Renewable energy microgrids are gaining popularity with industries, institutions, communities and even residential consumers because they provide clean energy, potential cost savings and reliable power. In addition, there are a number of tax incentives available, systems are easily scalable, and they can be built faster and are more environmentally … [Read more...]
Alaska Governor Seeks Green Bank for Microgrids, Clean Energy
April 16, 2021 By Leave a Comment
Lawmakers in Alaska are working on legislation introduced by the governor that could create a green bank to provide funding for microgrids and other clean energy projects. On April 9, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy introduced the Alaska Energy Independence Act (SB 123, HB 170) to spur sustainable energy development by issuing loans for qualified … [Read more...]
Defense Department Continues Research into Vanadium Flow Batteries with Ameresco
April 9, 2021 By 5 Comments
The US Department of Defense has begun its second phase of research into vanadium flow batteries in partnership with Ameresco, a developer of clean energy and microgrid projects. As part of the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), the study is being done in Golden, Colorado, at the National Renewable Energy … [Read more...]
State Energy Officials, Clean Energy Businesses Urge DOE to Coordinate Resilience Efforts
March 31, 2021 By 1 Comment
State energy officials and clean energy businesses are urging the Department of Energy (DOE) to help coordinate efforts to bolster infrastructure resilience, including microgrid development. “As recent events in Texas and the Midwest have shown once again, one of the most urgent tasks in the energy sector – production, distribution and … [Read more...]
How Behind the Meter Assets Can Help — or Hinder — Utility Energy Management in Texas
March 30, 2021 By Leave a Comment
More and more, utilities are deploying behind the meter (BTM) assets — particularly energy storage and electric vehicles (EV) — to reduce their loads, balance their systems and provide resilience. In the wake of a February outage, Portland General Electric said it has been testing projects that deploy customer sited storage to help boost … [Read more...]
New Solar Microgrid To Be Developed in Castañer, Puerto Rico
March 25, 2021 By 2 Comments
An initiative led by PathStone and The Solar Foundation has selected Castañer, Puerto Rico, as the location for a new solar microgrid. The small, rural community of Castañer was chosen from a group of nine candidates to receive funding from the Puerto Rican Solar Business Accelerator, which is backed by the United States Economic … [Read more...]
Schneider Electric and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Push Forward Grid Innovation
March 24, 2021 By 2 Comments
Schneider Electric has partnered with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) to deliver distributed energy resources to local Alberta businesses. During phase two of the polytechnic's Centre for Grid Innovation program, Schneider Electric has stepped in to supply its control and energy management platforms — EcoStruxure … [Read more...]
Not Only Texas Went Dark in February: After Storm, Portland, Oregon Tests Resiliency Partnerships
March 23, 2021 By 1 Comment
Texas captured worldwide attention in February when a devastating storm crippled the state's power system. But at about the same time, and to much less fanfare, part of the Northwest struggled with similar issues. Portland, Oregon, experienced power outages because of severe weather that left about 200,000 customers in the dark, some for several … [Read more...]
California’s First-of-a-Kind Microgrid for Wastewater Treatment
March 23, 2021 By 1 Comment
Mike Byrnes, senior vice president of Veolia North America and CEO of SourceOne, Veolia's energy consulting company, discusses an innovative California microgrid project bringing energy independence, greater resiliency and efficiency for Rialto’s wastewater treatment plant. Growing numbers of climate change-linked natural disasters, such as … [Read more...]
Market Leaders Point the Way as the Microgrid Controls Market Advances
March 17, 2021 By Leave a Comment
Peter Asmus, research director at Guidehouse, describes the state of the market for microgrid controls — a technology known as the "brain" of the microgrid — and what companies are leading the way. The success of the microgrid market depends on digital control platforms that can orchestrate diverse distributed energy resources (DER) into a … [Read more...]
