Who’s Got the Clout? The Smart Grid’s Most Powerful Men
May 11, 2010
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A while back I discussed the Smart Grid’s three most powerful women. Naturally, that begs the question of powerful and influential men. But this time, I thought I'd ask you to give me the answers, by using the comment form at the bottom of the page.
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First though, we should define our terms. So please use the nearby Quick Poll to vote on the career type that has the most influence over the future of the Smart Grid.
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A business executive like Guido Bartels, who has led IBM to the front of the pack?
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A behind-the-scenes architect like EnerNex’s Erich Gunther, who has his fingerprints on so many emerging standards?
A big thinker like Steve Hauser, who launched the GridWise Alliance and is now at NREL pondering what comes next for the grid?
A utility veteran like Paul De Martini, who recently left Southern California Edison to join the Cisco Smart Grid team as CTO?
A financier from Goldman Sachs, which has invested in a portfolio of companies ranging all up and down the electric power value chain?
A senior Department of Energy official, now that the federal agency finally has significant funding to dole out?
Greentech Media took a swing at this topic back in February, but they listed the top 100 movers and shakers. Interesting to be sure, but they dodged the hard job of boiling it down to the few who matter the most. I look forward to your nominations.
Stephan Scholl, SM and SVP of the Utility Global Business Unit at Oracle
Dave Bieber, Partner, Accenture, Responsible for Utilities
Andrew Stulbarg - 05/12/2010 - 07:18
Nomination
Dave Rouls, Partner, Accenture, Smart Grid Lead
Joe Laethem - 05/12/2010 - 07:22
most powerful MEN?
Your language and assumptions are out dated. The most powerful PERSON could be a woman. I find it ironic that you are addressing the 21st Century technology with 1950's language and assumptions. Let's walk into the 21st Century together with a 21st Century perspective.
Joann Kelley - 05/12/2010 - 08:01
smart grid's most powerful
I am not sure how this works. You have set the categories for us to vote on, but you have left off categories. DOE has done a lot, but what about FERC and Jon Wellinghoff? What about other state and federal policy officials? Also, in voting for the category, are we voting for the individuals you have recommended by choosing their category?
dan delurey - 05/12/2010 - 09:49
Behind the scenes candidate
Need to add Anto Budiardjo to the list. Anto created the first smart grid events to foster discussion among industry thought leaders and policy makers through GridWeek, Grid-Interop and ConnectivityWeek.
Anto probably has the deepest smart grid Rolodex in the industry.
Also played instrumental role in creation of SGIP and facilitates their meetings.
Barry Haaser - 05/12/2010 - 10:14
most influential smart grid
Although your question refers to career position, ultimately the most influence on the smart grid will come from the utility customer. Out of all the technology and product being developed - what is the customer willing to use and pay for? That will determine where the smart grid goes long term.
Chris Allen - 05/12/2010 - 10:31
Not a 1 person answer
I have the pleasure of working with all of these gentlemen and a number of ladies as well in the Smart Grid arena. No one of them can succeed unless we all do. Missing from this list are folks like Colette Lewiner, one of the most powerful utility thinkers in the EU, Sharon Allen who now lead's Accenture's efforts, and many others. I suspect when the book is written in 30 years looking back all of your list will be included and many of the real people on the Greentech Media list as well.
But there are names we are not aware of that will also be in that book. To win, we need everyone.
Doug Houseman - 05/12/2010 - 10:48
The Powerful Grid's Smartest Men
Sherman Elliott, Commissioner, Illinois PUC
Commissioner Elliott understands the critical importantance regulators can and must play in smart grid implementation. An economist by training, he is strong proponent of providing consumers with appropriate price signals and other incentives to make the most of the tools that will soon be made available to them. A frequent speaker on smart grid issues, Elliott serves on the Energy Resources and the Environment Committee of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and the joint Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)/NARUC Smart Grid Collaborative. He's also a member of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Energy Infrastructure and Security Act (EISA) Business and Policy Domain Expert Working Group on the Smart Grid.
Gary Rasp - 05/12/2010 - 11:12
smart grid's most powerful
I went for the Utility Veteran catagory primarialy based on existing Utility workers that know the work and also the importance of training those workers to help bring in the newer workforce that will actually implement the Smart Grid. Everyone has their part in regulations, funding, research and producing the products, but at the end of it all is the technicians that will be responsible for implementing and maintaining the system in a safe manner and with enough knowledge of the electrical grid and the dangers it poses.
The electrical workers without proper training used to die at a rate of 2 out of 3 workers. We've come this far to build up a safer system with safer practices, but the people that know most of the real world skills are close to retirement. So we take a bunch of college educated kids with more IT skills than practical working knowledge and expect them to step into the shoes of a retiring worker.
Wouldn't it be better to start them alongside the seasoned Utility worker so they can learn the basics and safety and then they will be in place to help implement and maintain the new Smart Grid?
Also I have to agree with JoAnn Kelley, this is not a man's world and from what I see, maybe if the men checked their egos at the door, we could get some real work done.
Jim Hall - 05/12/2010 - 11:22
Schweppe: Most Influence on the Heterogenous Smart Grid
I guess the above suggestions are exclusive of a smart grid that is homogeneous, in which all customers need to be fitted with a smart meter. This post is about the heterogeneous smart grid, in which customer are able to choose whether the want a smart meter or not.
As the creator of the Electricity Without Price Controls (EWPC) Architecture Framework, I will tell you that the late Fred C. Schweppe, of MIT, leading researcher of the heterogeneous smart grid and principal writer of the 1988 book Spot Pricing of Electricity, should be included in list of the most powerful of the now emerging heterogeneous smart grid. In the book all of the chapters except number 5 were written for a regulated spot price based energy marketplace. EWPC is an extension to of those original ideas with open retail and wholesale commercial markets.
Item 1.3 in the book’s overview, "How Will Customers Respond?," tells the customer orientation approach that went missing in the homogeneous smart grid that lacks customer choice, as smart meters are allow to be added to the base rate under an obsolete and no competitive utility business model. His homeostatic control is what evolved many years later as demand response.
To get deeper into Schweppe’s great historical relevance, please take a look at a "... comment posted under the article You Tell Us, by Willie D. Jones, that was first published in the January 2009 issue of the IEEE Spectrum online," that is found in the EWPC Blog as "I will Tell You Who is Going to Got the Power," and that can be read in the Internet address http://bit.ly/bNOMa2
To see the importance of shifting from the homogeneous to the heterogeneous smart grid, please take a look also to the most recent EWPC article "State Governments Need to Unleash the Benefits of the Next Big Thing" at http://bit.ly/ckolZe
I believe Dr. George Arnold, as NIST's National Coordinator for Smart Grid Interoperability, should be one of the most powerful. He certainly is articulate, technical and is working on a key area for success of the Smart Grid, or the "Enernet" as he has called it.
Gene Wang - 05/12/2010 - 21:12
Nomination Guido
I support Guido, we are very grateful that he has helped us setting up Smart Grid Australia. His drive, passion and enthusiasm is a great inspiration for the smart grid movement.
Paul Budde - 05/13/2010 - 02:06
He who makes the rules holds the gold
The most powerful persons over the outcome of Smart Grid development and actual deployment are the men and women who comprise the utility regulatory bodies of each state / country. Without their approval of changes in how the industry operates, the Smart Grid will remain a theoretical exercise with a few pilot deployments of technology.
Douglas Preece - 05/13/2010 - 05:54
Overlooked in GTM's NG100 list
... was Dr. Massoud Amin. Massoud, U of Minn, is one of the most forward thinking folks in the grid, Smart Grid and critical infrastructure protection space. Without question merits consideration as one of the most powerful/influential colleagues we've got. A wealth of resources are maintained here at his homepage: http://central.tli.umn.edu/amin.html
Andy Bochman - 05/13/2010 - 06:57
Don't Forget the Killer App
I am in full agreement with Dan Delurey and Douglas Preece on the importance of regulators and specifically Jon Wellinghoff, Chairman of the FERC. He has consistently championed the consumer benefits of the Smart Grid and specifically has been a big supporter of Demand Response, the current "killer app" of the smart grid and EVs which may become a killer app.
Also, why not include Tim Healy and David Brewster the founders of EnerNOC, one of the most successful new smart grid companies?
Rick Counihan - 05/13/2010 - 08:31
Most Influential...
Jesse, the more appropriate question is, who does the "most powerful in smart grid" look to as a thought leader? Dr. Sunil Cherian, Spirae CEO, without a doubt. Wade Troxell
Wade Troxell - 05/13/2010 - 10:30
Terry Mohn - he's the man
Terry is involved on so many levels, and is now the Vice-Chair of GridWise Alliance.
He is knowledgeable, supportive of new and exciting technology, and he's been involved on both sides of the situation - corporate and utility, and he knows what needs to be done to preserver our resources and make the world better for our children!
Paul Di Martini is getting to that stage as well - now that he's at Cisco - This should be a great addition to their team!
Jonathan Ziegler - 05/13/2010 - 11:25
Guido Bartels
Guido Bartels the Chairperson of GridWise Alliance has helped setup Smart Grid Forums in South Korea, Australia, Ireland; and helping shape up simillar movement in several other countries. He has also gven shape to another international forum - GridWise Global Forum for knowledge sharing amongst all countries that have embarked on Smat Grid adoption.
Guido no doubt has done more to propogation of Smart Grid than anyone else!
Reji Kumar - 05/13/2010 - 12:10
Me of course!
OK here we go for my shameless plug:
I am THE most important person in the smart grid business and political landscape!!
You may think this is a prank. Well, not, I am, just as you are, along with all the other consumers. We are the most important stakeholder here. The utility industry was regulated and built on that premise and the grid should continue to be a place where the end user is the priority in every possible way: because we need energy to be reliable, safe, affordable, clean, and because we need this to be done in a way that furthers the development of the US and World economy.
I am in business like you and many others here. We hope to profit from the development of the smart grid, but I certainly hope that the value won't be derived by to many selfish, speculative, empire building influences in the process. So, rather than making the smart grid, a plutocracy, let's build it as democratic as possible!
This may sound socialist, but please leave politics aside, this is just me trying to be as pragmatic as possible. I surely hope America can lead the way as it has so many times before. If the smart grid doesn't serve the needs of the greater constituency (the consumers) it won't be considered a success and example worldwide.
Thanks,
Dan
htp://www.origoterra.com
Dan Nicollet - 05/13/2010 - 12:44
Dan Delurey - smart grid policy making
Since one of the definitions of power is having one’s hand on the levers of policy making, then the Smart Grid’s Most Powerful People needs to include Dan Delurey, head of the Demand Response and Smart Grid Coalition. Dan’s been instrumental in organizing the Smart Grid industry and providing early thought and policy leadership through his National Town Meeting on DR and Smart Grid, long before our issue become fashionable. More importantly though Dan has been a key impetus for smart grid policy making in DC over the past decade. In many – if not most – cases he’s the one who came up with key Smart Grid ideas, crafted a proposal, and pushed it through, persuading on policy and politics. Key members of the House, Senate, the Administration and FERC all look to Dan and the DRSG for guidance – now we’re talking real power.
David Nemtzow - 05/17/2010 - 11:47
nomination mr. SmartGrid
Definitely Guido Bartels ! His drive and smart thinking has helped the industry to realize the first smart grid implementations !
ruud loth - 05/17/2010 - 14:12
Guido Bartels "the SmartGrid Man"
Definitely and undoubtedly , I would say Guido Bartels propounded and evangelised the Smartgrid concept across continents. His multi pronged approach - through industry coalitions, thought leadership, developing and nurturing the maturity model, academic collaborations, point of view publications, surveys, driving smartgrid projects across the world, driving technical standards and open industry frameworks - has helped define smart grid in a holistic and inclusive manner and with utility and customer in focus. He championed this movement as a true industry coalition beyond organisational or product boundaries. Guido, definitely, is the most powerful SmartGrid man.
Santhosh S Nair - 05/17/2010 - 19:31
SmartGrid man most powerful man is...
Guido Bartels... as mentionned above he is a true leader with a clear vision!
Alexandre Videt - 05/17/2010 - 23:24
Mr. SmartGrid
I would say that Guido Bartels is the man who did the most to evangelize SmartGrid concepts among that E&U specialists who I knew. He has vision, and "power" to energize others, so he is the "most powerful in SmartGrid".
Janos Prikk - 05/18/2010 - 01:30
No one
No one is powerful in todays world. There is not one technology solution available that would cover the needs of smart grid.
Nelle - 05/18/2010 - 02:22
A powerful smart grid individual
Ali Vojdani, CEO of UISOL (Utility Integration Solutions, Inc.) should be considered as a driving force for smart grid. His company is leading initiatives with partners like Berkeley Labs and other vendor companies to develop open source standards like the OpenADR specification and advances in CIM. Software developed by UISOL provides the logic engine enabling market operators and utilities to efficiently, reliably, and securely manage DR processes end-to end.
Marc Marton - 05/20/2010 - 04:51
Tony Giroti, powerhouse in Smart Grid open technologies
I'd like to nominate business executive and "big thinker," Tony Giroti, CEO of BRIDGE Energy Group, Inc. Tony has been helping to lead the way in open Smart Grid Reference Architecture that specifically addresses the integration and interoperability challenges facing the energy industry.
Tony is a strong proponent of standardization, interoperability and open technologies. Over the course of his tenure, he has contributed towards the development of many open standards - currently working with the Grid Wise Architecture Council, CIM Users Group, OASIS and more.
His work in open Smart Grid Referece Architecture is based on the foundation and direction prescribed by Department of Energy’s Vision, GridWise® Architecture Council’s Context-Setting Framework for Interoperability and National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Report on Roadmap and is currently being considered as a foundation for further work by standard setting committees.
Kerri Martinek - 05/25/2010 - 09:18
ZigBee Alliance's Bob Heile
Bob Heile, Chairman of ZigBee Alliance, is an architect and thought leader in the development of the Smart Grid. He recognized the industry’s need for an open energy standard in 2006, well before any other standards group was working on what is now known as the Smart Grid. His leadership allowed ZigBee Alliance members to complete the first version of ZigBee Smart Energy in record time, creating the first global, low-power, low-cost wireless standard for home area networks, a key component to standardize and expedite Smart Grid development efforts. To ensure ZigBee Smart Energy continues to address market requirements for Smart Grid implementations worldwide, Bob facilitated strategic partnerships with other integral alliances to create greater consensus to speed implementation of the Smart Grid.
The results of his leadership include, ZigBee Smart Energy being named the first open standard to be endorsed by the European Smart Metering Industry Group for smart metering across Europe and the ZigBee Smart Energy standard being selected by the U.S. Department of Energy and NIST as an initial interoperable standard for HAN devices for the Smart Grid.
Kevin Schader - 06/28/2010 - 14:22
Smart Grid Men?
What's the deal with the Smart Grid's Most Powerful Men? "Men?" Why not the Most Powerful Players? "Men?" You should know better.
Ellen Berman
CEO CECA Solutions
Ellen Berman - 07/17/2010 - 05:03
Prof. Massoud Amin
Andy Bochman is right on: Dr. Massoud Amin is the pioneer of smart grids, who not only coined the terms "smart grid" and "self-healing grid", but also led the largest RD&D in this space during 1998-2002, and keeps pressing on with humility, dignity and innovation. Just Google him... in a World of self-promoting wannabes, he is the opposite. The most brilliant, humble, forward-thinking, and self-effacing person you'll ever meet.
Natural gas is getting so cheap that it may become cheaper and faster to slap up a gas-fired peaking plant than to implement a complicated demand response or renewable project - two of the biggest drivers of a smart grid. Yikes! Will natural gas alternatives make the smart grid too expensive by comparison? That's this week's Tuesday Topic in our discussion forum. Please join in.
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