Petra Solar Announces New Chief Technology Officer
Johan Enslin, Ph.D., Pr. Eng. Appointed Chief Technology Officer
(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, Nov. 15, 2010) - Petra Solar, the pioneer and market leader in grid-tied, pole mounted, distributed solar generation systems with a Smart Grid backbone for utilities, announced today the appointment of Johan Enslin, Ph.D., Pr. Eng., as Chief Technology Officer.
"Dr. Enslin's position as Petra Solar's Chief Technology Officer will help take Petra Solar to the next level and help us continue to grow the solar electric business," said Petra Solar President and CEO, Dr. Shihab Kuran. "We are developing the largest solar electric project under construction in the United States today and are engaged with utilities around the world. Dr. Enslin, a seasoned leader in transmission and distribution planning, power electronics, wind and solar renewable integration, will be a key contributor to Petra Solar's continued success."
Dr. Enslin has combined a 29-year career with leadership activities in industry and in higher education in the United States, Europe and South Africa. He has served as an executive and consultant for private business operations and as a professor in electrical and electronic engineering. He initiated and managed renewable energy groups and executed multiple projects for U.S. and international customers in system planning, power electronics and renewable energy integration. Throughout his career, he has performed work for more than 80 U.S., European, Asian and African power utilities, governments and industries.
Prior to joining Petra Solar, Dr. Enslin was Vice President for Quanta Technology in Sustainable Energy and International business. He was also a Vice President for the Alpha Technologies group where he was the General Manager for Alpha's Renewable Energy division. Previously he was Vice President of System Planning at KEMA Inc., a director at power electronics manufacturing companies, and the principal in establishing a new medium voltage, Smart Grid and power electronics research, development and testing laboratory in Arnhem, The Netherlands.
Dr. Enslin, who has worked at the utility ESKOM in South Africa, Universities of Pretoria, Stellenbosch, as Departmental Chair and professor at Oregon State University, is currently an adjunct professor at North Carolina State University's Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management Systems Center (FREEDM Systems Center). He has authored and co-authored more that 250 technical journal and conference papers in the IEEE and other organizations and several chapters in scientific books. He is or has been active on several IEEE and CIGRÉ working groups and standard committees, including IEEE-1547. He holds 14 patents, is a Registered Professional Engineer, Fellow of the SAIEE and Senior Member of the IEEE.
"Petra Solar is making major business and technological strides in renewable energy technology that improves grid reliability and provides a Smart Grid backbone to the utility," said Dr. Enslin. "With Petra Solar's unique sustainable and Smart Grid solutions for power utilities, we are at the cutting edge of the distributed solar electric generation era, and we are growing by leaps and bounds. I am honored to be a part of this exciting and important venture."
About Petra Solar:
Petra Solar, founded in 2006 by Dr. Kuran, is the pioneer of the SunWave™ a grid-tied, pole-mounted, distributed solar generation system with improved grid reliability features. Petra Solar's success is the culmination of more than 18 years of research and development.
More information about Petra Solar can be found at www.petrasolar.com
