Job Summary
Planning and forecasting Distributed Energy Resources (DER) requires a unique mix of qualitative and quantitative analysis. Qualitative examples include understanding policy and drivers for adoption while quantitative examples include analyzing hourly interval data and understanding the operating characteristics of DER technologies as well as the various components of DER capital cost curves. Employees at this level provide analytical support, reporting and project management duties across all regulated jurisdictions that relate to planning and forecasting DER technologies market penetration projections, technology cost curves, hourly energy profiles, contributions to peak, etc., as well as assessing the cost effectiveness of renewable technologies against conventional generation resources. This level requires minimal supervision and candidates are expected to develop advanced skills, experience and the ability to work with greater independence. Ideal candidates for this position have prior forecasting/modeling experience, excellent communication skills, experience working with big data sets, and identifying process improvement opportunities.
Duties:
- Develop and maintain long term models (ranging from 5 to 30 years) to project renewable market penetration for technologies such as private and universal solar, electric vehicles, battery storage, and wind.
- Track actual performance (including interval data) and penetration of existing assets to validate forecasting projections of items such as technology cost curves, capacity factors, hourly energy profiles, contributions to peak, number of customers, and breakeven points
- Ensure effective collaboration and coordination with other planning groups in Duke Energy such as IRP, Finance, Load Forecasting, DET (Distributed Energy Technologies), other groups within ISOP, FSO, Distribution and Transmission Planning, and other areas within the company that require DER projections to ensure that forecasts are incorporated appropriately in forecasting models and reports
- Provide support to DET's growth strategy, systems, processes, and reporting required to meet programs such as NC REPS, SC DER, HB 589, SC Act 62, and DEF's Florida Settlement agreement
- Develop and maintain external and internal relationships to help validate DER projections (ex. capital costs), stay informed about new industry developments and implement best practices to current forecast processes, systems, and data
- Support new ISOP organization by evaluating granular forecasts for solar, electric vehicles, and battery storage, ensuring circuit level forecasts reconcile with bulk forecasts, and identifying improvement opportunities in both circuit and jurisdictional level forecasts
- Establish and maintain shorter term forecast (12-24 month) methodologies to support resource and inventory needs for metering, distribution planning, and operations
- Support analytical efforts to estimate the operational impact of renewable growth on Duke Energy's generation, transmission, and distribution systems as well as the financial impact and potential impact on regulated utility rate making and cost recovery rules
Basic/Required Qualifications
Senior
- Graduation from an accredited four-year College or University with a degree in Economics, Statistics, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or related field
- 5 or more years of work related experience.
Lead
- Graduation from an accredited four-year College or University with a degree in Economics, Statistics, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or related field
- 8 or more years of work related experience
Desired Qualifications
- Demonstrated quantitative modeling experience.
- Advanced knowledge of commonly used tools such as SQL, MetrixND, SAS, R, Matlab, Power BI, Hadoop, and/or other commonly used tools to support analysis such as data trending, forecasting, quantitative experience in managing large data sets, configuring complex spreadsheets, manipulating hourly data, and/or scenario analysis
- Masters or advanced degree in a relevant field such as economics, statistics, engineering, finance, accounting, business, policy or environmental studies, or computer science
- Two or more years of renewable energy markets, renewable technologies (solar, wind, battery storage, electric vehicles, or CHP), renewable analytics & reporting experience
- 7 or more years of quantitative modeling, forecasting, or financial analysis, including exposure to forecasting software, techniques or education
- Experience in developing energy and cost projections to support planning models, including experience creating hourly energy profile projections
- Exposure to regulated utility rate making and cost recovery rules, and/or regulated utility planning processes
- Prior exposure to analysis, research and evaluation of emerging technologies, including working with 3rd party vendors to understand and utilize their models and evaluating 3rd party software options vs in-house solutions
- Prior exposure and understanding of generation unit commitment and dispatch models and distribution or transmission load flow modeling and how renewable penetration may affect operations
- Exposure to electric utility residential and commercial products and services
- Prior experience with back testing models, understanding actual adoption, and identifying the main drivers which drive forecast accuracy
- Prior experience developing and managing database relationships
- Excellent communication skills and ability to explain complex quantitative issues to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Self-motivated, independent, proactive, organized and innovative individual.
- Proven ability to handle complex business problems and deliver practical solutions
- Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and adapting to changing environments
- Ability to work well in teams and individually depending on the needs of a project.
- Problem solving and demonstrated experience in leading projects (or other team members) and implementation skills.
Duke Energy
526 S Church St
Charlotte
North Carolina United States
www.duke-energy.com
