Think Microgrid, ORNL Report: Ownership Models and Data Strategy

Feb. 29, 2024
“Modern digital infrastructure will be adaptive across various time horizons and between diverse actors with ranging needs and objectives, some of which may conflict with one another.”

Industry advocacy group Think Microgrid is making the case that the sector can best improve microgrid integration through clearly defining the digital interconnection that ensures a safe, secure flow of information critical to the project, according to a new report.

The new report, “Ownership Models and Data Strategy for Microgrids,” is based on a collaboration between Think Microgrid and the Oak Ridge National Lab in Tennessee. The partnership focused on identifying how policy can improve and help support data-informed microgrid integration.

“Microgrid deployments often involve interactions and data exchange across ownership and control boundaries,” the Think Microgrid report reads. “Coordination of sensitive information between microgrids and customers, distribution utilities, system operators, and third parties requires a sophisticated approach to data and digital infrastructure.”

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The challenge is complex but easy to identify, the report added.

“Modern digital infrastructure will be adaptive across various time horizons and between diverse actors with ranging needs and objectives, some of which may conflict with one another.”

Think Microgrid will be leading its annual gathering of industry thought leadership at the Microgrid 2024 Conference April 22-24 in Baltimore. The Think Microgrid Policy Workshop will be from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time on Monday, April 22 at the Marriott Waterfront. Early bird registration is available here.

To read more of the Think Microgrid “Ownership Models and Data Strategy for Microgrids” findings, click here to see the full report.

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About the Author

Rod Walton, Managing Editor | Managing Editor

For Microgrid Knowledge editorial inquiries, please contact Managing Editor Rod Walton at [email protected].

I’ve spent the last 15 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist. I was an energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World before moving to business-to-business media at PennWell Publishing, which later became Clarion Events, where I covered the electric power industry. I joined Endeavor Business Media in November 2021 to help launch EnergyTech, one of the company’s newest media brands. I joined Microgrid Knowledge in July 2023. 

I earned my Bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. My career stops include the Moore American, Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, Wagoner Tribune and Tulsa World, all in Oklahoma . I have been married to Laura for the past 33-plus years and we have four children and one adorable granddaughter. We want the energy transition to make their lives better in the future. 

Microgrid Knowledge and EnergyTech are focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids. The C&I sectors together account for close to 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.

Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.

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