Derek Dyson was a shareholder of more than 20 years at the Duncan Weinberg Genzer & Pembroke law firm in Washington, D.C. He has worked on energy solutions for cooperatives, municipalities, tribal communities, and independent developers, and helped with the financing, development, construction, operation and decommissioning of energy projects across the United States and abroad. Dyson was also a law clerk with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
He has a law degree from American University’s Washington College of Law, a master’s degree in business administration from Florida Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Virginia Tech.
Dyson is a former contracting officer with the Department of the Navy and the White House Situation Support Staff.
Could you tell us a bit about Today’s Power Inc. and its mission, past and present?
Today’s Power Inc. was created in November 2014 by Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Inc. of Little Rock to serve Arkansas’ electric cooperatives. It has since grown to provide services to cooperatives, public power, commercial and industrial customers across the state and across the United States. TPI offers utility-scale, commercial and community solar and energy storage solutions as well as electric vehicle charging solutions. The company strives to improve the quality of life of the communities it serves by providing leading technologies and services in a sustainable and fiscally responsible manner.
You stepped in as president of TPI in December. What attracted you to the company?
I moved to Arkansas and began working at Today’s Power Inc. in December 2021. The opportunity to further build on TPI’s solid foundation established by my predecessor, Michael Henderson, to work with the talented staff and board of directors and to support the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, as well as numerous other entities, by continuing to provide innovation, quality design, high construction and material standards at the best value are the key factors that motivated me in joining the TPI team.
What do you see as the role of solar power in the electric cooperative world, and where does battery storage fit into the picture?
Renewable energy resources will continue to grow as part of the energy mix for all utilities across the country. TPI expects there to be sufficient opportunities for every market participant to find scenarios for expansion. TPI sees both the growth of renewable energy resources and battery storage as a mechanism to reduce demand charges and energy cost for cooperatives and public power entities, and therefore for the majority of consumers. By using the highest quality materials, building to utility grade standards, and with our knowledge of how utility rate structures work, we customize systems to extract maximum value for our customers.
Are there any cooperatives left in Arkansas that lack solar power stations, and where do you see TPI’s new business coming from?
Each of the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas has either built or is looking to build solar facilities. TPI has numerous projects it manages and for which it provides operation and maintenance services. We’ve developed renewable energy projects both in and outside Arkansas, and our projects generated more than 8.66 million kilowatt-hours of energy in April 2022. Assuming an average of 1,100 kilowatt-hours per household, TPI supplied enough power in April 2022 for more than 7,876 households.
