Greentech Lead America: EnerNex has opened its Smart Grid
Labs testing facility at the firm’s headquarters in Knoxville, Tenn.
Prior to the opening ceremony, EnerNex co-founders, Jeff
Lamoree, Erich Gunther, and Bob Zavadil spoke on the importance, mission, and
vision of the Smart Grid Lab.
Guest speakers, Mayor Rogero (City of Knoxville Mayor),
Paul De Martini (Managing Director of Newport Consulting), and Rhonda Rice
(Executive Vice President of the Knoxville Chamber) spoke on the importance of
Smart Grid Labs in the local and Smart Grid communities.
“Thank you to all of those who made the Smart Grid
Labs Grand Opening a huge success. This would not have been possible without
the support of our platform sponsors, dedicated Smart Grid Labs personnel, our
industry advisors, and of course our current clients who are already using the
facility. The opening of this Lab represents a key step in evolving the
industry from talking about modernizing energy infrastructure to actually doing
it,” said Erich Gunther, EnerNex Chief Technology Officer and Director of
Smart Grid Labs.
After the ceremony, guests got an opportunity to tour and
interact with the Lab infrastructure and demonstrations showcasing expertise
in: Smart Grid communications interoperability, consumer domain
interoperability, advanced metering standards, grid design, grid command and
control, technology adoption risk management, and security assessment.
EnerNex displayed an interoperability evaluation platform
based on client and vendor contributed systems in use or development for
today’s Smart Grid.
The Lab was constructed complete with utility poles,
feeder and substation equipment, ruggedized utility communications gear,
advanced metering systems from head end to Field Area Networks (FAN) to meter
to Home Area Networks (HAN), building automation networks, and consumer
targeted Smart Grid devices (TV displays, smart thermostats, tabletop HMI
displays, smart kitchen appliances, and smart washer/dryer).
The facility has the support of several key platform
sponsors contributing to the design and functionality of the Lab space.
Companies include: Arbiter Systems, AutoGrid, Bosch, Control4, Cisco, ecobee,
Emerson, eMS, Electro Industries, Energate, GE Appliances, GE Digital Energy,
Hindle Power, Itron, Landis+Gyr, Lenoir City Utilities Board, LG Electronics,
NovaTech, openPDC, OSIsoft, Power ANalytics, Ruggedcom, SilverSpring Networks,
SEL, Sisco, Subnet Solutions, Sub-Zero, TE Connectivity, Tektronix, Trilliant
and others.