As the energy landscape changes and experiences increasing unpredictability, organizations in every industry are feeling the pressure to secure their operations through other means.
With their ability to operate independently from the electric grid, microgrids are presenting a unique opportunity to advance the position of organizational resiliency in the face of this growing uncertainty.
To learn more about this topic, Senior Editor Breanna Sandridge spoke with Concord Engineering CEO Michael Fischette in the company’s booth at the Microgrid Knowledge Conference last month in Baltimore.
While microgrids have often been overlooked resources, government entities and organizations with mission-critical operations such as the Department of Defense and hospitals are stepping up and promoting the benefits this technology has provided them, Fischette noted. As a result, a wider range of industries are beginning to adopt or consider the benefits of microgrids, such as data centers and industrial complexes.
The key need for those last two entities is continuous uptime to avoid losses in production and profit.
“As far as we’re concerned, [microgrids are] the only solution. You need decentralized energy and decentralized power right now. We are getting requests right now from data centers to build island-powered microgrids that aren’t even connected to the grid because they can’t wait,” said Fischette.
However, understanding microgrids and their benefits is only part of the equation. Organizations must also develop critical skillsets to ensure that microgrids are deployed efficiently and effectively, including knowing how to work with utility companies and other key players.
These factors will only become more crucial as the microgrid economy develops in tandem with other alternative energy resources that can enhance the resiliency of microgrids, such as hydrogen.
“Even if you have an all-electric grid that is 100% clean and renewable energy, it is never going to be 100% resilient. You’re going to need on-site power, and that on-site power is probably going to come from hydrogen,” added Fischette.
To learn more about how microgrids are advancing organizational resiliency and what tools and skillsets are needed to deploy the technology at any organization, check out the interview with Michael Fischette from the Microgrid Knowledge Conference.
Watch the complete, short video interview with Concord Engineering CEO
Mike Fischette here, done live at Microgrid Knowledge Conference
