5A - Future-Proofing the Grid

Michael Keller

CharIN e. V.

Germany

Michael Keller is member of the Executive Board of the Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN e. V.) and heading the Volkswagen Group development coordination for Charging and charging infrastructure. He has more than 22 years’ experience in the automotive industry at suppliers and OEMs. Before he joined Volkswagen in 2010 as head of “energy systems and functions development”, he was heading the traction battery technology and battery development at a Tier 1 (Continental). Michael Keller received his engineer degree for electric in Karlsruhe and was awarded with the “Professor Ferdinand Porsche Preis” of the Technical University in Vienna in 2009 for the “first automotive application of a lithium-ion hybrid battery”.

Frank Geerts

ElaadNL

Netherlands

Frank Geerts is chairman of the Dutch working group smart charging as part of the national climate agreement. He is also director smart charging at ElaadNL where he accelerates the widespread market deployment of smart charging. Frank leads a team of experts which is responsible for the coordination of the smart charging program of the Dutch grid operators. Frank has over 20 years’ experience in the energy sector and over 10 years’ experience in the eMobility sector. He is a regular speaker on many international conferences.

Tisura Gamage

University of California, Davis, Electric Vehicle Research Center

United States

Tisura Gamage is a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Davis. Prior to starting his Ph.D. program, he graduated with a master’s from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) with a concentration in Energy Policy and International Economics. His current research focuses on understanding the reliability of DC fast chargers and the challenges/ costs of installing corridor chargers. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

Vaishnavi Karanam

Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis

United States

Vaishnavi Karanam is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California – Davis. Prior to starting her Ph.D. journey, she obtained a M.S. and a B.S. in Computer Science from the same university. She is in the Transportation, Technology and Policy program within the Institute of Transportation Studies. Her current research focuses on understanding EV driving and charging behavior and creating tools, using deep learning methods, to facilitate ethical and energy efficient behavior anywhere along the EV supply chain.