Green Jobs: Executive Moves at Comverge, EPRI, Primus Power, KPCB

New CEOs, directors, and executives in utilities, cleantech, and alternative energy

Comverge, a supplier of demand response software for residential and C & I customers, named Gregory Dukat as Chairman, President and CEO. Dukat was most recently Chairman and CEO of Campus Management, a provider of software to higher education institutions. Dukat's appointment follows Blake Young's resignation as President and CEO. Comverge was acquired in 2012 by H.I.G. Capital.

 

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) announced that Denis O’Brien, senior EVP at Exelon Corporation and CEO of Exelon Utilities, has been named chairman of the Board of Directors. Gil Quiniones, president and CEO of the New York Power Authority, was named vice chairman.

 

Dr. Chris Case was named CTO of Oxford PV, a spinout from Oxford University developing perovskite-based solar cells. The firm has raised more than $10 million in equity funding. Previously, Case served as CTO at the Linde Group.

 

Energy storage startup and flow battery developer Primus Power named Ravi Oswal as VP of Operations. Oswal was most recently VP of Technical Operations, as well as VP of Process Quality and Engineering, at Bloom Energy, where he was employed for nine years. Primus announced the first close of a $20 million Round C led by South Africa’s Anglo American Platinum earlier this year. Other investors include DBL Investors, I2BF Global Ventures, Chrysalix Energy Venture Capital, and KPCB. Founded in 2009, Primus has logged $35 million in total venture capital, along with significant funding over the years from DOE, ARPA-E, and the CEC.

 

Fortune's Dan Primack reports that KPCB partner Amol Deshpande "appears to have launched a startup called the Farmer’s Business Network," as per this SEC filing citing a $4.6 million investment. Deshpande had been active in Kleiner's "green ag" efforts but, according to Primack, he got "passed over" in the recent restructuring at the VC firm.   

 

Arthur (Bud) Vos joined Enbala Power Networks as president and CEO. Previously, Mr. Vos served as COO at Simple Energy and as CTO of Comverge. Enbala's previous CEO, Ron Dizy, will remain with the firm as EVP and Chief Revenue Officer. Enbala provides a software platform for for grid optimization. One of its best-known projects is in PJM territory, where it has been providing frequency regulation services by aggregating quick-responding load from about twenty sites. Enbala is on GTM's Grid Edge 20 list.