James McDaniel is a senior electrical engineer in Black & Veatch’s distributed energy group, where he serves as an engineering manager and subject matter specialist in distributed energy and microgrid projects with scopes ranging from full EPC (engineering + procurement + construction) to early stage pilot screening and feasibility analysis. Over the past fifteen years James has worked on projects ranging from large combined cycle power plants to small-scale microgrids. He also serves as lead technical custodian for Black & Veatch’s World Headquarters Microgrid, and regularly leads guided microgrid tours to diverse groups of guests ranging from foreign ambassadors to high school STEM students. He is also a producer and co-host of the Close of Business Podcast, which highlights emerging technologies and trends impacting the next generation of STEM professionals. He is a licensed professional engineer and has a BS in Electrical Engineering from Louisiana Tech University.