Rene Cole joined E3’s Asset Valuation practice area in 2021. At E3, she has supported the analyses of transmission projects across the Western interconnection. This includes assessments on the benefits of the California ISO’s Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) via simulations on the PLEXOS economic dispatch tool, and transmission market valuations for developers in California and Arizona. Prior to E3, she worked as an Associate Projects Engineer for a Kenyan-based electric utility where she supported the management of the national grid system through field assignments. Most recently, she served as a Utilities Engineer for the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) where she conducted technical and policy analyses for transmission and distribution projects.

Outside of her work at E3, Rene’s motivation stems from developing and implementing sustainable long-term energy solutions. With a background in Electrical Engineering, she decided to pursue a master’s degree in Energy Systems Management at the University of San Francisco in 2018. Her focus was to better understand the development of resilient electrical systems in anticipation of future climate change impacts. She subsequently developed an integrated resource plan for the Arizona Public Service utility as her final project. Rene is now keen on expanding her expertise on the large-scale integration of clean resources on transmission networks to facilitate the transition towards a clean energy future.

In her free time, Rene loves taking long walks and listening to podcasts.

Education: MS, Energy Systems Management, The University of San Francisco; BS, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, the University of Nairobi