CA Chapter Presents: FlexDemand Series Part 5/6: Integration and Performance Assessment Approaches

Patty Cook is a strategic leader responsible for driving innovation and change towards an affordable and clean energy future. She leads ICF's distributed flexibility services product and market development activities, which includes planning for and designing innovative customer programs that support electrification, resiliency and flexible load management. Working at the intersection of customer preferences, emerging technology and policy, she supports business strategy evolution to help clients operationalize the transformation to a clean, affordable customer-centric grid. She advises clients on regulatory strategies, new business models, technology and financing options to accelerate the transition to a clean and resilient energy future.

Doug Middleton leads utility and Virtual Power Plant Business Development for Tesla. He’s launched and scaled dozens of VPP programs across North America, some with hundreds of megawatts of dispatchable capacity. Prior to Tesla, Doug led business development for Leap, a leading VPP platform provider and he’s held various positions in strategy, engineering and business development at CLEAResult, AES, the U.S. Department of Energy and others.

Paul De Martini is a leading expert on the business, policy, and technology dimensions of a more distributed and resilient power system. Over the past decade, he has led the development of advanced grid planning practices, DER utilization for distribution grid services, and tariffs and programs for microgrids. His extensive U.S. DOE publications and consulting work for utilities, system operators, energy tech firms, and regulatory agencies have influenced industry transformation efforts in the U.S., Australia, and Canada. Paul was previously the Chief Strategy & Technology Officer for Cisco Systems’ global energy business unit and earlier served as Vice President, Advanced Grid Technology, at Southern California Edison.

Jay Oliver is Vice President, Energy Storage and Grid Development at Duke Energy. In this role he leads battery storage development and engineering, transportation electrification grid readiness, and the deployment of advanced distribution planning tools. Mr. Oliver has over 30 years of experience in electric distribution, transmission, and related technology applications. over 30 years of experience in electric distribution, transmission, and related technology applications.

William Marin is a founding partner at Verdant Associates who specializes in technical and economic analysis of distributed energy resources. William’s work has included directing evaluations of the nation’s largest and most impactful DER programs and policies including the Self-Generation Incentive Program and the Net Energy Metering tariff. William’s work is focused on ensuring a just and equitable transition to a decarbonized future through rigorous and transparent analysis. He thrives in complex stakeholder environments and takes pride in producing models and findings that stand up to public rigor.