European Smart Grids Forum

Dr Karl Derler

Managing Director, Linz Strom Netz

Biography

Mr. Derler has a degree for electrical engineering of the University of Graz and a final examination of law of the University of Linz. The professional experience of Mr. Derler covers the wide range of network and power plant planning, operation and construction. Additionally Mr. Derler is working as an expert in the liberalized market in Austria from the very beginning of opening the market in Austria in different functions. Since 2005 Mr. Derler is responsible for the network operation in the LINZ STROM Netz GmbH and LINZ GAS Netz GmbH as general manager.

Dr. Rémy Kolessar

Director, Dept for Technical Analysis , Energy Markets Inspectorate

Biography

Dr. Rémy Kolessar received a M.Sc. in Applied Physics from the University of Grenoble in 1994 and Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden in 2001. During 2001 and 2003, he was a faculty member and assistant professor at the Dept of Electrical Machines and Power Electronics at the Royal Institute of Technology where areas of interest included high power electronics and new converter technologies for HVDC transmission, grid connection of distributed generation and renewables as well as smart grid applications. In 2003, Dr. Kolessar joined the Swedish Energy Regulatory Authority, the Energy Markets Inspectorate (Ei) working with economic and technical regulation of the T&D business, with a special focus on regulation of quality of supply. He presently is Director of the Dept. for Technical Analysis at Ei, with responsibility for quality of supply and smart grid regulation in Sweden.

Johan Söderbom

Group R&D Programme Manager, Vattenfall

Biography

Johan Söderbom joined Vattenfall in 1995 at the Research subsidiary working with emission reduction from biofuel plants. Since then he has been having in different R&D positions in various parts of the company. During the last five years he has been heading Vattenfall's group wide initiative on Smart Grids from a position in Group Function Strategies. Within the scope of the R&D Söderbom is also deeply involved in Vattenfall´s work within e-mobility (electric vehicles). Johan Söderbom has got a master degree in engineering physics.

Vattenfall is Europes fifth largest Electricity generator and the largest producer of district heating. Vattenfall is present on markets in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK. The net sales of Vattenfall in 2009 were about 20 € billion and the number of employees is about 40 000. The vision of Vattenfall is to be a leading European energy company. Vattenfall is 100% owned by the Swedish State. Vattenfall is currently performing R&D in sustainable technology. Examples of this include Renewable generation, nuclear and coal with carbon capture and storage. New areas that are being explored for future applications are Smart Grids, Sustainable cities and E-mobility.

Jim Sutherland

Network Development Director, ScottishPower

Biography

Jim studied electrical & electronic engineering at Strathclyde University before joining the electricity supply industry in 1988. He completed an MBA at Heriot Watt University in 1999. Initially, he worked in the nuclear generation sector before moving into ScottishPower's networks business where he has held director roles in regulation and asset management. He is currently responsible for network development, including offshore transmission and ScottishPower's participation in the Low Carbon Networks Fund.

António Aires Messias

Executive Board Member - InovGrid, EDP Group

Biography

António Manuel Aires Messias holds a degree in Electrical Engineering (Energy and Power Systems) at Instituto Superior Tecnico (IST, Lisboa) (1976), and a MBA degree from Universidade Católica Business School, Lisboa. Holds an extensive experience in Electrical Energy Systems and previously was a lecturer in the Instituto Superior Tecnico (IST,Lisboa) (1978/80).

Currently he is the Board of Directors Advisor in EDPDistribuição.

Between 2009 and 2011 he was an Executive Member of the Board of Directors in InovGrid ACE. In 2007 to 2010, he was Coordinator of Project, Inovgrid, and Advisor for the EDP Executive Board as well as an Elecpor (Portuguese Association) representative in Eurelectric Management Committee, Proforum Director and Member of CIRED National Comittee .

Previously, he led the Lisbon Distribution Network Area (1999/2007) with more than 860 thousand clients and 265 employees and Oeinerge Director (2003/07). Between 1998 and 1999 he led the Distribuição21 Project, merging 4 Portuguese power distributors into EDP Distribuição. Between 1996 and 1998 was Director in Castelo Branco Distribution Center and member of EDP valuation team of CERJ (1996), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Between 1987 and 1996 he was the Coordinator for Network Planning in LTE, developing studies for 220kV underground cables injection in Lisbon and Planning Coordinator in the SIRED Project. He worked as an Engineer in LTE (1986 / 1987) and in the Transmission Network Laboratory (1980/1986) as coordinator of Metrologic Laboratory and Acceptance Test of Setubal and Sines Power Stations. Trainee Engineer (1977) on CP (Railway Company) .

Complementary to this experience has Seminars in Insead , Fontainebleu (2005) , Strategic Management in Unipede/ USW , Cologne (1999), Distribution Planning , EDF , Paris(1990) and has published several papers , namely : Ingenium (2011), UNIPEDE Lisboa (1998), CIRED Argentina, Buenos Aires(1996), CIRED Bruxelas (1995), CIRED Liége , 1ºEnc. Luso Afro Brasileiro de Distribuição (1991), and UNIPEDE , Lisboa (1989).