Clean power trailblazer Brian Curtis tapped for microgrid expertise in agricultural setting
May 17, 2021 – Salinas, Calif. – Concentric Power Inc., an energy technology company deploying intelligent microgrids throughout California, announced today that CEO Brian Curtis will be speaking at several events focused on government and clean energy solutions. Event organizers chose Curtis for his expertise in successfully leading Concentric Power in its mission to build clean power infrastructure and create a pathway to zero carbon power for its customers. All sessions will take place virtually on Tuesday May 18 and Thursday May 20, 2021.
Curtis will be teaming with City of Gonzales City Manager Rene Mendez at two of the three events to present a case study on the City’s planned $70 million microgrid and wastewater treatment plant powered by 80% renewable energy. At 8:00 a.m. PDT on Tuesday May 18 Curtis and Mendez will participate in Microgrid Knowledge’s 2021 event, “The World Awakens to Microgrids.” Their panel session, “How Microgrids Reduce Energy Costs,” will examine how the project will improve the energy economics for Gonzales’ Ag Industrial Park as well as the overall economic development of the City. The conference, billed as the world’s largest microgrid event, is free to those attending the live session.
Hosted by the Local Government Sustainable Energy Coalition (LGSEC), the second event is a webinar called “Local Governments Empowering Energy Solutions” that will focus on the role that local government plays in public utilities, essential services, and modernizing infrastructure. The LGSEC’s vision is that “local governments are a leading and innovative force in achieving energy and climate goals to create resilient and environmentally responsible communities across California.” During the session, Curtis and Mendez will discuss how they are developing the first community-scale microgrid in and around the Ag Industrial Park. Working hand in hand with the City of Gonzales was key to bringing this project to life.
To register for LGSEC’s upcoming free webinar that begins at 1:30 p.m. PDT on Thursday May 20, go here.
Also on Thursday May 20, Curtis has been invited to present at the National Science Foundation (NSF) – sponsored Convergence Accelerator Workshop focused on “Accelerating Sustainable Systems for Food Security in Extreme Environments and Food Deserts.” The NSF workshops bring together teams to tackle a theme and solve some of the nation’s biggest problems. It gathers a pool of experts with wide ranging experience–from academia, industry, government, non-governmental organization (NGO) and foundations–to guide those teams.
Curtis, whose talk begins at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time, will focus on the microgrids that Concentric Power has built in California for agriculture customers. He’ll speak to how microgrids are working their way into the food system in the U.S. and how that model can be translated worldwide. For more information or to watch the free virtual event, please visit.
Concentric Power designs, builds, operates and deploys microgrids using sustainable energy to immediately reduce carbon emissions and set customers on a path towards net zero energy operations. Concentric Power’s projects also deliver energy resilience, power independence and economic savings.
“Brian is leading the charge in developing microgrids and technologies that empower customers to transition to sustainable operations,” said Andrew Bogan, a member of Concentric Power’s Board of Directors since 2014. “We’re happy to see his and the company’s work being recognized by government and industry organizations alike.”
Curtis and the Concentric Power team are currently developing first-of-their-kind microgrids across California that will deliver reliable and resilient energy to customers at rates lower than the current utility. These groundbreaking projects overcome the challenges that have held back broad microgrid development in California, including interconnection and utility-side upgrades. The projects solve grid limitations that could hamper economic development while using an innovative project agreement structure that alleviates the upfront capital expenditure that is cost prohibitive for most organizations or public entities.
About Concentric Power Inc.
With offices in Salinas, Campbell, and soon-to-be Bakersfield CA, Concentric Power Inc. is an intelligent microgrid developer with a proven track record in agricultural, industrial and community applications. The company’s patented Microgrid Controller technology manages the complete energy mix including supply, load and cost management. With complete design, engineering, procurement, construction, operations, finance and maintenance services, Concentric Power offers a scalable solution for the 21st century grid.