The simple answer, of course, is that renewables create clean energy. But it turns out the argument for renewable microgrids is evolving — a lot. Renewables can offer better price, fuel security and reliability, especially when compared with diesel generators, according to Nathan Adams, director of technology and business development at … [Read more...]
Siemens to Upgrade Microgrid at University in Oman
July 28, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Siemens will upgrade a university microgrid in Oman in an effort that could lead to additional microgrids in the Middle Eastern country. The revamped microgrid at the Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat will improve reliability and lower costs by combining electricity from solar, wind and battery storage, according to Siemens. The … [Read more...]
How Microgrids Boost University Decarbonization Efforts
July 20, 2020 By 2 Comments
The latest article in our special report series explores how microgrids can jumpstart university decarbonization efforts. Read on for real world examples of college microgrids. Higher education has become a standard bearer for climate action. More than 400 colleges and universities have pledged to become carbon neutral between now and 2050 … [Read more...]
Why University & College Microgrids Make Financial Sense for Today’s Educational Institutions
July 2, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Read the next article in our special report series on college microgrids. Learn how microgrids are becoming more affordable — and valuable — for today's educational institutions. And explore microgrids as revenue producers. Microgrids can help campuses reduce peak demand charges, which for some institutions can be onerous, accounting for as … [Read more...]
How University Microgrids Give Campuses Intelligent Control of Energy Assets and Use
June 25, 2020 By 1 Comment
Read the next article in our special report series on university microgrids. What makes up a true microgrid? And how do microgrids protect campuses from outages, as well as optimize renewable energy? A recent survey of 2,000 U.S. voters by the Civil Society Institute found that most had never heard of the term microgrid, or they had heard of … [Read more...]
What is Transactive Energy and Why is it Important to Microgrids?
June 23, 2020 By 5 Comments
The growing emphasis on using microgrids to generate revenue is leading to increased discussion of transactive energy, a concept described in a new paper by Monash University researchers and featured at the recent Microgrid Knowledge Virtual Conference. The Monash paper, "Transactive Energy Market for Energy Management in Microgrids: The … [Read more...]
Preparing for the Covid-19 Impact on Universities: Microgrids for Resilience, Cost Savings & Sustainability
June 22, 2020 By 1 Comment
Bill Kipnis, of the Siemens Building Performance & Sustainability Division, explores how university microgrids can ramp up resilience, cost savings and sustainability — all crucially important in navigating the COVID-19 impact on these institutions. I recently moderated a higher education panel at Microgrid Knowledge’s Virtual Microgrid … [Read more...]
Campus Microgrids Emerge as Solution to Energy Challenges in Higher Education
June 15, 2020 By 1 Comment
This special report series on campus microgrids and reliable, renewable energy in higher education begins with an entry that explores the energy goals of today's colleges and universities — and how to reach them. When it comes to choosing among energy supply options, colleges and universities have three primary goals: 1. Gain greater … [Read more...]
Maryland Announces Funding for 14 Microgrid Projects
June 11, 2020 By 1 Comment
Maryland yesterday announced winners in its resilience solicitation, 14 facilities that speak to the range of operations now pursuing microgrid projects — from marginalized neighborhoods to food production operations to a marine terminal. The winners will divvy up $1.05 million provided by the Maryland Energy Administration’s (MEA) Resilient … [Read more...]
Three Key Ideas Emerging about Microgrids in an Era of Societal Disruption
June 9, 2020 By 2 Comments
Microgrids are among the disruptive class of tech, that which challenges the status quo to improve society. However, lately a technology’s worth is based less on how well it disrupts and more on how well it responds to societal disruption. With the disruption brought by COVID-19, products like teleconferencing, home delivery and telemedicine … [Read more...]
