February 17, 2010: “Aggregated Dispatchable Loads: Beyond Traditional Demand Response” by Dr. Alec Brooks, Google

Abstract: Today, the power grid is operated largely by controlling generation to match load. As ever-greater amounts of intermittent renewable generation sources are added to the grid, it will become increasingly difficult to achieve the overall balance of generation and load with the current approach. Active control of load offers a new capability to help manage the grid. Aggregated dispatchable loads will be able to provide grid services well beyond traditional demand response.

These services can help compensate for the variability of some renewable generation sources. Loads that participate in providing these services could realize a reduced cost of electricity. The talk will go through some fundamentals of how power grids operate and describe how loads could be controlled to provide some of the same grid services that are currently performed by powerplants. An example of how plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles could provide these services will be presented.

Bio: Alec Brooks joined Google in 2008 where he is working in the areas of renewable energy and integration of plug-in vehicles into the power grid. Previously, Alec worked on vehicle and aircraft projects at Tesla Motors, AC Propulsion, and AeroVironment.

At AeroVironment he led the development of the GM SunRaycer solar racing car and later led the development of the GM Impact electric vehicle, the forerunner of the EV1. At AC Propulsion, he spearheaded the development of concepts by which vehicles could supply ancillary service functions to the power grid and coined the shorthand term “V2G” to describe this technology. Later at AeroVironment he was chief engineer for the Global Observer high altitude hydrogen powered unmanned aircraft.

At Tesla Motors he developed and demonstrated how smart vehicle charging can perform grid ancillary services even without bidirectional power flow.

He obtained Ph.D and M.S. in Civil Engineering at Caltech, B.S. in Civil Engineering at UC Berkeley.

March 17th, 2010 , “Cost-Effective Grid-Scale Energy Storage” by Bill Gray (slides)

Abstract: Velkess has demonstrated a novel energy storage technology for large scale grid connected storage applications. Initial production systems will provide storage at < 1/10th the cost and 2x the efficiency of the best currently available systems (NaS batteries).

Clean Energy sources like wind, solar, and tidal produce power on nature’s schedule and are unable to raise or lower output to meet highly variable demand. This severely undermines their economic value and puts a low (technical) limit on potential market share. By storing excess energy produced at high output times for use later, large scale energy storage capacity can eliminate this problem and make wind the cheapest energy in the market. Presently available technologies are unable to provide bulk storage for these applications profitably, or at such large scale, due to high cost.

Bio: Bill Gray js the inventor of Velkess’s core technologies, including Velkess’s Floating Rotor Electrostatic Motor Generator and Self-Stabilizing Flexible Flywheel Configuration. Previous to starting Velkess, Bill was CEO of HereThere Designs, a revolutionary company that developed novel fabrication techniques and consumer products, conforming to the “Zero Pollution Footprint” ideal.

Before starting HereThere, Bill was an associate with Signal Equity Partners, a $100M Venture Capital fund in NYC, investing in later stage Telecommunications and Internet technology companies. Previous to Signal, Bill worked with a number of groups in NYC developing the systems and technology teams that formed the foundations of many successful “Silicon Alley” internet companies.

Education: A.B. Harvard College Economics

April 21st, 2010, “Switched-Capacitor Converters: Big and Small” by Michael Seeman (slides)

Abstract: Switched-capacitor (SC) DC-DC converters have historically been relegated to utilitarian low-power applications where high efficiency and regulation have not been important. Through our recent developments in analyzing SC converters, their suitability for a wide range of applications has become apparent. Two applications of SC converters. First, an integrated wireless sensor node power conditioning circuit will be presented with a standby power of less than 6 uW. Finally, an on-die power conversion circuit for microprocessors will be discussed.

Bio: Michael Seeman received S.B. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Physics from MIT in 2004 and received the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from U.C. Berkeley in 2006 and 2009, respectively. Michael performed research under the supervision of Prof. Seth Sanders on switched-capacitor DC-DC converter fundamentals and applications. His research on energy conversion ICs for wireless sensor nodes earned him a best paper award at PESC 2008. Dr. Seeman is now working at Solar Semiconductor Inc. as a Senior Design Engineer in their power management group.

May 19th, 2010 , “Behind The Scenes At IEEE Spectrum” byTEKLA S. PERRY, Senior Editor, IEEE Spectrum

Abstract: You’ve seen this publication for as long as you’ve been an IEEE member. A veteran editor will tell you how it’s changed, how the editorial process really works, and what being a technology journalist today is like in a world of podcasts and blogs and Youtube. For anyone who has ever thought about writing an article for a technology magazine, who might be interviewed by the technology press, or is simply a curious reader.

Bio: TEKLA covers consumer electronics, electronics and the environment, and high-tech startups from Spectrum’s west coast office in the heart of Silicon Valley, just a few blocks from Stanford University. Her feature articles, podcasts, blog posts, videos, and product reviews typically look at the people as well as the technology behind the news. In 2008, she spearheaded Spectrum’s coverage of the U.S. transition to digital television; her multimedia report on a new battery technology and the engineer behind it, “The Lady and the Li-On,” was featured on public radio’s nationally syndicated program,

“Here and Now.” Tekla’s a long-time Spectrum veteran; her articles on Xerox Parc, the Atari VCS, the birth of the graphical user interface, global warming, and the problems of the U.S. air traffic control system (which won an award from the American Society of Business Publication Editors) have become oft-referenced classics. She received a B.A. degree in journalism from Michigan State University.
Education: B.A., Michigan State University

June 16th, 2010 , “Formula-Hybrid Research at SJSU” by gan: Project Manager

Abstract: Formula-Hybrid@SJSU is a multi-disciplinary engineering project aimed at building an electric-gas formula-style vehicle. Based on a strict rulebook, the team designed, analyzed, fabricated, tested, and finally competed their car at the annual Formula-Hybrid competition in early May. “Athena”, the name of the 572 pound electrically-powered race car, took 2nd in her category and 12th place overall.

The project, doubling as a senior design capstone for both mechanical and electrical engineers, was funded by sponsorships and donations from various local companies including the IEEE Santa Clara Valley Section. The team plans to raise the bar in 2011, building a full parallel hybrid with integrated data management systems.

Bio: The team is made up of fifteen Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Senior Design students. In support of the senior design team is a group of underclassmen who learn from the seniors. The project is broken down into three teams: Chassis Team led by John Monson, junior, ME Powertrain Team led by Carlos Velasco, senior, ME Electronics Team led by Mahdi Ashktorab, senior, EE Project Manager is Joshua Hogan, junior, ME

Check These Sites Out!!
https://www.engr.sjsu.edu/sae/formulahybrid/
https://www.mercurynews.com/ci_15009525
https://engineering.dartmouth.edu/news-events/press/formula-hybrid-results10.html