Brian Janous, Director of Energy Strategy for Microsoft
...we will further innovate at the distributed level while also including large utility-scale projects in our portfolio...
(PRWEB) December 03, 2013
At Microsoft, Janous is responsible for leading the development and execution of Microsoft’s global data center energy strategy. These data centers provide the foundational cloud infrastructure for more than 200 online and cloud services for consumers and businesses worldwide. His responsibilities include the oversight of all energy supply agreements, distributed generation, and strategic partnerships. He and his team support efforts to create end-to-end strategies that will drive innovations in the next generation of Microsoft data centers. Janous joined Microsoft in 2011 after 12 years as a Senior Consultant at Brubaker & Associates, assisting Fortune 500 companies with energy procurement, policy, and sustainability matters.
Janous will share the keynote stage with Rod West, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Entergy Corp., which is Host Utility for ELECTRIC POWER 2014. Conference organizers have also invited Gina McCarthy, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to offer keynote remarks, focusing on expected carbon emission limits for existing fossil-fueled power stations.
Janous has written about the movement toward distributed generation (rooftop solar, fuel cells, etc.), and has said that “the opportunity of distributed generation does not negate the benefit afforded by the broader electric grid. In fact, in most applications, the value of distributed generation is a result of a connection to the broader grid. As we continue to grow our datacenter footprint, we will further innovate at the distributed level while also including large utility-scale projects in our portfolio to the extent that both can drive down costs and improve efficiency at the site and grid level.” According to a news report by CleanTechnica.com on November 4, Microsoft signed a 20-year deal to purchase all of the power produced by a 110MW wind project, 70 miles northwest of Fort Worth, TX. The Keechi project, by RES Americas, will begin construction early in 2014. The deal marks Microsoft’s first direct purchase of renewable energy.
Microsoft has emerged as a leader in innovative thinking about power generation, carbon management and the use of electric power. Welcoming Brian Janous to the Keynote Session stage further solidifies ELECTRIC POWER’s standing as a showcase for thought leaders in the power sector.
ELECTRIC POWER takes place April 1-3, 2014 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Several pre-conference activities—including a tour of Entergy’s Ninemile Unit 6 combined cycle power plant that is being built near downtown—take place on March 31. For a complete schedule and registration details, visit http://www.electricpowerexpo.com.