Overcoming Commercial Obstacles for Multi-User Microgrids
Monday, March 18, 2019 | Track A | 1:00 - 2:30 pm
To date, there are relatively few multi-user microgrids (MUMs) in operation, in large part because of a number of significant barriers associated with implementing this novel business model. Recently, the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Boston University and the Northeast Clean Energy Council (NECEC) completed an investigation into the barriers to MUM development and some early hypotheses on potential remedies that would facilitate MUM development. The panel will reflect upon the findings from this research, based on their specific real-world experience with multi-user microgrids.
Key Takeaways:
Richard Stuebi is a prominent energy innovation executive who has pursued commercial opportunities associated with new energy technologies and innovative business models as an entrepreneur, investor, consultant, advocate and executive. Throughout his diverse career, Richard has served in senior executive roles at large energy sector corporations and energy-related ventures, as a venture capitalist, angel investor and entrepreneur, and in energy-related public advocacy. He has launched new energy businesses, co-founded two venture-funded companies, and led start-ups. Richard is founder and President of Future Energy Advisors (FEA), a management consulting practice providing advisory services to clients pursuing innovative growth strategies related to energy. FEA particularly specializes in opportunities within the rapidly growing and changing distributed energy, renewable energy and energy storage segments of the energy sector.
Prior to founding FEA, Richard was Vice President, US Strategy & Group Technology at National Grid, a multinational electric and gas utility with a $50+ billion market capitalization. Here, he led strategies for US operations and evaluated technology innovations and emerging businesses models for the company's US and UK businesses. more
With more than ten years experience in power energy field, Dr. Liuxi (Calvin) Zhang is now Key Manager of Emerging Technology at ComEd. His team evaluates emerging technologies and their business models for ComEd Smart Grid initiatives, as well as lead and manage smart grid projects, such as microgrid, distributed energy resources (DERs), smart inverter and energy storage. Before joining ComEd, he was lead of distribution systems analytic team in Nexant, where he leads the research, software development and product management of Smart Grid analytic platforms. His expertise includes modeling and analytics of power transmission and distribution systems with renewable energy, EMS/DMS/DERMS applications such as state estimation, load flow and optimization with renewable energy, as well as PMU applications. Dr. Zhang has led/managed several projects for major Utility companies in US, Europe and Asia. Dr. Zhang is IEEE Senior Member. He is core member of several working groups in IEEE PES Technical Committees. He has been frequently invited as panelist/session chair in major IEEE conferences. Dr. Zhang obtained his Ph.D. from Northeastern University, Boston, MA and his M.S. and B.S. from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. He is the recipient of 2013 IEEE PES Outstanding Young Engineer Award in Boston Chapter and 2012 IEEE Student Achievement Award in Boston Chapter.
Michael is responsible for managing and developing capital energy projects for the largest county in Maryland, which has over 400 facilities with close to 1,000 utility accounts. He provides project management for three microgrid systems for high security facilities, managing 15 solar PV projects and implementing energy management software. He is also currently an Advisor in the United States Treasury's Office of Technical Assistance, where he advises international counterparts to the Office of Technical Assistance on energy related matters.
Prior to his current position, Michael was Principal at SEPCOR, where he consulted on the origination of revenue streams from middle east locations, including Dubai, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, and Oman. Prior to that he was Energy Program Manager for the District of Columbia for three years, where he raised $26 million over two years to implement energy efficiency and renewable projects. In this role Michael had functional responsibility for the supply and demand of all commodities consumed by the District.
Michael holds a BA in business administration and management from Michigan State University, and an MBA in international marketing from the Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University Chicago.
Robert Morin has more than 25 years of energy industry experience and leadership in sales, development, and supply chain. He joined Ameresco in 2011 and leads energy project development efforts in the Eastern region focused on distributed energy resources, including Combined Heat & Power (CHP), microgrids, energy storage, and renewable technologies. Rob leverages technical and commercial skills gained from an engineering background and nearly 20 years working with GE's energy and finance business units. He has fossil and renewable energy expertise, having developed central plant projects, CHP, and peaking generation, as well as renewable projects including biogas, and commercial and utility-scale solar.
Rob has developed and implemented business plans in the US and abroad. He received a BS in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and attended executive training courses at John F. Welch Leadership Development Center, including Six Sigma training and certification.
Andy is responsible for driving technology roadmaps necessary to align Schneider Electric's product offer portfolio evolutions in order to simplify and enable the deployment of effective grid-edge solutions. Aligned to this mission, his most recent technology attention has been around the combination of advanced battery-based energy storage solutions coupled with highly efficient inverters as enabling sub-systems for broadly integrated distributed energy resources.
Beginning with Square D Company in 1985, Andy has led a variety of key product development and technical innovations during his 30+ year tenure with Schneider Electric and holds 21 patents relating to circuit protection, relaying and power control. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University Iowa and an MBA from Duke University.
Key Takeaways:
- Seven primary barriers to MUM development
- Actions that are helpful in addressing these barriers and facilitate successful development of MUMs
- Recommended activities by stakeholders committed to advancing MUM viability
- Topical areas that merit additional research to improve the ability to successfully develop MUMs where they can create significant value for customers
Richard T. Stuebi
President
Future Energy Advisors
President
Future Energy Advisors
Richard Stuebi is a prominent energy innovation executive who has pursued commercial opportunities associated with new energy technologies and innovative business models as an entrepreneur, investor, consultant, advocate and executive. Throughout his diverse career, Richard has served in senior executive roles at large energy sector corporations and energy-related ventures, as a venture capitalist, angel investor and entrepreneur, and in energy-related public advocacy. He has launched new energy businesses, co-founded two venture-funded companies, and led start-ups. Richard is founder and President of Future Energy Advisors (FEA), a management consulting practice providing advisory services to clients pursuing innovative growth strategies related to energy. FEA particularly specializes in opportunities within the rapidly growing and changing distributed energy, renewable energy and energy storage segments of the energy sector.
Prior to founding FEA, Richard was Vice President, US Strategy & Group Technology at National Grid, a multinational electric and gas utility with a $50+ billion market capitalization. Here, he led strategies for US operations and evaluated technology innovations and emerging businesses models for the company's US and UK businesses. more
Dr. Liuxi Zhang
Manager, Emerging Technology
Commonwealth Edison
Manager, Emerging Technology
Commonwealth Edison
With more than ten years experience in power energy field, Dr. Liuxi (Calvin) Zhang is now Key Manager of Emerging Technology at ComEd. His team evaluates emerging technologies and their business models for ComEd Smart Grid initiatives, as well as lead and manage smart grid projects, such as microgrid, distributed energy resources (DERs), smart inverter and energy storage. Before joining ComEd, he was lead of distribution systems analytic team in Nexant, where he leads the research, software development and product management of Smart Grid analytic platforms. His expertise includes modeling and analytics of power transmission and distribution systems with renewable energy, EMS/DMS/DERMS applications such as state estimation, load flow and optimization with renewable energy, as well as PMU applications. Dr. Zhang has led/managed several projects for major Utility companies in US, Europe and Asia. Dr. Zhang is IEEE Senior Member. He is core member of several working groups in IEEE PES Technical Committees. He has been frequently invited as panelist/session chair in major IEEE conferences. Dr. Zhang obtained his Ph.D. from Northeastern University, Boston, MA and his M.S. and B.S. from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. He is the recipient of 2013 IEEE PES Outstanding Young Engineer Award in Boston Chapter and 2012 IEEE Student Achievement Award in Boston Chapter.
Michael Yambrach
Capital Projects
Department of General Services
Montgomery County
Capital Projects
Department of General Services
Montgomery County
Michael is responsible for managing and developing capital energy projects for the largest county in Maryland, which has over 400 facilities with close to 1,000 utility accounts. He provides project management for three microgrid systems for high security facilities, managing 15 solar PV projects and implementing energy management software. He is also currently an Advisor in the United States Treasury's Office of Technical Assistance, where he advises international counterparts to the Office of Technical Assistance on energy related matters.
Prior to his current position, Michael was Principal at SEPCOR, where he consulted on the origination of revenue streams from middle east locations, including Dubai, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, and Oman. Prior to that he was Energy Program Manager for the District of Columbia for three years, where he raised $26 million over two years to implement energy efficiency and renewable projects. In this role Michael had functional responsibility for the supply and demand of all commodities consumed by the District.
Michael holds a BA in business administration and management from Michigan State University, and an MBA in international marketing from the Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University Chicago.
Robert Morin
Senior Project Developer
Ameresco
Senior Project Developer
Ameresco
Robert Morin has more than 25 years of energy industry experience and leadership in sales, development, and supply chain. He joined Ameresco in 2011 and leads energy project development efforts in the Eastern region focused on distributed energy resources, including Combined Heat & Power (CHP), microgrids, energy storage, and renewable technologies. Rob leverages technical and commercial skills gained from an engineering background and nearly 20 years working with GE's energy and finance business units. He has fossil and renewable energy expertise, having developed central plant projects, CHP, and peaking generation, as well as renewable projects including biogas, and commercial and utility-scale solar.
Rob has developed and implemented business plans in the US and abroad. He received a BS in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and attended executive training courses at John F. Welch Leadership Development Center, including Six Sigma training and certification.
Andy Haun
SVP - Chief Technology Officer, Microgrid Business
Schneider Electric
SVP - Chief Technology Officer, Microgrid Business
Schneider Electric
Andy is responsible for driving technology roadmaps necessary to align Schneider Electric's product offer portfolio evolutions in order to simplify and enable the deployment of effective grid-edge solutions. Aligned to this mission, his most recent technology attention has been around the combination of advanced battery-based energy storage solutions coupled with highly efficient inverters as enabling sub-systems for broadly integrated distributed energy resources.
Beginning with Square D Company in 1985, Andy has led a variety of key product development and technical innovations during his 30+ year tenure with Schneider Electric and holds 21 patents relating to circuit protection, relaying and power control. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University Iowa and an MBA from Duke University.