"Don't Deform to Conform": Final Insights from Microgrid Knowledge Conference in Baltimore
BALTIMORE — Perhaps the most valuable attribute of innovative vision is not how far one can see straight ahead, but can one see around the corners?
In the microgrid world, there are historically accepted and understood methodologies for deciding whether a project is worthy. Yet new use cases evolve and become priorities all the time and the key is recognizing and meeting the need where it’s at, not where we think it’s going to be.
During the recent Microgrid Knowledge (MGK) Conference, experts from across the distributed energy spectrum pinpointed the need to be adaptable, valuable and indispensable.
And one of our keynote speakers nailed it with instantly quotable bulletin board material shared around the rooms of the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront for days and beyond.
“The biggest message is don’t deform to conform,” said Gil Bindewald, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) principal deputy assistant secretary in the Office of Electricity and a prime mover on the federal government’s grid resiliency efforts.
“A lot of times when I see microgrid investments it is when an event occurs. Please don’t wait. There is a value proposition in day-to-day normal conditions,” Bindewald added during his chat with DOE colleague Katrina Pielli in MGK’s first morning plenary last week. “You shouldn’t wait to have an event and then react because that is a disservice to the value you could draw. So I promote thinking proactively to fully consider the value microgrids could offer.”
This used to be our microgrid: Don't neglect O&M
Pielli (pictured left middle with Bindewald and MGK Managing Editor Rod Walton) revealed one memorable experience detailing why operations and maintenance are also a key part of the ongoing microgrid experience. In at least one remote project she worked on, the solar components were neglected and eventually were relegated to expensive playground equipment for local children.
Later, in a follow-up email with MGK Managing Editor Rod Walton, Pielli recounted both the frustration and determination motivated by that experience-that hard lessons were learned and deployments improved. Pielli is director of engagement for the DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstration and a regular contributor to the Microgrid Knowledge Conference as a speaker and advisory board member.
“Unfortunately, I literally saw that numerous times across sub-Saharan Africa while working at USAID Power Africa,” Pielli said. “The best of intentions but without O&M and a trained local workforce, the assets inevitably stopped working. It really was heartbreaking.”
The proactive and practical benefits of microgrids, virtual power plants and the aggregated distributed energy resource (DER) value chain is what Microgrid 2024 was all about. And the three-day event attracted true believers, the curious and even some skeptics. All were welcome in Charm City.
Nearly 500 attended the Microgrid Knowledge Conference, with 94% of those who registered following through and showing up.
Collaboration across sectors: The full Microgrid value chain
Microgrid enthusiasts, experts and the curious came from 40 states and eight nations to focus on the value chain of on-site power. Among the breakout sessions were panel discussions on topics from bridge power to deal with interconnection queues, powering electric vehicle infrastructure now and in the future, university projects, hardware in the loop testing, artificial intelligence, the work of meeting the needs of a new generation of energy “prosumers” as well as the place for utilities in microgrid development.
Utilities historically are engaged in the macro grid schematic, but many of them can see around the corner and know that on-site and distributed energy are a way forward to meet both sustainability and resiliency goals. Among those presenting at the Microgrid Knowledge Conference were Pacific Gas & Electric, Cobb EMC, Duke Energy, EPB of Chattanooga (Tenn.), BGE, Georgia Power and Ameren.
“We will continue to work with you,” Laura Wright, vice president of technical services at BGE, said during her general session welcoming the attendees to Baltimore. “Come to us with your ideas.”
Many ideas were in full flower, whether up on stage in presentation mode, from the audience and certainly in networking confabs on the exhibition floor. The companies participating in Microgrid Knowledge 2024 ranged from project developers and operational software firms to power generators, startups and well-known players long valued in the industry. Read more of the wrapup on MGK 2024 below the next ad.
What they had in common was a desire to promote microgrids as part of the true vision and revolution for the energy future.
“What is the revolution in energy all about, and who is it for exactly?” asked Sunil Cherian, founder and CEO of Spirae, one of the conference sponsors (pictured far left). “Where I think the potential for microgrids truly exists is in personalizing energy. Energy is the most boring thing — you flip a switch and the light comes on and nobody cares.
“Personalizing energy means people have to relate to the energy infrastructure before they can care about it,” Cherian pointed out.
In addition to Spirae, Platinum sponsors at Microgrid Knowledge Conference included PowerSecure and Cummins. Gold sponsors were POWER Engineers, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Ameresco, Honeywell, Concord Engineering and Schneider Electric.
UL Solutions and PXiSE Energy Solutions were the event’s Silver sponsors.
Planning is already beginning for the Microgrid Knowledge Conference 2025 happening April 15-17 in Dallas at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. Texas is one of the biggest states in the U.S. for microgrid deployment.
Eleven months away seems like a long time, but quicker than you think it will be right around the corner. Let us know what kind of microgrid and aggregated DER topics you’d like to see and hear at Microgrid Knowledge 2025 in Dallas.
Other contributors to MGK coverage included Breanna Sandridge and Nikki Chandler
See more photos from Microgrid Knowledge Conference 2024 below:
