The energy storage company taps Commonwealth Fusion and Tesla leadership to accelerate commercial deployment
BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–To support the rapidly growing demand for clean, firm power, grid energy storage pioneer Fourth Power has added Fred Huang and Patrick Schweiger to the senior leadership team as Executive Vice Presidents (EVPs). Huang will serve as EVP of Operations, leading the creation of Fourth Power’s project execution engine, which will productize designs for high-speed deployment. As EVP of Engineering, Schweiger will spearhead product development validation and build the engineering team necessary for large-scale deployments. With the addition of Huang and Schweiger, Fourth Power adds two proven leaders to accelerate Fourth Power’s commercialization plans.
“It is very clear that the market needs low-cost energy storage to make our grid more reliable, resilient and cleaner,” said Arvin Ganesan, CEO of Fourth Power. “By bringing on Fred and Pat, Fourth Power will be able to deliver projects at the scale and velocity that the moment and market demands.”
Fred Huang (EVP, Operations)
Fred Huang has a proven track record in manufacturing and deploying large-scale infrastructure. At Tesla, Huang led operations launch for multiple manufacturing lines, culminating in Tesla’s first Model 3 general assembly factory, one of the world’s densest and most automated general assembly lines. With a background in manufacturing, construction and operations, Huang is uniquely suited to drive fast and efficient project completion and lead Fourth Power’s operational execution engine.
“I have always had a passion for building products that save the planet from the worst effects of climate change,” said Huang. “Fourth Power’s mission aligns with this passion, and the technology is a unique solution to the challenge of cost-effective, scalable, clean firm power. Joining Fourth Power also gives me an opportunity to advance how we deploy vital infrastructure at scale using manufacturing methods. It is an exciting puzzle to solve, and I’m pleased to be able to do it at a company with a revolutionary yet practical approach.”
After Tesla, Huang worked as Rivian’s Director of Manufacturing Engineering Programs, managing the design, build, and launch of Rivian’s first factory ($2B) in Illinois and the launch of its first three vehicles. Before Rivian, Huang worked as Staff Technical Program Manager for Plenty, leading the design, procurement, construction, and commissioning of Plenty’s first indoor vertical farms.
Patrick Schweiger (EVP, Engineering)
Patrick Schweiger brings a wealth of expertise to the Fourth Power team with over 40 years of experience in engineering leadership. Most recently, as an early employee at Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), he played a pivotal role in scaling the company to over 1,000 employees and achieving critical early engineering milestones. Concurrent with his engineering work at CFS, he acted as Project and Construction Manager for a $2B project through the first three years. Throughout his career, Schweiger has earned a reputation for consistently delivering projects on time and within budget under challenging circumstances. His deep knowledge and experience ensure a seamless technology development and deployment progression from concept to final design.
“Fourth Power has the ability to deploy a realistic green energy solution in a short amount of time, and that’s one of the main reasons that I was attracted to the company,” said Schweiger. “Our technology will be economical and timely and pair well with various power sources. I look forward to bringing a perspective to this team that will allow us to navigate detailed design efficiently and quickly get projects over the finish line.”
Schweiger’s career also includes working on gigawatt-scale nuclear plants. In 2010, he was the Vice President of Nuclear Plant Design and Licensing at TerraPower, where he was responsible for overall plant design, licensing approach, reactor safety, design authority, and chief engineer assignments. After a six-year tenure, he was promoted to Senior Vice President of Engineering, a title Schweiger held until 2018, when he left to work as the Head of Engineering at CFS.
With the executive team in place, Fourth Power aims to fast-track the full utility-scale deployment of its thermal battery technology.
For more information on how Fourth Power provides solutions for the growing energy storage sector, visit gofourth.com.
About Fourth Power
Fourth Power makes reliable, cost-effective renewable energy an available resource for utilities and power generators, 24/7. By combining thermal energy storage with thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells, Fourth Power turns the light emitted from heated carbon blocks into electricity that is dispatchable to the grid in seconds. The company’s extremely high-temperature system (2400°C) ensures maximum efficiency with readily available materials, offering the lowest-cost option for grid decarbonization. Fourth Power has engineered a highly flexible battery that is built to customer specifications and grows with the grid as renewable energy deployment expands. For more information on how Fourth Power has put the sun in a box to make clean, reliable energy more accessible, visit gofourth.com.
Contacts
For Fourth Power
Technica Communications
Melanie Morris
