. Hosted by the Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u003C\/a\u003E), INTERSECT coincided with the center\u2019s 10th anniversary, reflecting its sustained impact in convening cross-sector leaders to advance regional energy innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s INTERSECT 2026 brought together leading voices in energy on May 18 to explore critical issues in the Southeast\u2019s energy ecosystem."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-05-27 00:38:33","changed_gmt":"2026-05-27 10:50:35","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680346":{"id":"680346","type":"image","title":"Intersect 2026 Leadership Group 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Laura Taylor with Chris Womack","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEPIcenter Director Laura Taylor with Southern Company Chairman and CEO Chris Womack during the keynote address\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779842599","gmt_created":"2026-05-27 00:43:19","changed":"1779842670","gmt_changed":"2026-05-27 00:44:30","alt":"EPIcenter Director Laura Taylor with Southern Company Chairman and CEO Chris Womack during the keynote address","file":{"fid":"264600","name":"Intersect-2026-33.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/Intersect-2026-33.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/Intersect-2026-33.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5201223,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/26\/Intersect-2026-33.jpg?itok=ghZ3_4bp"}},"680353":{"id":"680353","type":"image","title":"IMG_1467.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIntersect 2026 Participants\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779847503","gmt_created":"2026-05-27 02:05:03","changed":"1779847503","gmt_changed":"2026-05-27 02:05:03","alt":"Intersect 2026 Participants","file":{"fid":"264607","name":"IMG_1467.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1467.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1467.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4724973,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1467.jpg?itok=_TJKw5ax"}},"680348":{"id":"680348","type":"image","title":"Panel 1 Participants","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPanel Moderator Marc Miller (ScottMadden) with Panelists Steve Chriss (Walmart), Aaron Mitchell (Georgia Power), and Srimonto Ghosh (Chevron)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779842699","gmt_created":"2026-05-27 00:44:59","changed":"1779844181","gmt_changed":"2026-05-27 01:09:41","alt":"Panel Moderator Marc Miller (ScottMadden) with Panelists Steve 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