Berkeley Engineering

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Jonathan Colby

Alumni SpotlightB.S. 2002 Mechanical Engineering
Director of Technology Performance at Verdant Power
Hometown: Milwaukee, WI & Atlanta, GA

Job description

I am the Director of Technology Performance for Verdant Power, a NYC-based tidal energy technology and project developer currently delivering electricity to New York City from the tides in the East River (which is actually a tidal strait!).  I am responsible for the operation of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission-licensed Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) Project.  My responsibilities include project management, component fabrication and purchasing, turbine assembly, deployment and retrieval, environmental monitoring, data analysis, final reporting, and regulatory compliance. 

Current project that excites you

The Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy Project. This is the first federally-licensed tidal energy power plant in the United States. At the current moment, the power plant (105 kW rated) is fully operational, delivering electricity from the East River to the grid on Roosevelt Island via a ConEd distributed generation interconnection. The tidal energy turbine technology currently operating, known as Gen5, is deployed using a gravity-based TriFrame mount. The technology recently completed an independent power performance assessment by the European Marine Energy Centre, verifying compliance to IEC/TS 62600-200 under the IECRE System.

Skills learned at Cal

Independent thinking; hard work and the willingness/ability to put in long hours; how to not sleep and still be able to execute; how to balance work and life; how to be accountable and self-motivated; how to listen to, and learn from, diverse perspectives.

Something few people know

I lived in Brussels, Belgium from the age of 1 to 4 and spoke French fluently when I was young.

Book or movie you loved

Movies: Hidden Figures; The Lego Movie

Fondest memory from Cal

Early mornings and late nights at Etcheverry Hall; Time on Faculty Glade with friends; Working in the lab/machine shop

Advice for your 20-year-old self

Pursue a PE license. Learn more about business, standards and certification. Take a semester/year abroad! Save more and ask for more at your first job!

What keeps you enthusiastic about your job

Trying to change the world. Achieving first-of-a-kind milestones in Marine Energy. Helping to develop a new sector within the renewable energy industry. Working with experts around the world.

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