Steve Baxley, P.E., is manager of research and development efforts related to renewable, storage, and distributed generation technologies at Southern Company (Email: jsbaxley@southernco.com). Previously, he was a senior engineering manager at Applied Research Associates, Inc., where he directed RD&D in support of the U.S. Dept. of Defense. He holds patents for technologies related to energy and water, and he has received a national award from the Society of American Military Engineers for the development of a novel renewable jet fuel production process. Baxley earned a BS in chemistry and MS in civil and environmental engineering from Florida State Univ.