John Kelly
Executive Director
Galvin Electricity Initiative

John Kelly has worked with Bob Galvin for the past six years to research and create innovative approaches to transform the electricity system. This includes developing new governance models that will catalyze investment that produces outcomes that matter to consumers. He developed innovative Perfect Power prototypes that demonstrate the art of the possible in terms of consumer requirements – cost efficiency, reliability, conservation, and environment. These prototypes are being designed to serve as replicable models of new system designs that create a competitive advantage for cities and business.

In 2011, Mr. Kelly developed a new performance rating system for the grid modeled after LEED, a green building certification. Known as The Perfect Power Seal of ApprovalTM it provides a standard set of performance measures and design criteria for assessing the performance of microgrids and smart grids. These metrics draw from six sigma continuous improvement methods and reflect the Initiative’s research into consumer’s needs and goals. www.galvinpower.org/sealofapproval

As author of numerous research papers, Mr. Kelly has focused on electricity reliability, smart grid cost benefit and state policy reform best practices. He recently assisted in the formation and is a board member of Local Energy Aggregation Networks, a non-profit dedicated to expanding community choice aggregation nationwide. This innovative policy reforms empowers cities to pursue competitive, clean, and efficient power supply for their residents and small businesses. www.leanenergyus.org

For 30 years Mr. Kelly has provided consulting services to the electric and natural gas industries. For the past decade he has focused on developing innovative, sustainable energy models and designs for cities, large multiuse developments and microgrids. This experience includes developing new consulting practices for Sargent and Lundy, Duke Engineering, and the Gas Technology Institute as well as co-founding Endurant Energy and Intelligent Power Partners.

Mr. Kelly received a Bachelor of Science in Energy Engineering from the University of Illinois, Chicago, and a certificate in Environmental Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. In addition, he has completed studies in electricity restructuring, environmental engineering and energy engineering. He has been a featured speaker on sustainable development, smart grids, microgrids, consumer empowerment, utility restructuring, district energy, distributed energy, and energy markets. He is a founder of the National Energy Center for Sustainable Communities (www.necsc.us), and is also one of the founders and past treasurer of the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (www.mwalliance.org).