Clean Energy Solution Series - Wireless Technology: New Technologies and the Electric Grid

NDN's Clean Energy Solution Series
June 16, 12:30pm
NDN Event Space, 729 15th Street, NW First Floor
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To view webcast, please click here at 12:30pm

With political and policy stalemates stalling deployment of clean energy, it is clear that we need to lift up new ideas and strategies to generate the right outcomes to enhance US energy security and clean energy competitiveness.  NDN/New Policy Institute’s Clean Energy Initiative is hosting a new “Energy Solutions Series” to highlight and examine pathways to bring about a new 21st century global energy paradigm.

On Thursday, June 16, please join us for our first panel:  Wireless Technology:  New Technologies and the Electric Grid.  This panel will highlight how wireless communications can create innovation opportunities for clean energy technologies and the smart grid.  We will also release new national polling which shows public support for new approaches on energy outside the scope of the current debate.

The smart grid is fundamentally changing the relationship between consumers and their electricity provider.  No longer will consumers grimace at the high cost and perplexity of their utility bills.  Through the creation of increased systems knowledge and increased operational response options, smart grids will make it possible for utilities to engage two way communications systems all the way to the customer premises and enable consumers to benefit from dynamic pricing.

Joining Dan Carol, Senior Fellow for Innovation and Clean Economy and Michael Moynihan, Chair of NDN”s Clean Energy Initiatie will be Nick Sinai, Senior Advisor to CTO, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Stewart Kantor, CEO of Full Spectrum, Kurt Yeager,  Executive Director of Galvin Electricity Initiative and Hassane Bouhia, Group Manager at Verizon Telecom Connected Home Product Marketing.

Nick Sinai - Senior Advisor to CTO, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Previously to serving as Senior Advisor, Nick served as the Energy and Environment Director of the National Broadband Plan at the Federal Communications Commission. The National Broadband Plan, which was delivered to Congress on March 16, 2010, included an ambitious vision for how broadband and advanced communications can help the nation achieve its goals of energy independence and energy efficiency. Nick has also served a senior advisor to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, the lead agency for clean energy in Massachusetts.

Prior to entering public service, Nick was a principal at Tenaya Capital, a leading mid-stage venture capital firm, formerly known as Lehman Brothers Venture Partners. Nick was also an investment professional at Polaris Venture Partners, a national venture capital and private equity firm. At Polaris, Nick was a key part of investment teams, and a board observer, to a number of information technology and clean energy companies.

Stewart Kantor - CEO of Full Spectrum

Mr. Kantor has over 15 years of wireless experience and was most recently Vice President of Business Development of Vyyo, Inc, a publicly held broadband wireless equipment manufacturer. In this capacity, Mr. Kantor led Vyyo's successful entry into the wireless data business for the Electric Utility Industry. Mr. Kantor has held senior management positions with AT&T Wireless, BellSouth International and Nokia Networks. Mr. Kantor has a BA from Columbia University and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School.

Kurt Yeager - Executive Director of Galvin Electricity Initiative

Kurt E.Yeager joined the Galvin Electricity Initiative, an effort to perfect the electric power system, shortly after it was launched by former Motorola chief Bob Galvin in 2005. As its leader, Yeager works with electricity experts, innovators and entrepreneurs to design and build Perfect Power System models of a smart, efficient electric power system that cannot fail the consumer. He also leads the Initiative in driving the electricity policy changes necessary for system transformation at the state and federal levels.

Yeager previously served as the president and chief executive officer of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), retiring in 2004 after 30 years with the organization. Under his leadership, EPRI evolved from a nonprofit industry think tank to a family of companies that undertake both proprietary and collaborative research and development for the electric power industry in the United States and 40 other countries. During that time he also guided an industry-wide collaborative effort to address challenges and plan for the future of electric power. “The Electricity Technology Roadmap” and the “Electricity Sector Framework of the Future” have since become the foundation of utility industry progress.

Hassane Bouhia - Group Manager, Verizon Telecom Connected Home Product Marketing

Hassane Bouhia is currently managing a connected home portfolio of services for Verizon Telecom’s product marketing group. He is responsible for product management of Home Energy Management (HEM), Home Automation, and Home Security services. Bouhia has extensive experience in product development and management previously supporting Verizon’s High IQ FiOS platform from a HAN perspective and prior to that Verizon High Speed Internet (HSI) platform. Hassane Bouhia holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Decision Sciences and MIS from George Mason University and a Master of Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School.