David vs. Goliath
The Pros and Cons of Distributed Generation
Location: West Coast Room
Time: 10:15am – 11:15am
Panel Description
Distributed generation produces energy through smaller sources than traditional utility-scale generation. Distributed generation can lower environment impact and improve security of supply. California is on the leading edge of technology and is targeting to generate 12000MW through distributed generation by year 2020. What are the advantages and disadvantages of increasing distributed generation vs building more centralized generation? What is the largest obstacle that distributed generation faces right now? This panel seeks to explore the answers to these questions and more regarding distributed generation!
Moderator
Natasha Bray, Project Manager, Southern California Edison
Natasha Bray is a Project Manager in the Market Strategy & Resource Planning group at Southern California Edison (SCE). In this role, Natasha works on various projects of strategic nature to advise SCE’s future direction, including coordinating the company-wide effort to meet statewide localized energy resource goals. This team has been instrumental in developing policy positions and is leading collaboration efforts with state agencies to address these goals. Natasha previously worked in SCE’s Power Procurement group, where she gained experience in energy portfolio development, power and gas trading, energy market monitoring and design, and generation resource planning. Through these positions she has contributed to the study of renewables integration in California, most notably leading the effort to develop a state-of-the-art modeling methodology for the California ISO’s integration analysis of a 33% Renewable Portfolio Standard. Natasha holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from University of Southern California.
Panelist
Brad Souza, Director of Business Development, Independent Energy Solutions
Mr. Souza has over 13 years experience in renewable energy, energy efficiency, demand response, building commissioning, distributed generation, cogeneration, advanced metering infrastructure, and mechanical engineering design. He has a deep understanding of building energy use, and has managed several utility programs providing energy efficiency and demand response services to commercial and industrial customers. Brad has been instrumental in developing new business with utility clients as well as end users and specializes in integration of various technologies and approaches. This integrated approach provides customers with higher value across the project life cycle. Brad’s background also includes measurement and evaluation of utility energy efficiency and distributed generation incentive programs, and large research projects regarding energy use in commercial buildings. Brad holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Resources Engineering from Humboldt State University, a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Southern California, and is a licensed Mechanical Engineer in California.
Panelist
Paul Fukumoto, Program Director, FlexEnergy
Paul Fukumoto is responsible for the development and execution of FlexEnergy Inc programs. He is also responsible for government grant proposals. Prior to joining FlexEnergy Inc, Paul was Ingersoll Rand’s Field Application Manager implementing distributed generation projects in the U.S. Formerly, he held various system engineering positions for Honeywell Power Systems, Inc., and project management, project and development engineering positions at Allied Signal Engines and Systems.
Panelist
Tamara Gishri, Regional Program Manager, California Center for Sustainable Energy
Tamara Gishri serves as the Regional Program Manager for the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE), where she is responsible for managing the Department of Energy Southern California Rooftop Solar Challenge, part of the Sunshot initiative. CCSE has partnered with eleven jurisdictions and five utilities across Southern California to work collaboratively on eliminating barriers to solar adoption. The program is focused on expanding financing options for residential and commercial customers, streamlining permitting and interconnection processes, and standardizing net metering and interconnection standards across investor- and municipally-owned utilities in the region. Tamara is responsible for project management, stakeholder engagement, contracting and reporting as well as identifying further opportunities in the Southern California region.
Before joining CCSE, Tamara has extensive experience working with this region’s municipal governments and utilities, focusing on creating a clean technology sector and strengthening clean energy partnerships. She has worked for Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa’s Office of Economic Development Policy as a Clean Technology Liaison, where she helped found the CleanTech Los Angeles organization; the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, where she worked on the DOE Smart Grid Demonstration program and University partnerships; and the Los Angeles Planning Department. She received her Masters of Urban Planning from the Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California and a Bachelors of Business Administration from Emory University.
Panelist
Calum Chisholm, President & CEO, SAFCell
Calum founded SAFCell, Inc. in November, 2009 to develop and commercialize solid acid fuel cells (SAFCs). SAFCell develops scalable solid acid fuel cell stacks for applications requiring tens of watts to tens of kilowatts. Based on technology developed at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and operating at mid-range temperatures around 250°C, SAFCell’s stacks tolerate fuel impurities that pose obstacles to other fuel cell technologies. This allows SAFCell stacks to run more easily on commercially available gas fuels (e.g., methane and propane) or liquid fuels (e.g., methanol, diesel and bio-oils), greatly reducing the overall fuel cell system complexity and cost. SAFCell is partnering with targeted system integrators to enter first portable, and then stationary power markets.
Working with many exceptional collaborators, Dr. Chisholm has published 20 scientific papers in peer review journals and holds or has applied for 13 patents. His research on fuel cells was also featured in the PBS series “CURIOUS,” which documents breakthrough scientific innovations.
