Donald B. Karner

Education & Training

Training: Graduate
Institution: University of Michigan
Major/Area: Public Utility Executive Program
Degree: Certificate
Year Completed: 1982

Training: Graduate
Institution: University of Arizona
Major/Area: Nuclear Engineering
Degree: Master of Science (Magna Cum Laude)
Year Completed: 1975

Training: Undergraduate
Institution: Arizona State University
Major/Area: Electrical Engineering
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Summa Cum Laude)
Year Completed: 1973

  • Founded EAI and serves as its President. EAI provides energy consulting with specific capability for battery energy storage application development and testing
  • Provides overall strategic and technical direction for EAI, as well as acting in a project management role on significant projects.
  • Formed eTec and serves as its President. eTec installs electric vehicle infrastructure throughout the United States, specializing in fast charge applications for both on and off road vehicles.
  • Provided overall strategic and technical direction for eTec, as well as acting in a project management role on significant projects. eTec achieved a consistent record of growth, and enjoyed a client list which included major automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), major airlines, and electric utilities.
  • Served as the Project Manager for the $210 million EV Project — a public/private partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
  • Provided overall strategic and technical direction for ETA. ETA provides consulting, specializing in the infrastructure development supporting growth of electric vehicle use. Work includes infrastructure projects for major electric utilities, major metropolitan transit authorities, transit vehicle and infrastructure design, and electric vehicle hazard assessment and risk analysis.
  • Test Manager for the US Department of Energy Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity, providing test track and on road evaluation of advanced fuel vehicle technologies
  • Served as a principal researcher on energy storage projects for the Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium.
  • Served as Chief Nuclear Officer setting policy, establishing technical direction, and providing management for the 3800 MWe Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station.
  • Interfaced with and provided testimony for the multiple plant owners, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), various State regulatory commissions and the financial community regarding plant matters.
  • Responsible for all matters of nuclear safety at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station and Arizona Public Service Company.
  • Responsible for construction, startup and operation of three nuclear units in various stages of completion.
  • Directed a staff of 3,000 engineering, operations, maintenance, administrative, and financial personnel during initial plant operations
  • Responsible for transmission, distribution and non-nuclear generation engineering for Arizona Public Service Company’s electric system. Functioned as Chief Engineer and Environmental Officer for all corporate activities and managed the corporate capital budget.
  • Directed the company response to a full-scale construction prudence audit of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station including the conduct of Prudence Hearings in the states of California, Arizona, and Texas. This two-year effort resulted in a finding of less than one percent imprudently incurred costs.
  • Assisted the Executive Vice President, Nuclear with all aspects of licensing, construction and startup of the 3800 MWe Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station.
  • Specific responsibility for construction completion of the three unit Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station.
  • Responsible for all facets of the five unit 2000 MWe coal fired generating station including operations, maintenance, engineering, training, accounting, warehousing, public relations, personnel and labor relations. Implemented numerous operating, maintenance and equipment improvements, increasing plant availability 20 percent while reducing the operating and maintenance budget. Integrated a $400 million bag house and wet scrubber system into plant operations.
  • Performed various licensing functions including preparation of the Preliminary Safety Analysis and Environmental Reports, NRC interface in obtaining the Construction Permit and preparation of the Final Safety Analysis Report. Provided support for licensing hearing with Federal, State and Local governments. Performed engineering functions including control room simulator development, instrument and control system design, and control room design.

Research & Professional Experience

Publications

Donald Karner, James Francfort, “Hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle performance testing by the US Department of Energy Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity”, Journal of Power Sources, Volume 174, Issue 1, 22 November 2007, Pages 69-75, ISSN 0378-7753

Donald Karner, James Francfort, “US Department of Energy Hybrid Electric Vehicle Battery and Fuel Economy Testing”, Journal of Power Sources, Volume 158, Issue 2, 25 August 2006, Pages 1173-1177, ISSN 0378-7753

Karner, D. and Francfort J., Arizona Public Service Alternative Fuel (Hydrogen) Pilot Plant Design Report, US Department of Energy Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity Internet Website, http://avt.inel.gov/pdf/hydrogen/h2stationreport.pdf

Karner, D., Francfort, J., Harkins, R., Tardiolo, J., “Hybrid Electric Vehicle Fleet and Baseline Performance Testing”, SAE-World Conference, Detroit, Michigan, April 2006

Craig K. Wenger, Donald B. Karner, Garrett Beauregard, “Method for Charging Multiple Rechargeable Energy Storage Systems and Related Systems and Methods”, Patent Pending (Provisional Patent filed).

Donald B. Karner, “Device to Facilitate Movement of an Electrical Cable of an Electric Vehicle Charging Station and Method of Providing the Same”, Patent Pending (Provisional Patent filed).

Donald B. Karner, Robert Page, “System for Measuring Electric Power and Method of Providing and Using the Same”, Patent Pending (Provisional Patent filed).

Donald B. Karner, Kevin P. Morrow, “System for Electric Grid Balancing and Method of Using and Providing the Same”, Patent Pending (Provisional Patent filed).

Patents