Guido Semenza (19 December 1868 – 7 November 1929) was an Italian electrical engineer, inventor, and

Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...

scholar. Born in London, Semenza went with his family to Italy as a child. In 1893 he graduated with an engineering degree from the ''Istituto Tecnico Superiore'' in Milan and then in 1894 graduated with an electrical engineering degree from the ''Institut Électrotechnique Montefiore'' in

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. He devised and put into operation the first hydro-electric plant at Paderno for the Italian Edison Co. of Milan, this work being carried out shortly after the famous experimental three-phase transmission between Lauffen and Frankfort in 1891, and the first large-scale transmission system between Tivoli and Rome in 1892. Power was transmitted from the Paderno station at 13600 volts, three-phase, and as no machinery which could work at such a pressure was then available, Semenza had himself to design suitable equipment. This pioneer work made his name famous in the electrical world, and his advice on similar problems of power supply was sought both in Italy and abroad. In addition to his work on electrical transmission, he was also an expert in electric communication and electric

traction motor A traction motor is an electric motor used for propulsion of a vehicle, such as locomotives, electric vehicle, electric or hydrogen vehicles, elevators or electric multiple unit. Traction motors are used in electrically powered rail vehicles (ele ...

s. He was made a Knight of the Crown of Italy. He was president of the Italian Electrotechnical Association. He published many papers in refereed journals and from 1923 to 1927 he was president of the

International Electrotechnical Commission The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC; in French: ''Commission électrotechnique internationale'') is an international standards organization that prepares and publishes international standards for all electrical, electronic and r ...

. In 1924 he delivered the Kelvin Lecture of the

Institution of Electrical Engineers The Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) was a British professional organisation of electronics, electrical, manufacturing, and Information Technology professionals, especially electrical engineers. It began in 1871 as the Society of Te ...

, on the topic ''Kelvin and the Economics of the Generation and Distribution of Electrical Energy''. In 1929 he was awarded the

Faraday Medal The Faraday Medal is a top international medal awarded by the UK Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) (previously called the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE)). It is part of the IET Achievement Medals collection of awards. T ...

of the Institution of Electrical Engineers. Guido Semenza holds a high place among the world's electrical transmission engineers. He was the originator of the flexible pole or tower used extensively in transmission systems both in Europe and in this country.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Semenza, Guido 1868 births 1929 deaths Italian electrical engineers Polytechnic University of Milan alumni