Technical Tours offer attendees a unique chance to step beyond the convention center and experience energy innovation firsthand. Past tours have included visits to innovation labs, microgrids, substations, and other leading-edge facilities.

To attend the tech tours, you must add it to your registration. This tour is an additional cost and can be added to your registration when registering or by visiting the registration resource center to review your existing registration.

San Diego Decarbonization Demonstration Project Tour 

Monday, February 2, 2026, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

The SDG&E® Palomar Energy Center is the first major California power plant to blend hydrogen for reducing carbon emissions. Located in Escondido, the system features an onsite electrolyzer and solar panels that produce clean, renewable hydrogen that is being utilized for a variety of practical purposes.

Additionally, SDG&E is using the Hydrogen Systems at Palomar Energy Center project to learn about and optimize its approach to safely and cost-effectively managing hydrogen assets. The company continues to evaluate opportunities to integrate hydrogen to support clean, reliable electrification for power generation and energy resilience.
Visitors will gain a new perspective on the infrastructure, safety protocols, and operational strategies driving the next wave of utility innovation.

After the morning tour, attendees are invited to head across the street to Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens Escondido for a buffet lunch and the chance to sample some of their signature local brews in a relaxed setting. Lunch and beverages are included.

Attendees are required to wear closed-toe shoes and safety glasses or sunglasses. Hard hats will be provided on site. Please note that photography is not permitted at the host’s request.

DERConnect Facility Tour

Monday, February 2, 2026, 10:15 am - 3:00 pm

The DERConnect Facility at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), is an advanced, fully integrated programmable grid environment designed to accelerate the development of a more decentralized, resilient, and sustainable energy system. This state-of-the-art facility provides a unique platform for experimentation and testing of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), featuring a diverse set of controllable assets, including energy storage, electric vehicles (EVs), solar/PV, and building loads.

DERConnect is well-suited for utilities to test their technologies, as its highly configurable testbed allows for rigorous validation of hardware technologies by putting devices through scenarios that accurately simulate real-world grid conditions. At the same time, its access to a “living laboratory” of over 2,000 devices across the UCSD campus provides the unparalleled scale and complexity needed to test and validate software solutions, including advanced control and management systems, with real, controllable assets.

As a DTECH attendee, you will have the exclusive opportunity to tour this critical site and gain a new perspective on how integrated hardware and software solutions are making a measurable difference in grid modernization. In addition to the guided facility tours, participants will also have the option to take part in a hands-on try-it-yourself session with DERConnect’s Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS), providing direct experience with the tools and controls shaping the future of the grid.

Please be aware that restrooms will not be accessible during the hardware tour (10:15 am – 12:15 pm). Facilities will be available again at 12:15 p.m., when lunch is served. Lunch will be provided.

SDG&E’s Wildfire and Climate Resilience Center

Monday, February 2, 2026, 1:00 pm - 3:45 pm

SDG&E's Wildfire and Climate Resilience Center is setting a new standard for grid and community protection. This groundbreaking facility integrates cutting-edge fire science with hyper-local weather forecasting and supercomputing models to anticipate and swiftly respond to immediate risks and long-term climate trends. The center's various labs and zones define a comprehensive and instructive wildfire resiliency journey, showcasing advances and fostering collaborative efforts. This unified approach better equips previously disconnected teams to safeguard the electrical grid and the communities they serve from the escalating threat of wildfires.

This tour will provide a firsthand look at this work, starting with the Emergency Operations Center, followed by a presentation that details the wildfire mitigation journey. It will then open up for a Q&A session and close with tour of the Resilience Zone.

Sign up now through registration to see what it means to build a more resilient future across teams and departments.

Please Note:

  • Attendees are encouraged to bring a sweater and a reusable water bottle.
  • Presenter will let attendees know if any of the materials they’re presenting are not allowed to be photographed.