The following tutorials will be offered during EPEC 2015. Please register through the EDAS registration system: http://edas.info/r18753 (note that new users will need to create an account on the EDAS system).
Tut-1 Practical Power Flow Controller Brings Benefits of Power Electronics to the Grid (Full Day)
Kalyan K. Sen, Chief Technology Officer, Sen Engineering Solutions Inc.
Abstract: Power flow control techniques have been practiced, from using inductors, capacitors, and breakers in earlier days of Electrical Engineering to power electronics-based solutions in recent years. Since the commissioning of the first commercial power electronics-based Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems (FACTS) controller two decades ago, a great deal has been learnt about the true needs of a utility for its everyday use and they are low installation and operating costs, component non-obsolescence, and easy relocation to adapt to changing power system’s needs. This was the motivation to develop a SMART Power Flow Controller (SPFC) whose objectives are specific (design a power flow controller that meets utilities’ needs), measurable (high reliability, high efficiency, cost-effective, component non-obsolescence, and portability), attainable (demonstrated theory by Westinghouse), relevant (efficient power grid), and timely (contemporary).
Utilities that are looking for ways to enhance the controllability in an electric power transmission system by voltage regulation, phase angle regulation, line impedance regulation, fault-current limitation, and much more should consider using a SPFC that uses functional requirements and cost-effective solutions. Even though the costs of the available solutions range from $20/kVA to $200/kVA, the basic underlying theory of power flow control and power quality is still the same as it always has been. The question is which solution one should buy. The answer depends on knowing what the true need is. The presentation is designed to provide the basic principles of power flow control theory, an overview of the most commonly used power flow controllers, and future trends. The tutorial is organized in the following way.
- Part 1: A high-level overview of various power flow controllers and their features.
- Part 2: Traditional power flow controllers – voltage regulating transformer, phase angle regulator, shunt inductor/capacitor, and series inductor/capacitor; Voltage-Sourced Converter (VSC).
- Part 3: VSC – 6-pulse, 12-pulse, 24-pulse, 48-pulse harmonic neutralized and PWM VSCs.
- Part 4: Modeling and implementation of the VSC-based technology, comparison of theory, simulation, and field results; special applications of VSC-based technology; Sen Transformer.
Target Audience, Pre-requisites, and Benefits: The presentation will be of particular interest to all utility power engineering professionals. The required background is an equivalent of an Electrical Engineering degree with familiarity in power engineering terminology. The audience will hear from an expert who actually designed and commissioned a number of power electronics-based FACTS controllers.
Biography: Kalyan K Sen is the Chief Technology Officer of Sen Engineering Solutions, Inc. (www.sentransformer.com) that specializes in developing SMART power flow controllers. He spent 28 years in academia and industry and became a Westinghouse Fellow Engineer. He was a key member of the Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems (FACTS) development team at the Westinghouse Science & Technology Center in Pittsburgh, USA. He contributed in all aspects (conception, simulation, design, and commissioning) of FACTS projects at Westinghouse. He conceived some of the basic concepts in FACTS technology. He has more than 25 patents and publications in the areas of FACTS and power electronics. He is the coauthor of the book titled, Introduction to FACTS Controllers: Theory, Modeling, and Applications, IEEE Press and John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2009. He is the co-inventor of Sen Transformer. He received BEE, MSEE, and PhD degrees, all in Electrical Engineering, from Jadavpur University, India, Tuskegee University, USA, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, USA, respectively. He also received an MBA from Robert Morris University, USA. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Sen, a Senior Member of IEEE, has served the organization in many positions. In 2003, he re-established the Pittsburgh Chapters of the Power & Energy Society and the Industry Applications Society. Both Chapters received the “Outstanding Large Chapter” awards for their activities in 2004. Under his Chairmanship, the Pittsburgh Section received the “Outstanding Large Section” award for its activities in 2005. His other past positions included Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery (2002 – 2007), Technical Program Chair of the 2008 PES General Meeting in Pittsburgh, Chapters and Sections Activities Track Chair of the 2008 IEEE Sections Congress in Quebec City, Canada, and the PES R2 Representative (2010 and 2011). He has been serving as an IEEE PES Distinguished Lecturer since 2002. In that capacity, he has given presentations on power flow control technology in over 80 places around the world. Currently, he is serving as the founding Chair of IEEE Pittsburgh Power Electronics Society Chapter and a Member of the IEEE Centre for Leadership Excellence Committee (2013, 2014).
Tut-2 New Developments in HVDC and FACTS for Power Transmission Grids (Full Day)
Ervin Spahic, Dr.-Ing., Head of Future Technologies, Siemens, Transmission Solutions
Jörg Dorn, Head of R&D, Technology and Innovation, Siemens, Transmission
Outline:
- Introduction
- Trends in Europe, focus on Germany (Energiewende – nuclear phase out). Integration of
renewables, examples for offshore wind farm connections. - Transmission technology overview
- Trends in Europe, focus on Germany (Energiewende – nuclear phase out). Integration of
- HVDC classic
- Technology, Applications, trends and new developments (e.g. UHVDC). Actual projects in
Canada and USA
- Technology, Applications, trends and new developments (e.g. UHVDC). Actual projects in
- HVDC PLUS
- Introduction, Technology and Performance, Layout (Half Bridge, Full Bridge, Monopole,
Bipole). New developments and trends: valve, voltage… Principle operation, Grid stability,
Black start capability, compatibility, protection, standardization, - Overhead, underground and offshore application
- Introduction, Technology and Performance, Layout (Half Bridge, Full Bridge, Monopole,
- FACTS, Storage and Synchronous condenser
- Introduction, Overview, Applications
- STATCOM – Multilevel technology, Performance, Applications
- STATCOM + Storage – new development, description, layout, application: grid support,
frequency support - Synchronous Condenser – old solution for solving new problems
- HVDC Grids, GIL, Grid Access
- HVDC grids – needs, developments, protection, DC circuit breakers
- Gas Insulated Lines (GIL) – DC and AC, Technology, Performance, Applications. New
developments. - Connection of offshore wind farms – new solutions and trends
Target Audience, Pre-requisites, and Benefits: Transmission system operators, Grid developers, Consulting companies, Universities and others interested in new technologies.
Biography: Dr.-Ing. Ervin Spahic received Dipl. Ing. degree and Magister degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, from the University of Montenegro, in 1997 and 2001 respectively. He was from 1998-2002 research scientist at Univ. of Montenegro, Electrical Power System Chair. In 2002-2003 he was the Chief of Laboratory at Department of Electrical Engineering, Univ. of Montenegro. From 2003 to 2008 he was with Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany where he worked as research scientist and received in 2008 his Dr.-Ing. Degree in electrical power engineering. From 2008 to 2013 he worked as power system consultant at ABB Germany. Since 2013 he is the Head of Future Technologies group at Siemens transmission solutions. His main activities are in the area of transmission grids, HVDC technologies, FACTS and storage. Among other he participated in DENA 2 grid study and worked actively in Desertec project. He published more than 60 papers at conferences and in journals and is active in CIGRE.
Biography: Jörg Dorn graduated in electrical engineering (Dipl.-Ing.) at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany in 1996. He started his career as application engineer at eupec GmbH in 1996. In 2002 he joined Siemens Automation and Drives as a development engineer for HVDC valves and medium voltage drives. From 2005 to 2008 he was head of the development of the modular multilevel converter technology for HVDC before he was delegated as a managing director to the joint venture
Infineon Technologies Bipolar GmbH & Co. KG. Since 2012 he is the Head of the R&D department of Technology and Innovation at Transmission Solutions, Siemens Germany. He is active in several working groups of IEC and Cigré.
Tut-3 Microgrids Operation and Control – Theory and Practice (Half Day – morning)
Amir Hajimiragha, PhD, SMIEEE, Director of Technical Projects & Smart Grid Integration, BBS Access
Abstract: Microgrids are commonly referred to as self-sustained small distribution systems composed of loads and multiple generation and/or storage assets. Microgrids can offer greater availability, flexibility and reliability through multiple sources of power generation and/or storage and immunization from the fault conditions or power disturbances in the upstream grid. Building a business case for developing the microgrids has always been a concern especially in the well-developed North American or European context, since it is argued that the large cost for developing the grid infrastructure has already been made. In this regard, the economic justification of microgrids can be well manifested in the remote communities where there is no access to the transmission and distribution grid. For example, there are more than 175 remote communities in Canada and hundreds more across the world with no access to the grid.
These locations represent a profound opportunity for developing microgrid installations. In this context and according to Navigant, the market for remote community microgrids is projected at $10.2 billion by 2017. Moreover, lack of economic justification for the microgrid developments in the areas with well-established infrastructure loses its credibility after having experienced recent natural disasters that resulted in loss of power delivery for an extended period of time. Buying, storing, and selling energy in different time frames as well as providing ancillary services for the grid are some of the opportunities that provide more economic justification for the microgrids. These economic opportunities together with their role in future smart grids as well as presenting higher levels of reliability demonstrate the unique value and importance of microgrids. The aforementioned reliability is of crucial importance for critical loads such as hospitals, military bases and data centers in view of the existing threats imposed by natural disasters. Motivated by the existing and growing interest in microgrids and inspired by real-world microgrid projects and the operational limitations experienced in practice, this course aims to discuss different aspects of microgrid control. The main objectives are to provide a theoretical background, to share some technical perspectives and to present the existing challenges and some practical approaches in this area.
Outline:
- Microgrid Definition
- Microgrid Challenges and Potentials (old perception, new influential factors, changing standards, role of smart grid and energy storage systems)
- History of Microgrids
- DC vs. AC
- CERTS Microgrid Concept
- Concepts and Interactions among Distribution Management System (DMS), Energy Management System (EMS), Microgrid Controller (MGC) and Microgrid Control System (MCS)
- Standards
- Central Control vs. Distributed Control
- Software vs. Hardware-based Control
- Expectations from an MCS
- Different Layers of an MCS
- Microgrid Operation Modes
- Microgrids Voltage and Frequency Control Mechanisms
- Smart Inverters
- Seamless Transition between Grid-connected and Islanded Modes (challenges & solutions)
- Generation and Storage Devices’ Operational Considerations in an MCS/EMS
- Controlling Aspects of the Two Typical Microsources (Wind & Hydro) based on the Experiences from Two Remote-community Microgrids
- Three-step Framework for Developing an MCS/EMS
- Microgrids Optimization-based Control (theory, applications and computational challenges)
- Microgrids Communications
- MCS/EMS Validation
- A Real-world Microgrid Example: Conventional System Configuration, Challenges, Control and Monitoring Solutions, Achievements and Lessons Learned
Target Audience, Pre-requisites, and Benefits:
Target Audience: Engineers from utilities and local distribution companies, managers and policy analysts, and university graduate students
Pre-requisites: A degree in power/control engineering
Benefits: This course provides a theoretical background on microgrid operation and control, and presents the existing challenges and some practical approaches in this area.
Biography: Amir Hajimiragha began his career in 1996 as a Research Engineer at the Electric Power Research Centre (EPRC), Tehran, Iran, where he researched flicker assessment of alloy steel plants. Between 1998 and 2003, he was employed at Niroo Research Institute (NRI), Tehran where he held various positions, including Research Engineer, Project Manager, Head of Power Plant Electric System Department and Director of Publication. Prior to joining General Electric (GE) in 2010, he worked as a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the University of Waterloo, Canada where he investigated the grid impacts of fuel cell and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. At GE Digital Energy, Grid Automation in Markham, Ontario, Canada, he worked as an Application Engineer, Lead Application Engineer and finally as Engineering Technical Leader & Microgrid System Architect involved in Research and Development (R&D) as well as New Product/Technology Introduction (NPI/NTI) programs related to microgrids and distribution systems automation. Currently, he is the Director of Technical Projects & Smart Grid Integration at BBS Access in Singapore. He is a senior member of the IEEE, a member of the IEEE microgrid control task force and a member of the IEEE 1547 and IEEE 2030.7 working groups. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Waterloo, where he supervises graduate students probing the areas of energy hubs, integrated energy systems, hydrogen economy, microgrids, renewable natural gas, alternative-fuel vehicles and process optimization.
Amir received a B.Sc. degree from the K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran; a M.Sc. degree from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden with a Master Thesis at ETH Zurich, Switzerland; and a Ph.D. degree from the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, in 1995, 2005, and 2010, respectively, all in electrical engineering. He has been the recipient of several national and international awards, including the 2015 IEEE PES Technical Committee Working Group Recognition Award (corresponding to Task Force on Microgrid Control), the 2011 Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) International Innovation Award in the category of Built Environment, the 2008 Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems (MITACS) National Award in the Category of Best Novel Use of Mathematics in Technology Transfer and the 2008 University of Waterloo Exceptional Teaching Award.
Tut-4 Grid Security (Half Day – morning) (Cancelled)
Doug Houseman, Vice President of Innovation and Technology, Energex
Abstract: From NERC CIP to Privacy Regulation, security is becoming a mandated item on the grid. For more than 100 years most people respected the electric grid and left it alone, feeling that it was a shared public resource that needed to be provided. Now with the advent of Cyber warfare, home grown terrorists, black mail hackers, and others the grid needs protection. Not just cyber security but physical security as well.
This tutorial will look at Physical, Cyber and Cyber-Physical aspects of security at the transmission and distribution level. Key compliance requirements from NERC CIPv5, and the supporting Physical Security
requirements will be used as a basis for discussion about protection for both transmission and
distribution. The course will cover how to determine vulnerability and then use the risk methodology in
NISTIR 7628 to determine risk, the value side of providing protection. The tutorial will also cover
communications requirements for security information and some key points on insider security issues.
Over the 4 hour period the attendees with do 4 to 6 quick exercises to get a feel for how to apply the
information being provided, so they can apply it after the tutorial is over.
Biography: Doug Houseman, VP of Technical Innovation, is working with clients all over North America and Australia on issues related to Smart Grid/Metering/Homes and other related issues. He works with regulators, utilities and vendors to the market to help move the industry to the next generation grid, as well as the next generation of customer relationship.
Doug has extensive experience in the energy and utility industry and has been involved in projects in more than 30 countries. He is routinely invited to speak at international events in the industry and has been widely quoted in a number of international publications. Doug was named part of the World Generation Class of 2007, one of 30 people in the global utility and energy industry so named. He was the lead investigator on one of the largest studies on the future of distribution companies over the last 5 years working with more than 100 utilities and 20 governments.
Doug has a broad background in Utilities and Energy. He worked for Capgemini in the Energy Practice for more than 15 years. During that time he rose to the position of CTO of the 12,000 person practice. During that same time Capgemini grew from less than $10 million dollars in Energy related revenue to more than $2.4 billion. Doug was part of the Global leadership team and worked all over the world in a thought leadership and delivery role. During that time Doug founded the Smart Energy Alliance, lead the Distribution Roadmap 2025, and developed the smart metering and smart grid practices.
Professional Highlights
Utility Industry
- Member of the NIST/EPRI smart grid framework architecture team. Helped develop the NIST smart grid framework model.
- Designer of the second NIST workshop for Smart Grid.
- Facilitator of over 40 single utility smart grid road map sessions in 14 countries.
- Reviewed a number of ARRA submissions for various organizations and wrote sections of said submissions.
- Supported Software and Hardware selection for a major west coast utility for a smart meter/smart grid rollout.
- For a smart metering project involving more than 5 million electric and gas meters. The project also includes provision for more than 1 million home area networks with an average of 20 devices in each home.
- Member of the Open-Smart Grid working group with specific work in Utility-AMI, AMI-Sec, OpenHAN, and Enterprise-AMI. Working on the DR, Load Control and Security task forces.
- Member of IEEE PES with a lead role in the Intelligent Grid Coordinating Committee, Authorship in the Emerging Technologies White Paper, Authorship in 5 Wind working group papers on wind collector systems. Doug is part of the team authoring the Wind Collector System papers for the 2009 General Meeting for PES and the Chair of the Smart Grid Super Session.
- Chairman of Smart Metering Europe 2008 and 2009. Facilitator of Smart Grid-Africa 2008, Member of the US Department of Energy Smart Grid working group. Co-author of the EPRI Clean-Tech Dashboard.
- Elements of a smart distribution system – 30 mins
- Elements of SCADA – 30 mins
- Elements of ADMS – 30 mins
- Break in between for 30 mins.
- Smart Grid Laboratory Development – test case – 30 mins
- Discussion – 30 mins
- Professors, researchers and Student
- Utilities – engineers and administrators
- Facility managers and architects
- IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee 21: SCC21 – “Fuel Cells, Photovoltaics, Dispersed Generation, and Energy Storage”
- SCC21 scope, purpose, and officers
- Overview of standards development by SCC21
- DER and Smart Grid interconnection and interoperability
- Background; 1547 standards use in U.S.A.
- IEEE Std 1547 and Amendment 1: DER interconnection and interconnection tests
- IEEE Std 1547.1 and Amendment 1: Interconnection equipment test procedures
- IEEE Std 1547.2: Guide to 1547
- IEEE Std 1547.3: Monitoring, information exchange and control (MIC) for DER
- IEEE Std 1547.4: Planned DER islands/microgrids
- IEEE Std 1547.6: DER on distribution secondary networks
- IEEE Std 1547.7: DER impact studies
- IEEE P1547.8: Expanded use of IEEE 1547
- Full revision of 1547 and 1547.1 (interconnection, interoperability and interfaces
- Background
- IEEE Std 2030™ Smart Grid Interoperability
- IEEE Std 2030.2™ Energy Storage Systems Interoperability
- IEEE P2030.2.1™ Design, and O & M of Battery Energy Storage Systems
- IEEE P2030.1™ Electric-Sourced Transportation Infrastructure
- IEEE P2030.3™ Test Procedures for Electric Energy Storage Equipment and Systems
- IEEE P2030.9™ Planning and Design of the Microgrid
- Selected topics
- Selected topics
- Selected topics
- Scope, purpose, and selected topics
- Next actions
Tut-5 Smart Fault Monitoring and Protection (Half Day – afternoon)
Amir Mojtahedzadeh, Managing Director, Bender Canada Ltd.
Abstract: The Power in Electrical Safety
a) Introduction to grounding
b) Sources of fault current
c) Consequences of fault current
d) Ground fault monitoring and protection systems
e) Smart protection in grounded system (HRG and solidly)
f) Smart protection in ungrounded system
g) Power Quality
h) Applications and solutions
Target Audience, Pre-requisites, and Benefits: This workshop and presentation is tailored to benefit everyone with different background or qualifications.
At the end of the presentation, people will have better understanding of ground faults in AC/DC systems and how to deal with this issue perfectly.
Biography: Amir Mojtahedzadeh graduated in Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (Power & Renewable Energies) in 2005, Master of Engineering Management in 2011, and Master of Project Management in 2012, he works with consulting firms, manufacturers, utility and electric companies in energy and electrical industries. He specializes in the electric power industry, Sales & Marketing and Project Management. He works in operations, engineering and sales.
Tut-6 Smart Grid Lab (Half Day – afternoon)
Pratap Revuru, MEng PEng, Smart Grid Solution Architect, Schneider Electric Canada
Bala Venkatesh, PhD, Peng, Professor and Director, Centre for Urban Energy, Ryerson University
Abstract: New technologies such as smart meters, Electric Vehicles, Conservation and Demand Management at Residential Level, Energy Storage (numerous small and aggregated), etc are available as products.
Communication technologies are becoming inexpensive, efficient and reliable for their pervasive use.
Further computing technologies including hardware and software with phenomenal artificial intelligence capabilities are becoming a commonplace.
This confluence of technologies and opportunities is making smart grid technologies available at costs that are palatable to energy consumers and holds the potential of bring unprecedented benefits. To benefit from these developments, distribution systems are now being revisited to make them smart. Smart grid technologies hold the potential of enabling utilities to deliver energy at the least cost in the most environmentally friendly manner while providing the highest reliability. It also holds the potential of enabling customers manage their usage of energy and source in the manner that best suits their desires.
This tutorial examines aspects of the smart distribution network and focuses on illustrating benefits of advanced distribution management system (ADMS) that provides intelligence, a layer above the conventional SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition). The tutorial also illustrates a smart grid laboratory facility built at Ryerson as a path for process that enables smart grid technologies and its use in distribution systems.
Target Audience, Pre-requisites, and Benefits:
Biography: Pratap Revuru, MEng PEng
Pratap is a Smart Grid Solution Architect for Schneider Electric Canada. Pratap’s focus areas include Smart Utility projects , Energy Storage (ES), Smart Grid pilot projects (SG Pilots), Solution Architectures Development (SA) for grid transformation. Pratap is developing and delivering integrated, Smart Grid solutions for Schneider Electric customers in Utility market segment. He will build solutions by understanding the customer context, process and needs, as well as technical complexity induced by the integration of numerous interconnected components and sub-systems.
Biography: Bala Venkatesh, PhD, PEng
Bala is a professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering at Ryerson University. He also heads the Centre for Urban Energy as a academic director. His interests are in power systems analysis and optimization with applications to renewables, energy storage, smart grids, microgrids, etc.
Tut-7 Introduction to Smart Grid and Distributed Energy Resources Standards by IEEE SCC21 (Half Day – morning)
T. Basso (TB), IEEE SCC21 and IEEE P1547 Committee Chair
M. Siira (MS), IEEE 2030.2 Working Group Chair and IEEE P1547 Committee Vice Chair
C. Vartanian (CV), IEEE 2030.2 Working Group Secretary and IEEE P1547 Committee Secretary and Treasurer
Co-sponsored by the IEEE Canada Industry Relations and the IEEE Standards Association SCC21 Committees
Syllabus (Qualifies for Professional Development Hours):
Module 1) Introduction — IEEE standards development, 20 min, TB
Module 2) Listing of IEEE 1547™ Distributed energy resources (DER) interconnection series, 25 min, CV, (TB)
Module 3) Listing of IEEE SCC21 2030™ Smart Grid series, 20 min, MS
Module 4) Using of the published IEEE SCC21 2030 standards (2030 and 2030.2), 30 min, MS
Module 5a) Using of the published IEEE 1547 Stds (1547 and 1547.1), 15 min, CV
Break, 20 min
Module 5b) Using of the published IEEE 1547 Stds (1547.2, 1547.3, 1547.4, 1547.6, and 1547.7), 45 min, CV
Module 6) Status of ongoing full revision of IEEE 1547 and 1547.1: DER interconnection, interoperability, and interfaces, 35 min, CV, MS
Module 7) Closing remarks; getting involved; and discussion, 30 min, CV, MS
Biography:Thomas (Tom) Basso is an internationally recognized National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) subject matter expert for electricity grid integration of renewable energy systems and Smart Grid interoperability and interconnection standards and related activities. Over 33 years at NREL Tom has worked projects under the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. He has contributed as staff engineer, R&D engineering, project management, and currently serves as a principal investigator. Tom’s work continues to interface with stakeholders in industry, academia and government, including policy and regulatory professionals in addition to core interactions with engineers, scientists and technicians.
Tom was a founding member of IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee 21 (SCC21) – Fuel Cells, Photovoltaics, Dispersed Generation, and Energy Storage, and the IEEE Reliability Society (RS) Denver Chapter; currently serving as Chair of IEEE SCC21, and, IEEE P1547 and P1547.1 (DER interconnection and interoperability requirements and testing procedures) standards development, and Vice Chair of RS Denver.
Tom has a BS and MS in Engineering from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Biography: Mark Siira is a senior member of IEEE and currently active in IEEE Interconnection and Smart Grid standards development. He is an member of the Standards Coordinating Committee 21 which establishes standards for Grid interconnection and smart grid interoperability, Working Group Chair of IEEE 2030.2 Guide for Interoperability of Energy Storage Systems, Vice-Chair for IEEE1547 Interconnection Standard Revision, Chair for Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP) Sub Group A for developing a standards roadmap, and a member of the UL Standards Technical Panel 1741 (Inverters), 2200 (Generators) and 6171 (Wind farms interconnection).
Mark is the Director of Technology Strategy for ComRent International, a leader in load testing solutions for critical facilities and utility-scale systems. Mark is passionate about his effort to make the transition to a new electric power system in North America safe and seamless. Prior to joining ComRent, Mark spent sixteen years at Kohler Company developing products and solutions for electric power, including an inverter and energy storage appliance, combined heat and power systems, critical power systems paralleling switchgear, microturbines and Distributed Generation strategies. Before joining Kohler, Mark worked for Rockwell International’s Automotive (Meritor) business leading strategic planning and M&A activities as well as General Motors Truck and Bus Group.
Mark has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering Degree from GMI Engineering and Management Institute (now Kettering University), and an MBA from Harvard University.
Biography: Charlie Vartanian is the Northwestern Sales Manager for Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc. (MEPPI). MEPPI provides power equipment and turnkey projects to the North American utility market.
Charlie has 25 years of power industry experience marketing advanced power solutions, performing electric system studies, and contributing to IEEE technical standards development including leadership roles in IEEE 1547 and IEEE 2030.2.
He’s currently supporting both new product development and sales at MEPPI. He has worked on advanced grid technology topics including DER, microgrids, and energy storage previously at DNV KEMA, A123 Systems, UET, and Southern California Edison. More generally, Charlie has supported infrastructure planning and capital investment decision making for T&D power systems.
Charlie is a licensed professional electrical engineer and a Senior IEEE member.