Georgia isn’t usually associated with bold clean energy moves, but this week state regulators decided to make some history. The Public Service Commission did so in a vote on Georgia Power’s integrated resource plan (IRP), a strategy that outlines what resources the utility plans to use over 20 years. (Dockets 42310 and 42311). Filed in … [Read more...]
Tim Kelley, director of renewable microgrids at Russelectric, cites new drivers for microgrids. More and more customers are installing them to achieve sustainability and cost reduction goals. Solar and storage make those goals viable. Russelectric has been in the microgrid market for nearly 50 years. The company provides microgrids to … [Read more...]
The London City Airport microgrid, now under development, will nearly double the size of the airport's electricity distribution infrastructure, from 3.6 MVA to 7 MVA, and help power a major airport expansion and upgrade. The microgrid is a critical element of the airport's broader $630.5 million City Airport Development Program, which … [Read more...]
Researchers at the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) have developed an optimization tool for microgrids that allows homes to stay off grid as long as possible, generally using solar, storage and smart meters. The researchers recently received a patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office, based on a grant from the US Department of … [Read more...]
Microgrids often rely on solar-plus-batteries, combined heat and power, or back-up generators that run on diesel fuel or natural gas. But Bloom Energy says that it has just finished the engineering and testing for a “server” that uses renewable hydrogen produced by excess renewables that keeps electricity flowing. “On a sunny day, when the … [Read more...]
In a filing before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Alternative Transmission (ATI) proposes a technology that could bring a new meaning to the concept of non-wires alternatives. Based in Sullivan’s Island, S.C., the company wants to move batteries by rail for discharge and charge where needed on the electric grid. Further, … [Read more...]
Schneider Electric’s recent decision to take a stake in Autogrid hints at the future relationship between utilities and microgrids as data exchange grows in sophistication. A global energy leader in energy management and automation, Schneider is a strong player in both microgrids and the utility market. Autogrid, a California energy software … [Read more...]
Non-wires alternatives (NWAs) use distributed energy resources and microgrids to defer or replace the installation of more traditional 'wires and poles' infrastructure. When utilities choose non-wires alternatives, they often save ratepayers money by avoiding investments in costly infrastructure. By utilizing distributed energy resources (DER) at … [Read more...]
Chicago's Bronzeville microgrid project is demonstrating the social justice benefits of decentralized energy with the completion this month of solar installations on 660 residential units in the Dearborn Homes Community. The project, a partnership of Exelon subsidiary Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), developer VLV Development and the Chicago Housing … [Read more...]
The Texas Public Utility Commission is expected to address a lingering question this summer: Are utilities permitted to own battery storage to provide reliability solutions — if the competitive market there is unable to do so? The microgrid industry sits on both sides of the issue. One group is saying that utilities won’t develop microgrids … [Read more...]
Pierre Delforge, an NRDC senior scientist, describes an historic decision by the city of Berkeley, California that requires electrification of all new buildings — and the trend it may foretell.
A new energy-as-a-service (EaaS) model has emerged that simplifies microgrid development and ownership for organizations. EaaS relieves the microgrid host from operational and financial risk—but guarantees them the benefits. A new special report from Microgrid Knowledge and Schneider Electric explores in detail the new model for energy-as-a-service microgrids.
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