SEPA Announces New Chairs for EV and Transactive Energy Working Groups

NYPA’s Rajiv Diwan and PNNL’s Trevor Hardy Assume Leadership Roles

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) announces that Rajiv Diwan, director of e-mobility strategy and business development at the New York Power Authority (NYPA) will serve as co-chair of the SEPA Electric Vehicle Working Group. Trevor Hardy, power system research engineer at Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL) will serve as chair of the SEPA Transactive Energy Working Group.

“With nearly 15 years of background in the energy sector, I’m fortunate to be able to bring together my professional experience with my passion for EVs,” said Rajiv Diwan. “I firmly believe that utilities, regulators and solution providers can leverage their collective expertise to tackle emerging challenges in the EV space. With EV sales critical to meeting state and federal climate goals, I’m honored to lead the SEPA EV Working Group as we seek an electrified transportation system that is intelligently integrated with utility operations.”

Rajiv has worked at NYPA for the past six years, where he leads the development of Evolve NY, a new business line focused on developing up to 800 public DC fast chargers in New York by 2025. The SEPA Electric Vehicle Working Group was previously chaired by Greggory Kresge of Hawaiian Electric. The working group includes almost 700 members, and focuses on utilities’ role in the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs), smart charging infrastructure trends, and new innovative business models. The working group is co-chaired by Olivier Pincon, founder of ZappyRide.

“Rajiv is a wonderful addition to the SEPA Working Group community,” said Garrett Fitzgerald, principal, electrification at SEPA. “He brings a unique perspective from his work in both the private and public sectors. We are excited for what is to come in 2022 and beyond.”

Trevor Hardy brings a wealth of experience in the transactive energy space, most notably from leading multi-lab development for DOE’s co-simulation platform, HELICS, as well as other large-scale co-simulation initiatives. Trevor takes over as working group chair from Mark Knight of Burns & McDonnell, and will be supported by David Holmberg of NIST as vice-chair. The transactive energy working group includes over 200 members, and develops tools & techniques for advancing understanding and application of transactive energy concepts to enable high penetrations of DERs supported by intelligent economic market structures, standards, and regulations.

“Through my time at PNNL, I have seen transactive energy evolve from a hypothetical to reality, said Trevor Hardy. “The SEPA Transactive Energy Working group serves an important role in shaping the development of tools and techniques that advance the understanding, value potential, and application of transactive energy concepts within the electric sector. I’m honored to continue this important work.”

“Trevor has already proven to be an effective leader with the necessary experience to guide the SEPA Transactive Energy Working Group,” said Cynthia Hunt Jaehne, director, engagement at SEPA. “We have a robust plan for 2022 and look forward to contributing a forthcoming transactive energy field guide and a regulatory accelerator project kicking off this month.”