Solar Subsector Manager
Solar Subsector Manager

Biography

Tom was named PNNL's subsector lead for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) in April 2018. With a growing focus on grid integration, SETO will benefit from Tom's specialized background. Tom is an IEEE Fellow who has spent many years working on inverter technology design and integration of solar systems with the grid. Tom joined PNNL in August 2016 to provide technical leadership and project management for the research portfolio in distribution analysis and automation, demand response, and distributed energy technologies. His primary research focus is on novel simulation, modeling, and analysis capabilities. Before PNNL, he was at the University of Pittsburgh, MelTran (his own company), Enernex, Ansoft (now part of ANSYS), Electrotek Concepts, PTI (now part of Siemens), and Westinghouse Electric. Tom's career highlights include contributions to OpenDSS and other open-source software, standards (IEEE 1547, 1410, 1243, and 1729, along with IEC 61968), and commercial software products (PQWeb, Maxwell, and SIMPLORER). He has conducted many grid consulting projects that span modeling, analysis, and measurements taken in the field. Tom has also taught nine different undergraduate and graduate university courses for credit. At PNNL, his largest projects have been software simulation platforms for transactive energy systems and for distributed applications, along with power system protection, inverter controls, and energy storage integration. 

Research Interest

  • Circuit, device, and system simulation
  • Grid integration of renewable energy, storage, and responsive loads

Disciplines and Skills

  • C Programming
  • Computational Electromagnetics
  • Distribution System Modeling
  • Java
  • Numerical Simulation
  • Power Electronics
  • Power System Protection
  • Power Systems and Electrical Engineering
  • PSCAD/EMTDC
  • Python
  • Solar Power
  • Transactive Energy
  • Wind Power

Open-Source Software Projects

  • On GitHub: GridAPPS-D, CIMHub, TESP, GridLAB-D
  • On SourceForge: OpenDSS, KLUSolve, IEEE Flash, OpenETran

Education

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Doctor of Philosophy, Electrical Engineering

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 

Master of Engineering, Electric Power Engineering

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 

Bachelor of Science, Electric Power Engineering

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • IEEE Power and Energy Society, Industry Applications Society
  • Cigre
  • Licensed Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania, #PE-035275-E

Awards and Recognitions

  • IEEE Fellow, 2014, "for contributions to modeling and analysis of electric power distribution systems and lightning protection"
  • IEEE Fortescue Fellowship, 1980–81
  • NSF GRFP Selected, 1980