Mike wrote Transmission Fox to help analyze, check topology, and visualize power flow models. Since 2010, he has strived to understand how generation, transmission, loads, finance, and reliability all work together. The hardest part to understand was the web connecting all of these elements, the grid. While not wanting to perform the power flow studies himself, Mike wanted to understand and validate that the models being used were accurate for existing and expected system configurations. Transmission Fox provides both visual and analytical tools to evaluate models, at no cost, allowing more industrial professionals the ability to check and validate power flow models.

In his own research, Mike has found major differences from ISO-to-ISO and Study-to-Study in powerflow models as the grid becomes more complex with explosive load growth. It is important for all stakeholders, including transmission owners, developers, and rate payers, to have accurate models. Inaccurate models could lead to reliability issues, raising rates unnecessarily, and delaying economic development.

Mike has over 15 years of experience in the power industry, spanning many different areas. Out of college, he started as a Generation Engineer at Indiana Municipal Power Agency, working with their joint-owned coal units (Prairie State Energy Campus, Duke Energy Indiana’s Gibson Station, and LG&E’s Trimble Coal Units). He also oversaw the start-up, siting, procurement, and commissioning of IMPA’s solar program, building solar in the communities they served. At ACES, Mike started as a Transmission Analyst on the Transmission Team, advising clients on the transmission system, with a particular focus on SPP, MISO, PJM and ERCOT. He led improvements in modeling, including a massive increase in Auction Revenue Rights for SPP clients. In 2019, Mike joined ACES Portfolio Strategy group, helping clients develop plans for the next six months to twenty years of power supply. This included starting up the ACES Integrated Resource Planning Group, working on projects in SPP, MISO, and WECC.

In 2021, Mike joined BW Solar to oversee energy storage sitting. As the company grew, this included setting up transmission & market analytics, submitting interconnection applications, engaging in policy, and overseeing Engineering. Mike submitted almost 1 GW of projects in MISO’s DPP-2022 process, with over 725 MW of standalone energy storage projects successfully divested to other developers.

He has a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University, a graduate Certificate in Energy Management & Assessment from Purdue University, and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, with a minor in Electrical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Indiana, New York, and Illinois. He has passed the FINRA Series 3 exam.

Mike currently resides in Noblesville, IN, with his wife, two boys, and dog.