ERCOT Market Summit

Meet Ascend Analytics

Dates:

February 10-12, 2026

Location:

Kalahari Resorts and Conventions, Austin, Texas

Meet with Ascend Experts

A photo of Michael Huisenga, Managing Director, Ascend Analytics

Michael Huisenga, Managing Director

Mike Huisenga manages Ascend’s energy storage and renewables bid optimization platform, SmartBidder, providing strategic leadership, overseeing customer success and engagement, product strategy and development, and product sales and marketing initiatives. His experience in renewable energy and sustainability spans two decades, including 15 years at WSP, the largest global engineering and environmental professional services firm, where he served as SVP and oversaw the delivery of technical services for renewable energy projects in the US.

Book Meeting

Ferdinand Rapant, Director

Ferdinand Rapant is Commercial Leader for Eastern Merchant Markets and is focused on directing commercial strategy in the developer and IPP client space.  Ferdinand's background includes two decades of energy-market expertise and over 6GW of successful power projects across renewables, storage, thermal space, as well as extensive experience in digital transformation with several of the largest IPP's and regulated utilities in the US.

Book Meeting

Brent Nelson, 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.

Connect
A photo of Larissa Ramirez-Lopez, Senior Energy Analyst, Ascend Analytics

Larissa Ramirez Lopez, Senior Analyst

Larissa Ramirez-Lopez delivers forecasting and market-fundamentals modeling for Ascend customers, with a focus on ERCOT, and has supported more than 3 GW of financed transactions. Before joining Ascend, Larissa served as a Business Developer at Enel Green Power Mexico. Larissa earned a master's degree from Carnegie Mellon University, concentrating on techno-economic analysis of renewable assets and energy policy.

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Join Our Presentation!

Impacts of the RTC+B on Market Operations, Trading, and Power Pricing

Wednesday, February 10, 10:00am

After years of work, Real Time Co-optimization Plus Batteries (RTC+B) finally launched in the ERCOT market. Using RTC+B to interchangeably dispatch energy and Ancillary Services (AS) in the real-time market significantly shifts how ERCOT manages its real-time and day-ahead markets. The RTC+B aims to co-optimize energy and ancillary services in the real-time market and introduce new block products to achieve better power grid efficiency and reliability. The hope is that the RTC+B will lead to overall cost reductions, reflected in lower power and AS prices. This panel will explore the early results of the RTC + B.

About Ascend Analytics

Ascend Analytics is the leading provider of market intelligence and analytics solutions for the power industry. The company’s offerings enable decision makers in power supply, procurement, and investment markets to plan, operate, monetize, and manage risk across any energy asset portfolio. From real-time to 30-year horizons, their forecasts and insights are at the foundation of over $50 billion in project financing assessments. Ascend provides energy market stakeholders with the clarity and confidence to successfully navigate the rapidly shifting energy landscape.