2020 Smart City + IoT Conference | Creating smart cities of the future

Creating smart cities of the future | From vision to reality

Futurists, scientists, business leaders and government officials at all levels envision smart cities where citizens and visitors thrive in tandem with technology. Fine-tuned and seamlessly operated, these modern urban environments hum with advanced multi-modal transit systems, and self-sustaining energy grids powered by renewable energy.

While incremental progress has been made in varying degrees across the country, cities and communities continue to face complex challenges, including the lack of charging infrastructure for greater adoption of electric vehicles, infrastructure upkeep, population growth and sustainability issues.

The 2020 Smart City and IoT Conference, a collaboration between the Arizona Technology Council and the Arizona Commerce Authority, provided the perfect opportunity for sharing current advances in the development and implementation of smart cities and IoT in Arizona, across the United States and beyond.

Powering up: How smart-city initiatives drive economic development

More and more, our dependence on fossil fuels is behind us. In April 2019, for the first time, renewable energy generating capacity surpassed coal, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Renewables are a $64 billion market in the United States, which accounts for 11% of energy consumption. Solar energy is a large part of this consumption, as one of the top two sources of new electricity generating capacity in the United States.

Innovations in renewable technologies promise true energy independence. Bringing these innovations to market requires careful planning, collective commitment and coordinated action with private and public entities pooling their best minds and resources.

“As we continue to navigate the pandemic and a rapidly changing environment, we recognize that next-gen technologies have a big role to play, in both recovery and future resiliency,” said Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “There’s a significant opportunity to make smart investments in digital infrastructure that supports clean energy, community development, adapts to change, enhances public safety and delivers better, faster services to citizens.”

A big proponent of smart-city initiatives under Gov. Doug Ducey, Watson shared insight on the work being done to elevate the Greater Phoenix region as a smart city.

“Nearly a year ago, in November 2019, the Connective Smart Region Consortium was launched, bringing together 18 cities and towns across Greater Phoenix, along with county, industry leaders and academia to form the nation’s first and largest smart region,” Watson said. “Shortly thereafter, the Southern Arizona Smart Region was also established. To unify these efforts, the Arizona Commerce Authority has formalized an MOU between these two smart regions and will continue to broaden the reach to ensure every community in Arizona plays a role and benefits from this work.”

The Connective Smart Region Consortium is just one example of the many exciting initiatives being advanced in our state. Other smart-city initiatives include the Institute for Augmented Mobility, the AZ SkyTech Program to enhance drone technology, the fintech and proptech sandbox testing programs, ASU’s new Global Futures Laboratory, UArizona’s new Center for Quantum Networks, Maricopa Community College’s blockchain and AI certification programs, the nation’s first college of security and intelligence at Embry Riddle, the launch of the Arizona Cybersecurity Team, the development of Arizona state-broadband plan, 5G deployment, and so much more.

“Our state is home to many visionary thinkers and industry innovators at the forefront of these breakthrough technologies,” Watson concluded. “Gov. Ducey, the ACA and its partners are focused on a mission to ensure that Arizona remains the best location to innovate and to compete on a global scale.”

Opening keynote Andrew Christian, vice president of Business Development and Defense at Nikola Motor Company, wasted no time as he launched into an engaging and thought-provoking presentation, “Nikola Transporting into the Future.”

Since Nikola Corporation announced a number of concept zero-emissions vehicles in 2016, the innovative Arizona-based vehicle manufacturer has been on a mission to rock the status quo and transform the trucking and transportation industry. Still considered a small company with around 400 employees, Nikola has great ambitions, and of course, even greater potential.

“A pioneer in zero-emisson trucks, Nikola offers both pure electric and also hydrogen electric powertrains across multiple applications, Christian said. “As a disruptive, eco-focused, fast-paced company, Nikola’s innate ability to get others to buy into their idea has propelled the company to where it is now…a multi-billion startup aiming to eliminate diesel-powered vehicles.”

“Diesel is dead,” according to Trevor Milton, founder and executive chairman of Nikola Motor Company. “Nikola is an energy and technology company that happens to make really cool, big vehicles.”

Nikola wants to be a one-stop shop for truckers and transportation companies. How? When you buy a Nikola truck, all the fuel is covered. All the service and maintenance is provided by Nikola as well. The company is currently planning to build 50 hydrogen stations throughout Europe. In addition, Nikola will build and deliver up to 2,500 electric garbage trucks for America’s second-largest, waste-management company.

“The cornerstone of why Nikola Motor Company’s technology is taking off is that there is something to climate change, whether you believe it or not,” Christian said. “Businesses and governments will eventually have to develop a strong business plan and strategy around going green. Greenhouse-gas emissions are still on the rise. Aviation fuel is probably the biggest polluter to the environment, followed closely by vehicles. Rapidly transitioning to carbon-zero is the answer to turn it around.”

As he closed out his presentation on Nikola’s motivation to develop and produce zero-emission vehicles, Christian shared a quote from 20th Century auto innovator Henry Ford: “If I had asked the people what they want, they would have said faster horses.”

PANEL ONE  |  IoT: From Device to the Cloud and Back

A distinguished panel of experts provided insight as to how artificial intelligence, mobile apps, electric vehicles, 5G and cloud computing are driving explosive growth in the IoT ecosystem. This expert panel discussed the opportunities for developers, manufacturers and end-users in this exciting space.

PANEL TWO  |  The Desert Goes Green

The quest for carbon zero will define the way business is done in the next decade and drive systems level change across industries…from the electrification of transportation to sweeping shifts in the food supply chain. The Arizona Technology Council convened a set of critical stakeholders for a conversation about the global movement toward a net-zero future and how Arizona is positioned to lead. Moderated by Dominic Papa, vice president of Smart State Initiatives at the Arizona Commerce Authority, it was a fantastic discussion and well worth a listen.

Many thanks to our 2020 Smart City event sponsors: