Alvarez and Associates, LLC

VISION
The Wired Group anticipates playing a role in the evolution of the utility industry as it grapples with technological advances, changing customer expectations, and increasing societal interest in environmental impact.


MISSION
The Wired Group helps its clients unleash the latent value in distribution utility businesses. Utilities, regulators, advocates, and suppliers ask the Wired Group to provide them with objective information and decision support regarding vision, strategy, execution, stakeholder engagement, and performance measurement for critical distribution business issues including smart grid, demand-side management, renewable portfolio standard compliance, and distributed generation programs.


EXPERIENCE
Wired Group advisors are experienced in a wide array of disciplines (electrical engineering, economics, finance, marketing, organizational development, information technology) and support a number of distribution utility businesses: oSmart Grid deployment evaluation, implementation planning, and post-implementation optimization
oCommercial and residential Demand-Side Management program and portfolio development and marketing
oCommercial and residential rate development and marketing, including interruptible and time-of-use rates
oVoluntary renewable energy product development
oRenewable Portfolio Standard compliance, performance assessments, and benchmarking

Bios of Wired Group principals and associates are available for download.


INNOVATION
Wired group consultants are thought leaders and active authors, and are involved in many utility industry publications, conferences, and associations.
oPublic Utilities Fortnightly: Maximizing Customer Benefits
oSmart Grid News oMaking the Case for Performance-Based Recovery of Smart Grid Costs
oGuidelines for Performance-Based Cost Recovery Design
oSmart Grid Performance Measures: What Leading State Regulators Are Requiring

o Smart Grid Today

oEdison Electric Institute Smart Grid Value Working Group


oDistribuTECH

oCanadian Electricity Association
oElectric Utility Environmental Conference

oNational Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Annual Conference

oAssociation for Demand Response and Smart Grid
oMid-Atlantic Distributed Resource Initiative

oGreat Lakes Smart Grid Symposium



REPUTATION
The Wired Group enjoys a strong and growing reputation for integrity and unbiased perspective, particularly among regulators. The Wired Group's focus on obtaining fact-based solutions to client challenges have earned the firm and its team of seasoned professionals the respect of regulators, utility managers, and peers across the US.


LEADERSHIP
The Wired Group is led by Paul Alvarez, formerly a principal at leading sustainable development advisory firm MetaVu, Inc. At MetaVu, Mr. Alvarez led teams that conducted comprehensive, independent evaluations of two high-profile smart grid deployments, including Xcel Energy's SmartGridCity and Duke Energy's Cincinnati deployment for the PUC of Ohio. Mr. Alvarez has been active in the distribution utility industry for over a decade and has almost two decades of experience in product management and product development for such firms as Motorola, Baxter Healthcare, and Searle (now Pfizer) Pharmaceuticals. He is also an adjunct professor for the University of Colorado's Global Energy Management Program and the Advanced Regulatory Studies program at Michigan State University. Mr. Alvarez holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Indiana University and a Master's degree in Management from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University.