Balles Joins Draper as Energy Systems Director

Aug. 29, 2011 - PRLog -- CAMBRIDGE, MA –Dr. Eric Balles recently joined Draper Laboratory as director of energy systems.  He leads Draper’s new Energy Systems Program Office, which was chartered to build Draper’s existing business in energy and identify new opportunities in this emerging market.

Balles’ successful career in the energy field includes recent positions with Babcock Power, a leading supplier of technology, equipment and services to the power generation industry, as their chief technology officer as well as president and CEO of Babcock-Thermo Carbon Capture, LLC, (a joint venture between Babcock Power and ThermoEnergy) and chief operating officer of Babcock Power Environmental.  

Balles’ career also include several energy- related entrepreneurial endeavors – he led technology applications and licensing as vice president for Litex, Inc., the venture-funded spin-off of Lockheed Martin, developing non-thermal plasma-assisted catalysts; led Adrenaline Research, where he served as president and COO for the privately held spin-off of MIT and Draper specializing in high-energy ignition and ion sensing technologies; and was responsible for Clean Diesel Technology’s world-wide research program as vice president of technology.  Balles began his career with Arthur D. Little, where he was a senior consultant in technology and product development.  



Balles holds Sc.D., S.M., and S.B. degrees in mechanical engineering from MIT.

Darryl Sargent, Draper’s vice president for programs, described Balles as bringing “extensive experience in working with utilities and suppliers of energy technology and equipment. His vision, energy, and expertise will lead to exciting new opportunities for Draper as he works closely with our engineering staff in building our energy business.”

Looking ahead, Balles said, “The opportunities here are almost endless. Draper is applying its expertise in sensors and controls to improve the efficiency, reliability, safety, and security of energy production, distribution, transmission and end use. This organization has a rich set of core capabilities we can apply to develop solutions to the most challenging energy problems in our nation. In the process, we are making energy systems smarter and being smarter about how we use energy.”


Draper Laboratory
Draper Laboratory is a not-for-profit, engineering research and development organization dedicated to solving critical problems in national security, space systems, biomedical systems, and energy. Core capabilities include guidance, navigation and control; miniature low power systems; highly reliable complex systems; information and decision systems; autonomous systems; biomedical and chemical systems; and secure networks and communications.
www.draper.com

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Draper Laboratory is a not-for-profit, engineering research and development organization dedicated to solving critical problems in national security, space systems, biomedical systems, and energy.