Ice Energy Names David Nemtzow Chief Policy Officer

WINDSOR, Colo., June 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Ice Energy, a leading provider of advanced energy storage solutions to the electric utility industry, today announced the appointment of David Nemtzow as executive vice president and chief policy officer.  

With more than twenty-five years of experience in utility regulation, energy policy and management, leading government, business, and non-profit organizations, adding Nemtzow to Ice Energy's senior management team underscores the company's commitment to increasing legislative and regulatory awareness and support for energy storage at the federal, state, and local levels.  

"With the explosive growth of opportunities for Ice Energy among utilities, the high interest in storage among policymakers, and the increasing sophistication of state and federal policy around the role of storage in holding down power costs and supporting renewables, energy efficiency, climate mitigation, and the smart grid, it was critical that we strengthen our executive team with the addition of a seasoned and strategic policy leader capable of leading our efforts at the highest levels," said Frank Ramirez, CEO of Ice Energy.  "Throughout his career, David has successfully brought together government, utilities, industry and others to build partnerships and develop creative policy solutions. He is exactly the right person at the right time for Ice Energy, and we are thrilled that he is joining us at this crucial time in our growth."

Nemtzow had previously advised Ice Energy on regulatory, legislative, and other policy matters as an independent utility and regulatory consultant in California, educating policymakers on the benefits of energy storage and helping remove unintended barriers to its adoption.  Key measures include California's ground-breaking AB 2514, championed by California Attorney General Jerry Brown, Jr., and Assembly member Nancy Skinner (D-Calif.); the federal STORAGE Act (S. 1091 and H.R. 4210, by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., respectively); and current storage-related actions of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the California Public Utilities Commission, and numerous state legislatures and agencies.

Nemtzow previously spent ten years as President and CEO of the Alliance to Save Energy, a Washington, DC-based association of industry, government, utility, consumer, and environmental executives. Under his leadership the Alliance grew four-fold in size, opened offices in several countries, and conducted several award-winning television campaigns.

He also served as Director-General (CEO) of the Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability for New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, from 2004-2006, playing a central role in the development of the State's electricity, greenhouse, energy and water strategies.

Nemtzow also served as Legislative Director to U.S. Rep. Edward Markey, (D-Mass.), where he drafted legislation that created competitive markets for electricity transmission and drafted successful legislation on tradable air emission permits and energy efficiency.

Nemtzow has spoken widely on energy issues and testified frequently before Congress and governmental agencies in the U.S. and abroad, and has served on numerous governmental advisory committees and the Boards of Directors of energy associations and organizations.

"The time for grid-connected energy storage has come.  Ice Energy has a breakthrough solution for peak load management that can make the electric system more efficient, flexible and 'smarter'.  This means deferred expenses for utilities and lower costs for consumers, increased use of renewables, reduced air emissions, and improved reliability," said Nemtzow.  "It is time for federal, state and local policymakers to recognize the essential changes that energy storage will bring to utilities and their customers – and update energy policies and regulations accordingly.  I am delighted to be joining Ice Energy at this exciting and critical time for the company and this industry."

Nemtzow holds a B.A. in Environmental Policy from Brown University, and a Master's in Public Policy from Harvard University.  

ABOUT ICE ENERGY

Ice Energy is a leading provider of advanced energy storage and smart grid solutions to the electric utility industry.

Founded in 2003, the company is dedicated to transforming energy system efficiency and improving grid reliability through the development of advanced technology solutions that promote the efficient use of energy resources, reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, and enable the transition to a cleaner, smarter, more sustainable power grid.

Ice Energy's smart grid platform integrates revolutionary, distributed energy storage technology with an advanced software infrastructure and intelligent two-way control to provide utilities with a powerful, cost-effective alternative to conventional peaking power plants for meeting peak demand.

By leveraging the higher efficiencies associated with generating and transmitting cleaner, more efficient and more abundant power off-peak, storing it at thousands of distributed locations, and dispatching it during times of peak demand, Ice Energy delivers a sustainable new energy solution equivalent to thousands of megawatts of clean peaking power for utilities.

The company is headquartered in Windsor, Colorado, with offices in Orange County and Sacramento, California. For more information, visit www.ice-energy.com or follow us on Twitter @ IceENRG .

SOURCE Ice Energy