David Wells
NLine Energy | SVP of National Accounts & Partnerships
Speaker
Track C- Decarbonization and Electrification Strategies
Session C1: Clean Power, Real Impact: The Rise of Renewable Technologies
June 25, 2025 | 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Transforming Renewable Energy Technologies with Thermal Energy Recovery
Across the U.S., more than 180,000 steam boilers support industrial, institutional, and commercial facilities. In many of these systems, high-pressure steam is throttled down to lower pressures using mechanical pressure-reducing valves (PRVs)—a process that traditionally wastes significant energy. Emerging turbine technologies now make it possible to recover that lost energy by converting steam pressure drops into reliable, on-site electricity. This thermal-to-electric conversion can deliver over 2 million kWh of annual savings across each PRV and represents up to 49 GW of untapped generation potential nationwide.
This presentation will explore how new innovations in backpressure steam turbine design are turning everyday PRVs into clean power generators—helping end users reduce costs, decarbonize operations, ease grid demand, and enhance energy resilience. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of thermal energy recovery opportunities and the technologies making them viable, scalable, and impactful today.
Speaker Bio
Dave Wells is the Senior Vice President of National Accounts and Partnerships at NLine Energy, where he leads strategic initiatives to deploy energy recovery technologies for commercial and industrial clients across the country. A 30-year veteran of the cleantech and energy sectors, Dave has deep expertise spanning renewable energy development, sustainability, demand response, capacity planning, energy efficiency, data analytics, engineering, and regulatory policy.
Throughout his career, Dave has been at the forefront of delivering impactful, technology-driven energy solutions that create tangible value for organizations navigating a rapidly evolving energy landscape. He is known for his ability to translate complex technical and regulatory challenges into actionable strategies for customers of all sizes.
Dave holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an MBA from Northeastern University.