Ljubisa Stevanovic, GE Global Research, to Keynote iNEMI Alternative Energy Workshop in San Jose

Herndon, VA — September 20, 2010 — Keynote speaker Dr. Ljubisa Stevanovic, chief engineer, energy conversion advanced technology for GE Global Research, will set the stage for two days of industry discussions at the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative’s (iNEMI’s) Alternative Energy Workshop, October 20-21 in San Jose.

Dr. Stevanovic leads GE’s silicon carbide (SiC) power electronics activities. He has 20 years of experience in developing energy-efficient power electronics solutions, and his technical expertise as well as application knowledge span several industries.  His work has encompassed power circuit topologies and controls, SiC power devices, power packaging and thermal management, electronic ballasts and magnetics. He is the co-author of more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and co-inventor of 30 patents. Dr. Stevanovic received the Dipl.Ing. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Belgrade, Serbia, in 1988, and his Ph.D. in power electronics from the California Institute of Technology in 1995.

The workshop, hosted by iNEMI member Cisco, will focus on the technology challenges and standardization gaps affecting deployment of alternative energies, and identify issues that are best resolved through collaborative efforts between the electronics industry and the energy sector. iNEMI’s primary focus is in the “balance of plant” — the system elements surrounding the energy conversion core— and in standardization opportunities, such as assembly, testing, reliability evaluation and similar areas of commonality.

“There is an increasing need for energy solutions that minimize the impact to our environment.  This can be accomplished by a combined approach of adopting viable and reliable renewable energy sources that generate clean energy along with energy-efficient technologies that help conserve energy,” said Dr. Ravi Bhatkal, vice president of energy technologies for Cookson Electronics and one of the workshop organizers.  “As these technologies are being deployed, there are industry-level issues that can be addressed through collaboration.  This workshop can help set the agenda for iNEMI as well as other industry groups to address gaps and accelerate sustainable solutions.”

Joining Stevanovic on the agenda are Scott Sandell, general partner, New Enterprise Associates Inc., who is scheduled to speak at the workshop dinner October 20, and several industry and government leaders involved in research and development of alternative energies who will participate in technology sessions covering a broad range of energy topics:
 
Wind power
Ashis Bhattacharya, group vice president, Moog
Ralph Teichmann, product manager, GE Energy
Dr. Jonathan White, Wind & Water Technologies, Sandia National Laboratories

Energy storage/power conditioning
Chris Hartshorn, director, Lux Research
Dan Kinzer, senior vice president, technology, Fairchild Semiconductor
Steve Rhoades, CEO, Satcon
Greg Steele, vice president of operations, Enphase

Solid state lighting
Dr. Jy Bhardwaj, vice president, technology and R&D, Philips Lumileds
Marshall Miles, vice president, business development, Inventronics
Govi Rao, President & CEO, Noveda Technologies

Photovoltaics
Jeff Doubrava, managing partner, Prismark Partners
Dr. Jeff Nelson, manager, Photovoltaic System Evaluation Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories
Dr. Raed Sherif, vice president, market development, eSolar

Smart grid
Barbara Goldstein, associate director, Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory, NIST
Dr. Shihab Kuran, CEO, Petra Solar
Annette Winston, senior manager, Smart Grid Product Operations, Cisco

In addition to the technology sessions, both days will include break-out discussion sessions to discuss key issues and brainstorm ideas for addressing those issues.

Registration
Registration is free for iNEMI members. Non-members can register for $350 through September 26, and $400 after that date. For additional information, go to http://www.inemi.org/cms/calendar/Energy_WS_Oct2010.html

About iNEMI
The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative’s mission is to forecast and accelerate improvements in the electronics manufacturing industry for a sustainable future.  This industry-led consortium is made up of approximately 100 manufacturers, suppliers, industry associations and consortia, government agencies and universities.  iNEMI roadmaps the needs of the electronics industry, identifies gaps in the technology infrastructure, establishes implementation projects to eliminate these gaps (both business and technical), and stimulates standards activities to speed the introduction of new technologies.  The consortium also works with government agencies, universities and other funding agencies to set priorities for future industry needs and R&D initiatives.  iNEMI is based in Herndon, Virginia (near Washington, D.C.), with regional offices in Shanghai, China; Limerick, Ireland; and Tokyo, Japan.  For additional information about iNEMI, go to http://www.inemi.org.