EPIC to hold ‘Reinventing the Power Industry’

UNC Charlotte’s Energy Production and Infrastructure Center, in conjunction with CLT Joules, will hold the energy seminar series “Reinventing the Power Industry” from 1 to 4 p.m., Thursday, April 21.

The power industry is on the cusp of major transformation as customers drive the expansion of distributed energy and Big Data analytics provide utilities with new ways to generate, deliver and price energy. Investor-owned–utilities like Duke Energy and Southern Company must decide how to position themselves in the energy value chain that is being disrupted by new technologies, a more active consumer, slow growth, evolving regulations and diminishing shareholder returns.

Rudy Shankar, professor and assistant director of EPIC, said top energy executives will share their thoughts and perspectives on changes needed in the power industry at this first-of-its-kind, free event.

Seating is limited for this seminar, which will be in Cone University Center, McKnight Hall. Students, faculty, staff and the public can register to attend online.

Seminar speakers will be Rob Caldwell, senior vice president, distributed energy resources at Duke Energy Corp.; Kim Greene, chief operating officer of Southern Company; Bob Irvin, executive director of CLT Joules; Larry Makovich, vice president and senior adviser, Global Power; Paul Wetenhall, president of Ventureprise; and Shankar.

In his role, Caldwell is responsible for developing policies, strategies and business development activities related to distributed energy resources, which include solar photovoltaic, distributed and renewable generation; cogeneration/combined heat and power; microgrids; and plug-in electric vehicles and storage.

Greene oversees the Southern Company system’s operations, including generation, transmission, engineering and construction services, system planning, and research and environmental affairs, as well as Southern Power and Southern Wholesale Energy. Prior to becoming COO in 2014, Greene served as president and CEO of Southern Company Services.

Executive director of CLT Joules, Irvin is a 25-year industry veteran with a depth of experience in business development, strategy, system planning, technology ventures and leadership development. His experience includes transformational and growth activities at TVA, Duke Energy and NYSEG.

Makovich is an authority on electricity markets, regulation, economics, and strategy, his current research focuses on electric power market structures, demand and supply fundamentals, wholesale and retail power markets, emerging technologies, and asset valuations and strategies.

Since joining the Ben Craig Center as president in May 2008, Wetenhall led the transformation of the center into Ventureprise, the region’s conduit to entrepreneurial development and only nonprofit innovation initiative, enabling the formation and early stage growth of high potential business ventures, located in the PORTAL.

Shankar assists in broadening the scope of the research areas that include grid modernization, the smart grid, renewable energy and energy utilization to include industry and utility partnerships, agency funding and technology demonstrations to EPIC constituents and stakeholders. Prior to UNC Charlotte, he was vice president and chief technology adviser for the Tennessee Valley Authority.