EMAIL INTERVIEW -  Jack Mc Gowan & Ken Sinclair

Jack Mc Gowan, President of Energy Control Inc

Mc Gowan is President of Energy Control Inc., an Energy Service Company and System Integrator.  He is the author of 5 books including “Direct Digital Control” on Fairmont Press.  The Association of Energy Engineers named him 1997 “International Energy Professional of the Year and Admitted him to the “International Energy Managers Hall of Fame” in 2003.  Mc Gowan is a Contributing Editor with www.automatedbuildings and sits on the Technical Advisory Boards of Energy User News and Engineered Systems.

GridWise™ ...input is needed

I am really trying to connect with the European energy community to identify some speakers that can see the long term benefits of integration and interoperability as tools to improve electricity reliability, but also to save money.

Sinclair: What is happening with GridWise™?

Mc Gowan: Two exciting events are in the works. BuilConn Europe will include a track that focuses on this issue from an international perspective. The second major event coming up is the GridWise Constitutional Convention in late fall this year.

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Sinclair: What will the BuilConn Europe track cover?

Mc Gowan: This track will explore the beginnings of energy services in the European business model, know as chaufagge, and evaluate how Intelligent Buildings technology can be used to manage electricity on both sides of the meter. This track will look at energy and GridWise by exploring how Chaufagge, a European concept, has transformed into a $3 billion international energy services market. Energy Services represents at least 25% of the global controls market, and it is going to be the driving business model to sell integration and interoperability. Energy savings already sell controls, the future of GridWise and Intelligent Buildings will require energy savings, but savings revenue streams can also come from any enhancement to the business process. So the key is to show GridWise as a component of a bigger picture that started in Europe as Chaufagge and is growing globally.

Sinclair: How has the response been to this BuilConn Europe track?

Mc Gowan: Well, I have several speakers who do business internationally that are already signed up to participate. Right now though I am really trying to connect with the European energy community to identify some speakers that can see the long term benefits of integration and interoperability as tools to improve electricity reliability, but also to save money. It is critical to have this track reflect the European perspective on interoperability, GridWise and smart system technology.  I am the call for speakers for Builconn Europe, if interested in speaking send me an email jackmcgowan@energyctrl.com.

Sinclair: That is exciting, but for those readers who have not heard of GridWise, can you provide a little more background?

Mc Gowan: Sure, GridWise is initiative by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Electricity and Energy Assurance (DOE OEEA). I am a member of the GridWise Architecture Council, which was created by the DOE and whose efforts are being managed by a team at Pacific Northwest National Labs (PNNL). The focus is on defining the architecture necessary for a reliable and efficient national electric system. The result of this effort will be information technology that will make interoperability possible on a grid wide scale to ensure that electricity is safe and reliable. Even more exciting is that this architecture will also make it possible to implement a wide range of new functions. I believe that it will be possible to create economic incentives for utilities and customers to enable an interoperable system that could dispatch energy efficiency in the same way that utilities dispatch the start-up of a new generating unit today. It has been referred to as the smart grid.

[an error occurred while processing this directive] Sinclair: That sounds interesting, but what is the GridWise Constitutional Convention?

Mc Gowan: The GridWise Constitution was conceived as a way to define the ground rules for this electric smart grid. It will establish the principles that will form a governance framework for electric power system interoperability over the next 30 years. The Constitution is a vehicle to establish consensus surrounding fundamental principles and amass buy-in from stakeholder. The Consitutional Convention will be a forum to share this vision for the GridWise with stakeholder, and will act as the catalyst for research, development and deployment of technology and programs that are designed to make the smart grid a reality.

Sinclair: Who are these stakeholders and can anyone speak their mind on this smart grid?

Mc Gowan: Stakeholders include all those who are impacted by the Grid; electric users of all sizes, utilities, energy service providers, integrators, suppliers, regulators, legislators, consultants, etc. In other words everyone. If you are interested in spending an hour of your time providing input on this topic, visit http://www.pnl.gov/gridwise/ and then contact me or any of the Council members.

Sinclair: What else do you suggest to learn more about GridWise?

Mc Gowan: Well readers can start right here, www.automatedbuildings.com has run several articles recently on this topic, and of course the proceedings from BuilConn-Americas in Dallas this year also had good content. Visiting the PNNL site above will also lead to a great deal of useful data. Finally, getting involved in either of the events listed is also an option for those who want to learn more and have input to this effort.

Some Gridwise information available on www.automatedbuildings.com

What is GridWise?  GridWise is an entirely new way to think about how we generate, distribute and use energy. Using advanced communications and up-to-date information technology, GridWise will improve coordination between supply and demand, and enable a smarter, more efficient, secure and reliable electric power system.

Gridwise...merging Information Technology and Energy

Energy@BuilConn BuilConn participants will learn how to position themselves for the opportunity to deliver technology that enables a more effective U.S. Electric System and integrates building consumption on a completely new level.

Integrated Information Technology is the New IT How is the hospitality industry pushing the boundaries of what intelligent buildings can do?

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