Ric O'Connell

Executive Director
Grid Lab

Ric is the Executive Director of GridLab, an organization that provides comprehensive and credible technical expertise on the design, operation, and attributes of a flexible and dynamic grid. GridLab assists policy makers, advocates, and other energy decision makers to formulate and implement an effective energy transformation roadmap. A recognized leader in renewable energy technology and policy, Ric has provided engineering support for more than 8 GW of utility scale solar projects worldwide, including several of the largest projects in the world.
Prior to GridLab, Ric was at Black & Veatch for 12 years where he was instrumental in building the global renewable energy consulting practice. While at Black & Veatch, Ric provided expertise to the Energy Foundation China program and had leadership roles on a number of high profile policy studies including 20 percent Wind Energy by 2030, and the California Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative.
Ric has a BSEE from Duke University and a Master's in Renewable Energy Policy from CU Boulder. Ric serves on the board of the Energy Systems Integration Group (esig.energy).

Presentation(s):

• Solar, Reliability, and New Concepts for Adding Reliability Services to PPAs

  Wednesday, September 26
  1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Clyde Loutan

Principal, Renewable Energy Integration
CAISO

Clyde Loutan is presently a Principal Engineer at the California Independent System Operator Corporation (ISO) focusing on power system operation performance, and was the Principal Investigator for several technical studies including the ISO’s renewable resource integration reports published in 2007, 2010 and 2016. He develop the ISO’s original “Duck Curve” to demonstrate how the increasing amount variable resources will change how the balancing of the grid is managed. He was also instrumental in working with NERC to identify ramping capability or flexibility as an essential reliability service needed to integrate higher levels of renewable resources. Mr. Loutan has been instrumental in developing several operating policies and was the lead engineer in charge of investigating the root cause of the California blackouts in 2000/2001. He also served on several North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Working Groups.

Mr. Loutan previously worked at the Pacific Gas and Electric Company for 14 years in various capacities such as Real Time System Operations, Transmission Planning and High Voltage Protection.

Mr. Loutan is a licensed professional engineer in the State of California. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Howard University in Washington D.C., and is a senior member of the IEEE.

Presentation(s):

• Solar, Reliability, and New Concepts for Adding Reliability Services to PPAs

  Wednesday, September 26
  1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Brad Rockwell

Power Supply Manager
Kauai Island Utility Cooperative

Presentation(s):

• Solar, Reliability, and New Concepts for Adding Reliability Services to PPAs

  Wednesday, September 26
  1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Julia Zuckerman

Senior Manager, External Affairs
Clearway Energy Group

Julia leads Clearway's (formerly NRG Renew) external affairs efforts in the western U.S., working in the legislative and regulatory arenas to advance Clearway's vision of a world powered by clean energy. She serves on the boards of the Coalition for Community Solar Access and the Large-scale Solar Association. Prior to joining NRG in 2015, Julia was a Principal in Energy Finance at Climate Policy Initiative, where she co-authored numerous reports on clean energy finance and policy. Her previous work experience includes positions with the U.S. Department of Energy and the New York City Office of Management and Budget.

Presentation(s):

• Solar, Reliability, and New Concepts for Adding Reliability Services to PPAs

  Wednesday, September 26
  1:00 PM – 2:00 PM