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DURHAM—Duke Energy's top leader was the keynote speaker at Duke University's Energy Conference Wednesday.

Jim Rogers spoke to students and professionals in the field about the future of energy as well as Duke Energy's role as the largest utility company in the nation.

"Our role is not just selling. Our role is the optimization of the use of electricity.  That is our future," said Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers.

Rogers talked about changing the business model for energy and that electricity costs will increase as companies invest heavily in the new generation and transmission. He said encouraging consumers to use energy efficient devices is a step in the right direction.

"We need to move from the way we've been regulated for 100 years, more toward a decoupling formula rate approach. If customers know that we don't make money by selling more, then they will trust us to advise them how to reduce their usage, so it puts us in a position of greater trust," said Rogers.

State regulators are still looking into Duke Energy's leadership shakeup after merging with Progress Energy this summer. The utility's directors decided to keep Rogers as the company's top executive after Progress Energy CEO Bill Johnson was ousted from his position just hours after the Duke-Progress merger was official.