Advanced Energy Welcomes Daniel Real as a DER Systems Consultant

Advanced Energy and the solar team are excited to welcome Daniel Real as a Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Systems Consultant . Daniel was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. He went on to study physics at Emory University and then returned to North Carolina to attend graduate school at Duke University, earning a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and materials science.

Daniel’s interest in energy and energy efficiency started in high school. He initially hoped to pursue a career in energy efficient architecture but realized physics would be a better match. Desiring a more applied slant and a return to energy, Daniel shifted to engineering. For the last few years, he worked as a project manager at Southern Research, a nonprofit scientific research organization. Daniel’s responsibilities focused on thermal energy storage: He helped demonstrate new technologies, set up an energy storage test center in Alabama and won a proposal from the U.S. Department of Defense to study energy storage at military bases.

Daniel has known about Advanced Energy and its solar work for some time, so he was confident it would be a good fit. First, he would have an opportunity to expand on his expertise in mechanical engineering by learning more about electrical engineering and utility-scale solar technology. Second, with the growing interest in solar and energy storage applications, he would be able to contribute his knowledge, skills and connections in this area.

As a DER Systems Consultant, Daniel will mainly be out in the field, supporting Advanced Energy’s Solar Interconnection Commissioning Program to ensure that independent power producer facilities that are interconnected to the utility grid comply with necessary documentation, codes and standards. He will help troubleshoot photovoltaic systems and write reports detailing the findings.

In his spare time, Daniel enjoys building computers and scale models of airplanes and cars, playing video games (he prefers role-playing games) and growing orchids.

Given Daniel’s professional and educational experience, Advanced Energy’s solar team is happy to have him on board, and he is eager to support its efforts.