Bios and Abstracts

Brad Heilman, P.E.

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL)

Title:

Overcoming Grid Challenges with Modern Solutions

Abstract:

The energy sector is facing a number of challenges that threaten the reliability and resilience of the grid. Cybersecurity threats, extreme natural events such as wildfires, concerns about resource adequacy, and the changing mix of resources and loads on the bulk electric system are all issues that must be addressed to ensure a secure and sustainable energy future. This presentation will briefly explore these challenges and solutions, including the development of smarter grid technologies. By taking a comprehensive approach to these issues, we can build a more resilient and reliable energy system that meets the needs of consumers.

Bio:

Brad Heilman, P.E., has a B.S.E.E. degree from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. From 1990 to 1997, he was employed as a system protection engineer for Black Hills Power & Light. His utility work included transmission line and generator protection, power plant and substation commissioning, and SCADA system upgrades. In 1997, he joined Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. as a field application engineer supporting customers in Arizona, California, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, Idaho, and South Dakota. He is an IEEE member and licensed professional engineer in the state of South Dakota.

Dan Williams

Principal Advisor – Western Markets

Title:

Understanding the organized markets in the West

Abstract:

This talk focuses on the organized day-ahead markets forming in the West. The presentation will cover differences between SPP Markets + and CAISO EDAM, implications of these markets emerging, and what it all means for utilities in the Northwest.

Bio:

Dan has worked in and around western wholesale energy markets for nearly two decades. Starting in the energy industry as a renewable energy contracts and settlements analyst for PPM Energy, Dan moved on to work as a real-time energy trader, first for Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and then Tri-State Generation and Transmission, before returning to PSE to help grow its FERC-compliance and markets and regulatory policy group. In 2012, Dan joined Portland General Electric’s power trading team where he helped organize and lead the Northwest Power Pool MC initiative, a regional effort to form a day-ahead and real-time market that pre-dated the CAISO Western EIM, before transitioning to representing PGE’s interests in the west as a Western EIM entity and participant in the CAISO intertie market. Dan joined Customized Energy Solutions in 2018 as Director of Market IQ-West where he advised and reported on CAISO policy and markets activity for a diverse range of industry clients. Dan transitioned to TEA in early 2023 where he now serves as TEA’s Principal Advisor on Western Markets and is actively engaged in policy development efforts across the west.

Scott Gibson

Manager – Energy Storage and Emerging Technology

Alex Chorey

Principal Engineer –  Energy Storage and Emerging Technology

Jessica Spahr

Program Manager – Energy Storage and Emerging Technology

Title:

25MW Battery Storage Project at Snohomish County PUD

Abstract:

One electric utility in the US Pacific Northwest, in a look toward the long-term needs of the region, has developed a state-of-the-art microgrid combining community solar photovoltaic generation, advanced grid-forming battery energy storage system (BESS), and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. This microgrid demonstrates the promise of an increasingly electrified future—from grid resiliency to V2G integration to an ability to run on 100% renewable power. Commissioned in mid-2021, the project represents a critical milestone in Snohomish Public Utility District’s (SnoPUD) journey to maximize the value of microgrid and grid edge technologies across their service territory.

One primary challenge that the microgrid addresses is the challenge of V2G integration and interoperability. Microgrid approaches can reduce the complexity and streamline the two-way service between the vehicle and grid. They also offer reinforcing benefits, where the vehicles can act as DER for the microgrid and beyond, and the microgrid can serve as a resilient hub for ensuring power for the electric vehicles. The paper will provide insight into strategies used, as well as showcase the benefits to the vehicle fleet, the microgrid, and the utility network. Lessons learned from the implementation will be distilled and highlighted. In addition to showcasing valuable insights from the project, the paper will present the architecture and demonstrate measurable impacts with real-world data.

In addition to the hardened V2G infrastructure, the microgrid will host two facilities that are critical to the operations of SnoPUD: a modular data center and a new utility office. Both facilities will benefit from failsafe and secure power provide by the microgrid, which will enable SnoPUD to meet critical objectives related to disaster response. This capability will allow the site to act as an emergency operations center and critical response hub during disaster events, providing utility resiliency against earthquakes that are common in the area, as well as risk reduction against increasingly severe weather events that are expected due to climate change.

Interoperability of components was a key factor in the microgrid design. A central strategy to address this has been compliance with the Modular Energy Storage Architecture (MESA) open standard to streamline physical, electrical, and communication interconnection of energy storage systems. MESA seeks to accelerate the interoperability of distributed energy resources, with a focus on utility-scale energy storage. The MESA-compliant BESS in the Arlington Microgrid complies with IEEE 1547 and California Rule 21 as well as additional market-based functions to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operations for the utilities grid.

Microgrid projects like Arlington are helping to demonstrate the symbiotic benefits of pairing electric vehicles and locally generated solar. A microgrid also addresses the inter-related dependencies between transportation, integrated vehicle charging solutions, and the increasingly renewable backbone of the electric grid. For example, it allows clean solar energy stored in electric vehicles to provide ancillary and energy services necessary to integrate high penetrations of solar. A successful microgrid, much like energy storage investments, bundles together a range of values at the grid edge. This paper will illustrate how the value of each asset stacks into a successful business case for the utility, by providing critical backup power from hybrid operation of solar, BESS, and V2G; using the BESS to stabilize the network and manage peak demands; and providing a platform for renewables and electric vehicles.

Bio:

Scott Gibson is the Manager for the Energy Storage & Emerging Technologies Department at Snohomish County PUD. He is a Professional Electrical Engineer and a 1987 graduate from the University of Wyoming. After graduation, Scott worked for Boeing and then with a consulting company designing electrical systems for commercial and industrial facilities. In 2000, Scott joined the PUD where he had the opportunity to work on the development of a tidal generation project, assist with the construction of two “run of the river” hydroelectric projects and then be the project manager for the PUD’s first state-of-the-art utility scale microgrid.

Alex Chorey is a Professional Electrical Engineer and has worked for Snohomish County PUD for over 15 years. After graduating from Gonzaga University in 2007, he joined the PUD’s distribution and transmission engineering group to build and maintain the electrical grid in Snohomish County. After spending much of his career focused on building the infrastructure to deliver power to customers, he transitioned to his current role in the Energy Storage and Emerging Technologies group which is working to ensure that the PUD has reliable capacity resources to flow through that infrastructure. Alex is a Washington native and is excited to be a part of the development of clean energy resources in the Pacific Northwest.

Jessica Spahr is a project manager in the Energy Storage and Emerging Technologies group at Snohomish PUD. She graduated from the University of Washington with a BS in Atmospheric Sciences and University of Denver with an MS in Environmental Policy and Management. She has held a variety of environmental, renewable energy, and grant reporting roles at the PUD since 2007, including the environmental lead for the Admiralty Inlet Pilot Tidal Project, Arlington Microgrid, and PUD’s hydroelectric projects. She is passionate about supporting clean energy in Washington state and beyond.

Rob Siefken

COO, Safegaurds3 and member of the E-ISAC’s Physical Security Risk Advisory Group

Title:

The VISA Risk Management Tool and Methodology for Physical Security

Abstract:

This talk focuses on NERC and E-ISAC’s recommended risk management tool for determining physical security upgrades. The well documented output from this discussion-based analysis gives the risk manager the ability to make an informed, risk-based decision on security upgrades and justification on where they must accept risk. The presentation will cover what the VISA process is, and what we have learned through delivering this workshop over 20 times throughout the North American grid.

Bio:

Rob Siefken currently holds the distinguished position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Safeguards3, where he plays a pivotal role in overseeing the organization’s operational excellence. In addition to his leadership at Safeguards3, Mr. Siefken also holds a notable role as a valued member of the North American Electricity Reliability Corporation (NERC) and serves on the Physical Security Advisory Group (PSAG) of the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC).Moreover, he has delivered over twenty E-ISAC-sponsored risk management workshops to the North American electricity sector, focusing on capacity-building vulnerability assessment and analysis.

Mr. Siefken’s career is characterized by a remarkable dual trajectory, spanning two decades of dedicated service in the U.S. Army Special Forces, followed by an impressive twenty-one years of contributions within the Department of Energy’s (DOE) safeguards and security domain. During his tenure, he made significant contributions, including serving as a staff instructor at the DOE National Training Center for almost a 5-year duration. Subsequently, he transitioned to the esteemed Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where he devoted 17 years to his work.

At PNNL, Mr. Siefken played a pivotal role in various domestic and international non-proliferation training initiatives and physical security-related programs within the National Security Directorate. Notably, his expertise extended to the global stage, where he implemented multifaceted nuclear/radiological safeguards, border security, and other capacity-building programs. His efforts took him to over 40 countries, reflecting his extensive international engagement.

Throughout his distinguished military and DOE careers, Rob Siefken demonstrated exemplary leadership qualities and orchestrated the successful execution of critical missions. His contributions extended to the development, delivery, management, and mentorship of training staff and programs, affirming his profound expertise in these domains.

Rob Siefken’s exceptional journey, marked by unwavering commitment and outstanding achievements, continues to shape and elevate the fields of safeguards, security, training, and operational excellence, making him a respected figure within the industry.

Sofia WeirPierin

Physical Security Analyst, The Electricity Information Sharing Analysis Center North American Electric Reliability Corporation

Title:

The VISA Risk Management Tool and Methodology for Physical Security

Abstract:

This talk focuses on NERC and E-ISAC’s recommended risk management tool for determining physical security upgrades. The well documented output from this discussion-based analysis gives the risk manager the ability to make an informed, risk-based decision on security upgrades and justification on where they must accept risk. The presentation will cover what the VISA process is, and what we have learned through delivering this workshop over 20 times throughout the North American grid.

Bio:

Currently, Sofia is a physical security analyst at the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC), where she provides high-quality, timely, reliable analysis and context regarding physical security and industry trends, emerging tactics, techniques, procedures, and relevant threat actor behaviors.

Sofia has degrees in Mechanical and Energy Engineering (B.S., University of North Texas) and Energy Policy and Climate (M.S., Johns Hopkins University) with a focus on the power sector and the impacts of policy decisions on energy security and grid reliability. Prior to working at the E-ISAC, Sofia served as operations manager for a commercial construction firm. This work was followed by a year of service in the federal government during which she worked in facilities management at the National Agricultural Library (USDA) and the Supreme Court Building and Grounds (Architect of the Capitol).