Smart Grid: Smart Grid Champion Erich Gunther Gets Award At GridWeek - Smart Grid News

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Smart Grid Champion Erich Gunther Gets Award At GridWeek
By Erich Gunther
Sep 25, 2008 - 9:09:34 AM

Smart Grid News provided the title. Erich’s award is well deserved.

Now from Erich:

In the Amphitheater. Today at GridWeek, I was mainly focused on preparing for the two sessions I had presentations at. The first session is entitled “Interoperability Fundamentals” and the second is “Grid Efficiencies: Anticipated or Real?”

I was planning on presenting some details on one of my clients AMI projects in the second session but at the last minute, my clients concerns over presenting information not yet seen by their regulator scuttled that presentation. I quickly contacted another client about presenting data on their project but we quickly ran into a similar roadblock! So I ended up spending the entire time of the morning keynote in a corner of the Amphitheater creating a presentation from scratch on AMI and smart grid pilot project metrics and sanitizing some real data to make it interesting. I didn’t quite finish that presentation before I had to go to my first session on interoperability – I hope I have time to finish it in time!

Polaris Room. The interoperability session was well attended and Dave Hardin – a fellow GridWise Architecture Council member – did a fantastic job of describing the GWAC’s interoperability framework with some of the best real world examples I have seen yet. My presentation focused on the tools and methods necessary to achieve interoperability using the framework. Rik Drummond finished off the session with an excellent presentation on testing which lead to some lively discussion during the Q&A period.

Lunch – Not! Time to finish the new presentation for the 1:30 session instead of having lunch. Oh well, I am trying to lose weight anyhow! After uploading to the GridWeek PointView web site with 20 minutes to spare, I was ready to go and make the presentation! This was a good session with excellent presentations on smart grid activities at SCE and Progress Energy and some technology that Areva working on – something called Mixed Integer Programming – I have to find out what the heck that is!

GridPoint knows how to throw a party! After the last session, I planned an optimal route to the various vendor receptions to get some free drinks! We started with the IBM/ABB suite then moved on to SmartSynch, then headed out and across the street to the GridPoint bash in the Willard Hotel. GridPoint sure knows how to throw a reception! Great H’orderves! (Erich needs to learn how to spell, but we will forgive him this time.)

Marriott Ballroom – Recognition Dinner. OK, the vendor reception path lined me up for a short walk to the Marriott for the recognition dinner. Last week Anto called me to let me know that I had been selected to receive one of the GridWeek 2008 technology leadership awards – a major honor! It turns out that Jesse Berst nominated me – thanks Jesse! I now remember that I have not written any notes on what I want to say upon receiving the award – in scramble mode again!

As Anto was leading up to announcing my award, he started giving hints. As soon as he said the next recipient is someone who spends a lot of time on a plane and has seat 8A permanently allocated to them, Ron Ambrosio shouted out his guess – Erich! I have to find a way to spend less time on a plane!

I had my acceptance speech written but I don’t think I got through all of it properly so I included the full text below. I mainly had to thank my clients for giving me very interesting and challenging problems to solve.

Marriott Bar: The Gunther tab is open. Time for a few drinks with friends before calling it a night!

My hotel: OK, the second shift begins – deliverables due, emails to read and respond to ….

GridWeek 2008 Technology Leadership Award Acceptance Speech

Thank you very much for this most prestigious honor. My receiving this honor is only possible due to the exceptionally hard work of my staff and our business partners supporting me to meet the needs of our clients. We thrive on solving hard problems – really hard problems. I thank our clients for giving us those opportunities! I specifically want to thank Paul De Martini from SCE, Wayne Longcore from Consumers Energy, Pat Waters from Entergy, Ron Hofmann and Mike Gravely from the California Energy Commission, and Arshad Mansoor, Mark McGranaghan, and Don Von Dollen from EPRI for providing us with the opportunity to work on challenging projects. We are working with many other utilities and institutions such as BC Hydro, Duke Energy, TVA, SRP, First Energy, the DOE, Southern Company and many more who have also provided us with the opportunity to advance the state of the art of smart grid technology and vision. I also want to thank Jesse Berst and Phil Bane for giving me the opportunity to express my opinion in the Smart Grid Newsletter and web site on technologies and products that are being deployed to implement the smart grid.

All of this activity has resulted in significant growth in our company – EnerNex was recognized in Inc. Magazine by being ranked as one of the fastest growing privately held companies. We ranked 1709 on the Inc. 5000 list. I might have to consult with Anto and use his marketing expertise to find a way to make being ranked 1709 sound cool! However, our ranking at number 45 on Inc. Magazine’s list of the fastest growing energy companies might make a better story!

Thanks again to our clients for the challenging work and to the GridWeek organizing committee for this award.

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