Staff

Principal, PJA Energy Systems Design, consulting in technical design, research and energy policy

Goals:
To develop and implement a regional real time spot market exchange for electricity with transaction costs low enough to permit universal access;
To develop technical responses to the emerging energy markets in the areas of energy conservation, cogeneration, heat pumps, district heating and alternative sources of energy.

Education:

BS Engineering Antioch College Yellow Springs OH

Experience:

Current Activities:
Current project to develop a low-cost communication and control system to permit spot market access to small participants. The system is in early testing.

Current intervenor and participant in several regulatory dockets and working groups in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Current researcher on a technical project on the development of a small-scale electronic load-following cogeneration system.

Independent consultant on energy system technical design, research and policy development.

Member, Board of Directors, Northeast Energy and Commerce Association

Past Activities:

As an independent consultant, I was affiliated for twenty years with Pequod Associates, now part of ERI Services, Inc. I contributed to a number of projects, both technical and policy oriented; a few examples follow:

District Heating

development of an innovative steam-to-hot wet air conversion technique for steam heated buildings in hot water district heating systems, applied in St. Paul MN;
a study of the cost saving potential of a system using a pre-insulated plastic
pipe for district heating;
a study of the potential for a district heating system for Cambridge MA.

Biomass Energy

thermal design for a wood-fired power plant;
exploration of the possibility of utility-scale methane production from anaerobic digestion of agricultural and animal waste;
wood / biomass gasification for engine based cogeneration systems;

Cogeneration Systems

design of hospital back-pressure steam turbine cogeneration system;
design of several large scale engine based industrial cogeneration systems;
modification of an existing hospital engine based cogeneration plant from steam to both steam and hot water cooling as the need for power increased;
studies for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on cogeneration potential for state buildings;

Retail Competition in the Electric Industry

studies on the potential for retail competition for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts;
testimony to The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on PURPA efficiency standards;
paper presented to NARUC / NRRI on concept of a real time spot market for power;

Energy Conservation Studies for schools, hospitals and industry

design of interstage ice storage for an ice cream plant;
design of heat pump heat recovery for hospital ventilation system;
design steam compressor for hospital to eliminate high pressure boiler;
design of heat recovery and cogeneration systems for an auto assembly plant;

Heat Pumps

consideration of designs for an ocean-source heat pump system for a
university;
annual cycle thermal storage system for a Texas private school;
heat pump heat recovery from swimming pool ventilation system

Before my affiliation with Pequod, I worked with several energy related organizations.

Mitre Corporation, Bedford MA:
Evaluation of an effort to increase business contracting for research activity at universities, especially for energy-related projects.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, State Energy Office:

Staff Engineer for the Governor's Commission on Cogeneration.
Prepared testimony for the Commonwealth to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on the development of PURPA.

Center for Energy Policy, Boston MA:
Project design that led to the establishment of the Governor's Commission on Cogeneration.

Independent research and consultation for several clients on the application of wind, biomass, small-scale hydro, solar and cogeneration systems.

Professional Affiliations: (current and past)

Northeast Energy and Commerce Association, formerly New England
Cogeneration Association - Long term member, Board of Directors,
currently active on several committees

Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, formerly New England Solar
Energy Association - Founding member and former member Board of Directors

International District Heating and Cooling Association