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Biography
Erich W. Gunther is the Chairman, Chief Technology Officer, and co-founder of EnerNex where he helps EnerNex clients define their strategic direction in basic R&D, technology, and product development.
Gunther has more than 25 years of experience in design and development of innovative solutions to a wide array of power system problems, most notably ways to take advantage of communications networks and technology to improve the efficiency, operating practices, and security of the electric power system.
Erich was appointed by the US Department of Energy in 2004 to serve on the GridWise Architecture Council (GWAC) – a focused team of experts assembled to articulate the guiding principles that constitute the architecture of a future, intelligent, transactive, energy system. Mr. Gunther serves on the board of directors of the Utility Communications Architecture International Users group as its chairman. He is a registered professional engineer in the state of Tennessee.
In 2007, EnerNex and Mr. Gunther were recognized by the Department of Energy and other organizers of the GridWeek conference by receiving the Smart Grid Implementation and Leadership Award. The award announcement stated: “Under Erich Gunther’s leadership, the EnerNex team has clearly driven how we implement and deploy smart grid technologies from coast to coast and everywhere in between”. Erich also received the individual Smart Grid Award for Technology Leadership at GridWeek 2008 and 2010.
Mr. Gunther is presently leading the EnerNex team in its role as administrator for the NIST Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP). The SGIP is charged with supporting NIST to accelerate the development and implementation of the standards necessary to ensure multi-vendor, interoperable solutions for grid modernization are available to support the policy initiatives described in EISA 2007.
Mr. Gunther was part of the original team that developed EPRI’s IntelliGrid Architecture and led the team that refined and documented the IntelliGrid Use Case based requirements development methodology through its first major application at Southern California Edison for their AMI and Smart Grid programs. He is presently the lead consultant for EPRI to developing smart grid roadmaps for several utilities including Duke Energy, First Energy, Salt River Project, Southern Company, LIPA, and others.
Industry Expertise (3)
Utilities
Electrical Engineering
Energy
Areas of Expertise (4)
Electric Power Infrastructure and Smart Grid
Consumer Energy Management and Devices
Utility Enterprise Architecture
The Future of Energy Production and Consumption
Accomplishments (3)
Ham Radio Operator - WG3Q (personal)
Extra Class
Private Pilot - Fixed Wing and Helicopter (personal)
IEEE Fellow (professional)
The IEEE Grade of Fellow is conferred by the Board of Directors upon a person with an extraordinary record of accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest. The total number selected in any one year does not exceed one-tenth of one percent of the total voting Institute membership (around 380,000 in 2011).
Education (2)
Gannon University: Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering 1982
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Master of Electric Power Engineering, Electric Power Engineering 1984
Affiliations (3)
- SGIP
- IEC
- IEEE PES
Links (3)
Event Appearances (3)
Grid Infrastructure for Beginners
GridWeek 2011 Washington DC
2011-09-12
Smart Grid, Utilities, and Internet Protocols
Google Tech Talk - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB4-mBQPd7k Google Headquarters
2010-04-14
Creating a Clean Energy Future
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5JepLJiblI US Embassy in Scotland
2010-10-20
Sample Talks (1)
Grid Modernization Opportunities and Challenges
An overview presentation that focuses on the latest developments in technology, business, and policy associated with grid modernization - the so called Smart Grid.
Style
Availability
- Keynote
- Moderator
- Panelist
- Workshop Leader
- Host/MC
- Author Appearance
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