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Ascend Analytics
Power Market Briefing Session
Dates:
April 7-9, 2026
Location:
New York
Following strong engagement with our recent Power Market Outlook Presentations, our team is hosting a second series of in-person briefings in New York on April 7th, 8th, and 9th.
These sessions will extend the discussion, with deeper analysis of forward market signals, capital flows, and evolving supply-demand dynamics shaping U.S. power markets. Each briefing is tailored to your company’s specific use case(s) and will follow a structured agenda designed to foster informed dialogue among market participants.
A sample agenda appears below for reference.
If participation aligns with your interests, please book a prep session with Erik Schwartz, Director of Capital Markets, to tailor the Briefing Session agenda to your specific use case and coordinate logistics.
We also invite you to participate in two upcoming webinars that may be of interest.
Meet with Ascend Experts
Erik Schwartz, Director of Capital Markets
Erik Schwartz works with financial institutions investing in energy, guiding investment teams through quantitative insights that strengthen asset valuation, portfolio strategy, and long-term decision planning. With more than two decades in energy-market leadership across Refinitiv, EnergyGPS, Energy Ventures Analysis, Genscape, and Point Carbon, Erik developed a skill set centered on market intelligence and commercial development that supports disciplined capital deployment.
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Brent Nelson, PhD, Managing Director of Markets & Strategy
Dr. Nelson leads Ascend Analytics’ forecasting practice, delivering market insights that support storage and renewable project valuation, resource planning, and investment strategy. His work focuses on emerging market dynamics, renewable integration, and the impacts of technological change on power systems. Prior to joining Ascend, Dr. Nelson held academic and research roles at Northern Arizona University, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the U.S. Department of Energy, where he focused on energy efficiency and demand-side management research.
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Robert LaFaso, Director of Forecasting & Valuation
Robert LaFaso leads Ascend Analytics’ Market Intelligence practice, delivering long-term supply stack, market price, and project economics forecasts that power Ascend’s software suite. Robert's insights guide utilities, developers, and investors in making high-confidence investment and planning decisions. He has led valuation due diligence for multi-gigawatt M&A transactions, including TerraGen’s sale to Masdar and Origis Energy’s sale to Antin Infrastructure Partners.
ConnectBriefing Session Sample Agenda
- Introductions (5 min)
- Ascend Market Intelligence Framework (10 min)
- How Does Ascend Approach Long-Term Forecasting?
- What Forecasts Need to Consider
- Why Should I Get Another Market View?
- Why Should I Pay Attention to Price Volatility?
- Why Do I Need to Account for Real-Time Markets?
- How Do You Assess Your Forecast Accuracy? - What to Watch for in US Power Markets (15 min)
- Load Growth and Its Impact on Capacity Markets
- Attractive Markets for Renewables
- Attractive Markets for Gas vs Storage as New Capacity Resources
- Emerging and Current Political Risk (Tariff, Permitting, and OBBBA)
- Technology Cost Evolution for Gas, Renewables, and Storage - Your Company Use Case (15 min)
- Specifics Agenda Items Worked Out in Advance - Q&A and Closing (10 min)
Upcoming Webinars
Unpacking the Bi-Directional Relationship of Data Centers and Power - A Discussion with Brent Nelson, PhD, Managing Director of Market Intelligence at Ascend Analytics
Date: March 10, 2026
Time: 11am ET / 9am MT
Location: One-hour, Virtual Event
Brent Nelson, Managing Director of Markets & Strategy at Ascend Analytics, will lead a virtual Chatham House–style roundtable examining the bi-directional relationship between power markets and data center development. This session will not be recorded.
The discussion deep dives into the data center market and the shifting focus to the power side of the equation. Key risks and costs concentrate in power availability, delivered cost, and carbon intensity, alongside questions surrounding the feasibility of “Bring Your Own Power” strategies.
Topics Include:
- Energy versus power constraints
- 24/7 reliability requirements for data centers
- Political and regulatory pressures on affordability and buildout
The session will provide market-based insight into current US power dynamics and their implications for data center growth.
Speaker:
Brent Nelson, PhD
Managing Director of
Market Intelligence
Redrawing the Deal Map: Energy M&A and PPAs in a Post-OBBBA World
Date: March 26, 2026
Time: 12pm ET / 11am MT
Location: One-hour, Virtual Event
PPA and BESS tolling rates often reflect project costs and cost of capital rather than value delivered to off-takers, while CapEx learning curves, the expiration of tax credits under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and shifting supply-and-demand dynamics for equipment and labor will heavily influence pricing.
Ascend Analytics recent M&A survey indicates an expected increase in transaction volume in 2026, driven by load growth, developers’ need to recycle capital, and greater policy clarity once OBBBA uncertainty settles. We will discuss where to expect development and M&A activity, the spread of development fees across regions, and much more.
If you’re a Developer, IPP, LSE, Corporate buyer, or Investor seeking insights into clean energy procurement and M&A trends, join this webinar.
Rahm Orenstein,
Managing Director of the
Ascend Energy Exchange
Michael Fisher, PhD
Managing Director of
Valuation Services
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