Richard DeBlasio

Biography

A driving force in the development of standards, Richard DeBlasio has helped pave the way for integration of “green” energy resources with the electric power grid. Mr. DeBlasio standardized how distributed resources such as solar energy, wind power and hydro generation are to be interconnected with the grid. He brought together many stakeholders with competing interests to create a standard that is respected by all who use it. IEEE Standard 1547 (“Standard for the Interconnection of Distributed Resources with the Electric Power System”) removed many of the barriers to utilizing renewable energy sources to complement central power systems and made development of nontraditional energy sources more feasible. It became the national standard for interconnection and has had a significant effect on how the energy industry does business.

An IEEE Life Senior Member, he is currently the principal laboratory program manager for electricity research and development programs at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado.